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Archive for October, 2009

I Love a Parade

28 Oct

Vote for Sarah!

On our way out of Sycamore, we tried to locate a few of Chris’ family’s friends to say hello (and, goodbye) before beginning our trek to Indianapolis. Sadly, we were unable to make contact with any of them. As we were leaving, we drove along one of the town’s historic neighborhood streets, which also happened to be the parade route for Sunday, and noticed a large tent set up in a yard. The tent was filled with campaign signs, including signs for Chris’ friend Sarah, who is running for State’s Attorney for Dekalb County, and her father, Jordan, who is up for Circuit Court Judge. We pulled over so Chris could go and snap a few pictures of the signs.

Sarah and Chris (with baby, Norah, and dog, AJ)

I stayed in the car while Chris took the pictures but he was gone for what felt like an eternity. I looked out to see that he was chatting with some folks. This being a small, friendly town and Chris being the extrovert that he is, I wasn’t surprised to see this. So, I climbed out of the car ready to give my, “Come on…let’s go” look. Apparently, however, these were old family friends that he was talking to and it was their tent with the campaign signs. They informed us that before, during, and after the parade the following day, they would be having a party and all of the old family friends would be there, including the ones we were unable to connect with earlier. They invited us to attend and it didn’t take Chris long to decide that we would stay in Sycamore one more night and finish off Pumpkin Festival properly by attending the parade and a party.

Not wanting to return to the RV park, we took a chance and claimed a lovely spot for the Airstream on the street directly across from the parade route. I watched as people began claiming their seats along the route early. It being a small town, they simply placed their folding Green Bay Packers chairs or their Chicago Bears blankets in their claimed spot the night before and miraculously, the chairs and blankets were there when they returned the next day. Fascinating!

The following day, the town was abuzz with parade activity. Floats were lining up, excited families and friends were claiming their spots along the street, and parties were underway, serving up their beers and brats. (Because no parade in or near Chicago is complete without beers and brats, right?) We walked across the street to join the fun, talked with old and new friends, and even had a pre-parade show by the Fossil Band, whom I was told was made up of former marching band members/hippies. They came to the house, did a couple of numbers in exchange for beer, and then moved on to find their place in the parade line. It was entertaining, to say the least.

Let the parade begin!

Promptly at 1pm, marching bands, loud motorcycles, elaborate floats, scary clowns, dancing children and many other parade participants began making their way down the crowded street. Rain was in the forecast but the blue skies and sunshine stayed the duration of the parade. Chris’ friend, Sarah, marched, along with other folks running for public office. For two hours, we stood and watched a variety of individuals walk, march, ride or dance by cheering and waving to the many parade attendees. Some parade participants were enthusiastic for the day and others (i.e., those teenagers forced to participate) looked slightly traumatized.

The Pumpkin Festival was a success. The rain held off until after the parade and parties ended. It was nice to be a part of a community after so many months of moving around from place to place. We said our goodbyes and departed for Indianapolis right on schedule…er…okay…a day late. But, that’s the beauty of this lifestyle: the freedom. We were glad we stayed the extra day and thankful for the coincidence of being in Sycamore for this big event. Thanks to all the kind folks of Sycamore, Illinois who made our visit to the town so memorable.

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Posted in Airstream Living

Main Street, USA

26 Oct

The Sycamore Pumpkin Festival: The perfect Autumn event!

I love Main Streets. Throughout our journey, I seem to fall for those towns with thriving Main Streets, where the community comes alive. Where the library and town halls are connected by quaint coffee shops, irresistible book stores, and eclectic retailers. On our way back to Sycamore from Chicago we avoided the toll roads and took Rt. 64 through many scenic downtown streets and I applaud Illinois for their preservation of what seems to be a fading sight in many communities. Should you ever desire to spend time on the quintessential Main Street, however, I suggest you go to Sycamore, Illinois. And, I strongly recommend you go during Pumpkin Festival.

The Dekalb County Courthouse in Sycamore, IL

The courthouse, a historical landmark that sits in the middle of town, presides over the historic district while its beautifully manicured lawn serves as a central gathering place in town. To its left, sits the library, full of activity. And, to the right, occupying a few blocks, are the various shops, eating establishments, including a delicious bakery, and an old movie theater. On the corner, across from the courthouse and just to add to the town’s authentic charm, is a popcorn stand, serving up the best caramel corn I have ever tasted. Can you picture it? Now add to that mental picture trees full of brightly colored leaves, crisp Autumn air, and children running around in costumes collecting candy from the local store owners and you are at Sycamore’s Pumpkin Festival!

