Picture of the Day: Mississippi River at New Boston, Illinois
Looking south from the riverfront at New Boston, Illinois (February, 2012). See more Photos of the Day here. Looking south from New Boston, Illinois
Picture of the Day: Alton’s Clark Bridge in the fog
You may have noticed that this winter has been exceptionally mild so far. This picture was taken in mid-January (2012) near Alton, Illinois. The Clark Bridge is barely visible in the fog, and there is just a hint of ice along the shore. See more Photos of the Day here. Clark Bridge; Alton, IL; January
Dinner and Thanks
Life on the road can be entertaining and immensely rewarding, but there are times I feel isolated and disconnected from home, friends, family, and the world around me. Thanks to these folks and the kindness of many others whose names I never learned, people I’m unlikely to cross paths with again, those times are easier to weather.
Making the Rounds in Suburban Chicago
I love road tripping—when I plug in my iPod, the miles fly by and my mind feels unburdened. Right now, though, I don’t want to see the inside of my car again for a while. I’m back home after driving 1500 miles in 6 days and staying in a different bed every night. A trip
East Dubuque
Population (2010) 1,704 Introduction East Dubuque has long had a reputation as a wild place, but city leaders have recently taken steps to clean things up—again—by closing the bars a bit earlier. While you probably don’t need to spend a full day here, there are a couple of sights
Galena
Population (2010) 3,429 Introduction The oldest city in northern Illinois, Galena was more populous than Chicago at one time and has the infrastructure for a city three times its current population. It has a compact center of well-preserved 19th-century commercial buildings tucked into a narrow river valley; terraces race