2800 miles later... Chicago!

It's hard to believe that we've traveled 2800 miles already and have covered 6 states. Today, we left Ames, Iowa with more appreciation for the middle of America, even if it's full of corn fields and smells a little too much like cows. After a few hours of Iowa countryside, we came upon the mighty Mississippi River and crossed into Illinois. The Illinois countryside looks remarkably like Iowa. But after a couple of hours, the rural landscape quickly transformed into the very urban and industrial looking city of Chicago.

The downtown area along Lake Michigan is a beautiful portion of town with walkable parks on the lake's edge and some museums as well. Our first stop was the Musuem of Contemporary Photography. Although a small exhibit, there were many photos of urban landscapes that captured the gritty side of life. We proceeded outdoors for a sunny and very windy walk in Grant Park and along Lake Michigan. Our walk led us to the Alders Planetarium where we spent some time learning about space, telescopes, light wavelengths, and more. We are very science-chic! Our city tour concluded with a walk to a restaurant that apparently does not exist despite the hotel kiosk describing its cuisine and location. So a slight change of venue for dinner followed by a stroll to the local Starbucks for some coffee, hot chocolate, and sweets.

More pics at https://plus.google.com/photos/107911175096996155186/albums/6152490950113993057?authkey=CK-9wbmn6KD9nwE

Tomorrow's journey leads us out of Illinois, through Indiana, and into Ohio with a planned visit to the Football Hall of Fame where we will pay homage to America's true favorite pasttime.