Pumpkins being placed on display at the start of Pumpkin Festival

We had an incredibly delightful week in this near-perfect town and it was only by coincidence that we were there during this ever-popular Autumn event, which I heard described by one local as, “It’s like Thanksgiving, but bigger.” When Chris learned that it was Pumpkin Festival week, his eyes lit up like that of an eight-year old boy ready to carve his own pumpkin to proudly place on display.

For our first day back in the town, we spent the day at the local library, where Chris was able to do his work while also enjoying a lively environment, unlike his typical work day spent in complete solitude with my occasional interruption. The library offered a delightful change of scenery and a glimpse into the community. We found a perfect spot next to a window overlooking the courthouse lawn where we could observe the busy preparations outside in anticipation of the evening’s big events.

Once Chris finished work, we walked over to the courthouse and watched kids in costumes (and some adults, too) bring their best decorated pumpkin to showcase on the lawn. This year, it appeared to be a safari theme, and we saw pumpkins decorated as elephants, lions, monkeys, giraffes, and every other animal imaginable. On display were scary pumpkins, happy pumpkins, strange pumpkins, and even a really, really large pumpkin. It was a pretty impressive collection, although Chris claims he could have put all of them to shame. We stood and observed the kids posing proudly next to their pumpkins as their equally proud parents snapped a picture. Knowing Chris, next year I may be taking a picture of him posing proudly next to his own decorated pumpkin!

Trick-or-Treating along the storefronts of Sycamore's downtown streets

We continued on past the courthouse to the local shops and restaurants. The street was packed with trick-or-treaters and we decided to briefly escape the chaos of hundreds of happy children and grab a bite to eat at a delicious Mexican restaurant where you can watch tortillas being made in the window. From our cozy table, we were entertained by the variety of costumes and the children ecstatic to get their sugar fix. After dinner , we completed our walk around town, making another necessary stop at the local bakery for a freshly baked, Halloween-decorated cookie, and then made our way home. It was a lovely day.

"Hmmm...which kind of popcorn do I want to get?"

Unfortunately, the rain found us again and for the remainder of the week, we stayed dry inside our comfy Airstream, and listened to the sound of the rain drops thumping on our aluminum home. We left only a few times to make crucial trips to the local market and Pizza Villa, Chris’ favorite pizza place near town. By Saturday, we were scheduled to leave the resort. Thankfully, the rain had stopped and blue skies were making an appearance again, just in time for the Festival’s weekend events. But, our plan was to move on that day.

We took one last drive through town, noting the addition of the carnival rides and food stands. The Festival was in full swing. We had mixed feelings about leaving the town while all of this fun was taking place. The biggest event, the parade, had yet to occur. But, having already hitched up, the decision to leave had been made…or had it?

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To Grandma’s House We Go!

24 Oct

Dekalb Corn!

As we crossed into Illinois, it felt comforting yet strange to be in familiar territory again. For the last four months, our travels have taken us to many new and exciting places. Driving along the Illinois country roads, however, surrounded by fields of corn, was sort of a homecoming for us both. Having spent portions of our lives in the Land of Lincoln, we drove along quite content with the views of the flat farm lands that surrounded us; very different than much of the scenery we had out west. I can’t say that the time I spent in Illinois was my happiest. I have happy memories but I was also pretty content to leave the state nine years ago. So, it was strange for me to have this sense of being home and happiness as we drove along.

"Christopher, you look thin. Eat something!"

Our first destination in Illinois was Sycamore, Chris’ childhood home. We ate at the family favorites, drove by his old school and houses, and found a nice RV park within walking distance to Sycamore’s beautiful historic downtown. We only stayed one night though, for Chris’ grandmother in Chicago was awaiting our arrival. Not wanting to try and tow an Airstream into the city, we left our shiny home parked at the RV park in Sycamore, packed up some of our clothes, and along with the dogs set off for Chicago.

Showing Grandma pictures of our home...while eating, of course.

Grandma already had the meal prepared, the exact same meal she prepares every time we visit because she knows it is Chris’ favorite: homemade noodles and chicken soup; “chicken supreme”; mashed potatoes; green beans; carrots; and dinner rolls. So, the first thing we did upon our arrival was eat especially since Grandma kept proclaiming we were both too thin. Our massive amounts of eating continued through the duration of our visit. For breakfast, Grandma made some small, thin pancakes…a lot of them. She kept serving them to us and we kept eating as much as we could. Chris realized that if he put his head over his plate like he was eating, he blocked her from putting more pancakes on his plate. So where did they end up? My plate. Seriously, I think I had 30 pancakes for breakfast one morning…in addition to scrambled eggs.

I think Buddy liked his visit with Grandma!

