The Baseball Trip 2012 / Day 10

Saturday, August 4

Woke up this morning to find our hotel is just across the highway from The National Motorcycle Museum. So was a nice little breakfast place. After eating we decided to motor on without stopping at the museum. Notice how enthused we were to stop in at say, The Little House on The Prairie Museum at the beginning of the trip. But come the last day...skip the motorcycles. It's time to get home. But just in case you want to see it:

 Yeah, it's just a storefront.

Random observation from Randy:
"I'm not going in the motorcycle museum. They'll beat me up."

The scenery is a little greener as we roll through the bluffs towards The Mississippi, but wilting crops are still evident. It is a mere 4 hours before we hit Chicago. Crossed the bridge into Illinois at Savannah. I hate bridges. They're too high up. This was one of those bridges that have the open metal grates instead of pavement - you know, the ones that make your tires wobble and you feel like you're going to veer off the bridge and plunge 100 stories into the river. It also had a stop sign at the bluff on the other side. I hate that. Get me off this thing.

Hated bridge.

Close-up of hated bridge.

Illinois and more Illinois and now more suburban Illinois. When we reach Chicago we are greeted with a hurricane. The temps dropped 28 degrees in seven minutes.Sixty mile an hour winds and lightning strikes three feet from our faces. The sky was as black as coal. Sitting at a red light, I could feel the car rocking in the wind.

Favorite Signs: Now Hiring Doctors Due to Growth
                       Grave's Welding and Dozing  (Random observation from Randy:
                       "Hopefully not at the same time." )

One more Ron Paul sign. Final count:
Ron Paul Signs - 4
Grand Openings - 1
County Fairs - 1

Favorite Town Name: Miles, IA

9 states and 3006 miles. 4 major league ball barks and a stopover at one minor league park. 108 degrees in Kansas and a comfortable 64 degrees in Minnesota. Friendly strangers and familiar faces. I hope the farmers recover, but it doesn't look good. Nonetheless, I'll leave you with this feel-good item:

The Cedar Rapids Kernels had a bobble head night for their clubhouse manager, Roady. I know, but what the heck. Here it is.