billandilea: Leaving Michigan (for now) and Heading to Chicago area....

Heading south along Michigan’s west coast, stopped at Grand Rapids and took in the extraordinary Fredrick Meijer Sculpture Gardens which had gorgeous elaborate landscaping and many various unique sculptures…. Unlike any place we had ever seen. Ilea surrounded by the RABBITS... Grandfather talks with grandaughter... Japanese Garden... relaxing.

Before swinging over to Chicago area, stopped by to visit famous Notre Dame campus and did some bike riding there.

Driving through Chicago 7/1 was a little intense with extensive construction going on for many miles… but arrived at Marengo Lehman’s Lakeside Campground (about an hour north west of Chicago) for a week stay within striking distance of Downtown. Saturday July 2 we ventured downtown with the car and bikes in tow. An idiot driver passed us up along the way and we commented how amazing it has been that we had not seen any accidents, considering all the nutty drivers…. As fate would have it, 30 seconds after we said that, there was an accident on the thruway right in front of us as we were going 65MPH! Had a great breakfast there at Yolks and then set out for the Lakeshore Bike trail….. Could have been a really good ride- however, there were so many many people, including crazy BIKERS and JOGGERS. It was so unnerving that we had to change course and WALKED the bikes a good portion and went to a different less crowded area. Good call, as that was quite pleasant as we could hug the VERY EDGE of Lake Michigan.

Visited Wrigley Field…..Walked around the famous Millenium Park where the huge BEAN SHAPED, highly Reflective, so called AT&T Cloud Sculpture is quite the attraction- as is the Crown Fountain (A 50 foot high animated human face that periodically spits water out of its mouth, right at kids playing in puddles.)