We also had the difficult task of trying to explain to Grandma what this whole Airstream thing was about. She kept stating in a concerned tone, “You can’t do this forever! You have to settle down!” We showed her pictures of the Airstream, as I don’t think she was still quite grasping the concept of our home. She continuesly expressed her worries, specifically about the number of miles we were driving, how we were eating (or not eating as she assumed), our lack of a permanent home, the fact that we had to go to laundromats, and the general safety of what we were doing. She worried about how Chris got paid and we tried to explain the internet and online banking. It baffled her. Overall, I think she thinks we are crazy.

This was also her first meeting of our dogs and thankfully, everyone seemed to get along. The dogs were on their best behavior (with the exception of AJ climbing onto the table to steal some bread). The dogs also enjoyed Grandma’s nice fenced-in backyard and the abundance of attention they were getting.

Grandma and Grandson

We stayed for three days and for two of the days, Chris had to work. So, Grandma and I had some quality time. We talked, I tried to ease her worries about our nomadic lifestyle and explain how exactly Chris works without actually going to an actual office, we looked at pictures, we went for a walk to several grocery stores and the bank, and once we ran out of things to talk about or places to go, we ate. She made cheesecake. I ate it. She made sandwiches. I ate them. She gave me cookies. I ate them. Kit-Kat bars? Yep, ate those too. She couldn’t, however, understand why I’d want to drink water. “Who drinks water?” she asked. So I drank rootbeer, orange juice and coffee with my many meals each day.

We were fortunate to have beautiful weather while in Chicago. It was relatively warm and the sun was shining. It was great to visit with Grandma, hear her stories, share our stories, and eat delicious home-cooked meals. Our visit was short, but we needed to return to our shiny home in Sycamore. I didn’t like leaving it unoccupied for too long. So, we said our goodbyes to Grandma and waddled back to the truck, with our arms full of food, of course.

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Dinky Diners and Crooked Streets

23 Oct

The Dinky Diner

Our next destination is Illinois to pay a much-needed visit to Chris’ grandmother and visit our old neighborhoods in Sycamore, Dekalb, Naperville, and Kankakee. A full itinerary, I’d say! From Kansas City, we traveled north on I-35 and as we approached Iowa, I took a look at the map to check out our route. Chris has a cousin in Middletown and we decided that rather than take the interstate to Middletown, we’d try Rt. 2, which runs along southern Iowa. While our plans to drive country roads through Kansas failed due to icy conditions, Iowa came through for us and not only produced blue skies, but some fabulous sights and unforgettable experiences.

Route 2 added to our total travel time, and at first we questioned whether we really wanted to add a few hours of driving. Our doubts quickly disappeared upon our discovery of The Dinky Diner, one of the first eating establishments on Route 2 after exiting from I-35. While we were not starving, how could we pass up an opportunity to eat at a place called the Dinky Diner in a town where many of the “city streets” are actually gravel roads? How, I ask? We simply couldn’t. So, we pulled our Airstream into town, catching a few looks from the locals, and practically skipped with delight to the Dinky Diner.

You'd think they'd use jumbo buns. Oh, wait...maybe that IS a jumbo bun!

We generally eat healthy foods, or try too. But, in the Dinky Diner, all rules of healthy eating were set aside. Chris ordered a jumbo pork tenderloin sandwich and I ordered chicken strips and mashed potatoes. When the waitress brought our food out, I was shocked at the sight of Chris’ sandwich. It was massive. As she moved to hand me my plate, my toast tumbled to the ground. She chuckled at her clumsiness and as she returned to the kitchen, she stated to the cook in a low raspy voice, “My boob knocked the toast to the ground!” It being a “dinky diner,” all conversations were overheard. We giggled. Shortly after, a few locals came in for dinner, and the cook, waitress, and fellow diners caught up on the town gossip. We listened with pure enjoyment. Ah! Small town living! We finished off our unhealthy meal with a slice of homemade pumpkin pie and went on our merry way, already feeling ill from the greasy food we had consumed. It was totally worth it!

Snake Alley

Nighttime quickly approached and our views of the Iowa countryside grew darker. We drove through the quaint town of Corydon [the sight of an 1871 bank robbery by Jesse James], where an old barn/museum was filled with string lights and people were gathered for what appeared to be a fun Friday night event. Chris desperately wanted to stop and crash the party, but we continued on down the country road, driving through a few more charming small towns. We finally stopped for the night at a Wal-Mart, parked with several semi-trucks, underneath the sign that read “No Overnight Semi-Truck Parking allowed.”

The following morning, we had a lovely but brief visit with Chris’ cousin and her husband in Middletown, Iowa. They gave us a tour of their beautiful home and we, in turn, gave them a tour of ours. It’s not too often that you can visit someone and exchange home tours in one visit! As we were leaving, they recommended checking out the crooked street in Burlington, Iowa. What a treat!

The crooked street, constructed in 1894 and known as Snake Alley, was given the title of the world’s crookedest street by Ripley’s Belive It or Not. It is, indeed, crooked. Obviously, we didn’t try to maneuver an Airstream down the winding road…although that could have made for a very interesting story! Instead, we ran down the road and then took a brief walk around the small town of Burlington, peeking inside the windows of the beautiful, empty, historic homes that were for sale. Burlington was a pleasant finish to our drive through Iowa. Now on to Illinois!

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Posted in Airstream Living, The Random and Unexpected

Cabin Fever

22 Oct

Help us…we are being stalked. Watching our every move and following us constantly are grey skies and its trusty companion, dreary, cold weather. We have tried to escape them, but our efforts have yet to be successful. Thankfully, the bitterly cold temperatures seem to be leaving us alone (although the Airstream is still trying to thaw out from our ice encounters) but our week in Kansas City was, well, gloomy.

Despite the dreary weather, our week was not without highlights. I was able to catch up with an old friend of mine, Jack, who lives in Kansas City. Jack and I met while in Oxford, England for a study abroad program eleven years ago. [Yikes! I’m getting old.] We have stayed in touch via e-mail and a few visits over the years. But, it was great to see him again, see his new home, and meet his adorable black lab, Millie. Jack is super-talented. He’s an artist who works for Hallmark, does freelance work (including the illustrations for the Hungry Girl books), and has a comic strip. I was an art major in college and quickly dropped that major when I realized one actually needed artistic ability to do well in the field so I greatly admire Jack’s talent and wish I had even a smidge of his ability.

While we were visiting with Jack, he also happen to be dog-sitting for a friend so there Buddy and AJ were happy to have some quality play time with other furry friends. My dogs were actually behaving well, until I decided to take some pictures. I wanted a picture of Jack and Millie and it was at that time when Buddy decided to take advantage of Millie. I attempted the photo several times but Buddy somehow snuck in there every time. That’s my boy! I hope Millie doesn’t feel too violated.

For the remainder of our week, we stayed at the fabulous Lake Jacomo campground where we had beautiful views, fabulous large sites, and friendly camphosts. While the weather was cold and dreary, it was nice to look out our windows at a beautiful lake, trees that still had some wonderful fall colors, and even some wildlife. At one point, I looked out the window to see three deer and seven or eight wild turkeys. It was a very peaceful week.

Peaceful Lake Jacomo

Jack and Millie (and, Buddy...violating Millie)

Despite the dreary weather, our week was not without highlights. I was able to catch up with an old friend of mine, Jack, who lives in Kansas City. Jack and I met while in Oxford, England for a study abroad program eleven years ago. We have stayed in touch via e-mail and a few visits over the years. It was great to see him again, see his new home, and meet his adorable black lab, Millie. Jack is super-talented. He’s an artist who works for Hallmark, does freelance work (including the illustrations for the Hungry Girl books), and has a comic strip. I was an art major in college and quickly dropped that major when I realized one actually needed artistic ability to do well in the field so I greatly admire Jack’s talent and wish I had even a smidge of his ability.

While we were visiting with Jack, he also happen to be dog-sitting so Buddy and AJ were happy to have some quality play time with other furry friends. My dogs were actually behaving well, until I decided to take some pictures. I wanted a picture of Jack and Millie and it was at that time when Buddy decided to take advantage of Millie. I attempted the photo several times but Buddy somehow snuck in there every time. That’s my boy! I hope Millie doesn’t feel too violated.

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

Now, that's a large shuttlecock!

By the end of the week, however, cabin fever started setting in and the super-large pot of almost-homemade chicken noodle soup was not enough to cure it. We decided to go for a drive and that night found the perfect remedy: Large shuttlecocks. On the lawn of The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in downtown Kansas City are four large shuttlecocks, each reaching nearly 18 feet in height and weighing 5500 pounds. The lawn of the museum is itself impressive and we enjoyed a brisk walk around the museum admiring the buildings, the beautiful street lights, rows of perfectly-lined trees, and of course, the sculptures. Unfortunately, we had little time as Chris had to return home for a conference call, but if the exterior of the museum is this impressive, I suspect the interior is amazing! After such a dreary few days, this outing was the perfect cure for our cabin fever and great end to our week!

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Posted in Airstream Living, Campgrounds

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Aluminum Bliss

Archive for October, 2009

I Love a Parade

Main Street, USA

To Grandma’s House We Go!

Dinky Diners and Crooked Streets

Cabin Fever

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