Midwestern USA, 2008

This year we decided to scale back a bit during vacation time, using our time to visit with family and friends who live farther away than we'd like, while at the same time taking advantage of an opportunity to soak in sights and sounds in our own wonderful US of A. The great thing about a vacation like this is you don't even have to learn a new language! (Unless you count exceptionally thick North Dakota accents.)

April 27, 2008: We took an early flight from the Ontario Airport to Denver and then on to Dickinson, North Dakota, where we were gratified to see Mom and Dad located the airport all right. (It's a really small airport - only one gate.) They had so much fun stuff planned for us, starting with a drive down the scenic Enchanted Highway lined with giant metal sculptures by artist Gary Greff. Mom hosted a dinner get-together in our honor and invited members of the Grade clan who live in New Leipzig - egg salad sandwiches and fruit salad, yum! It was relaxing to sit around and catch up with all the cousins.

April 28, 2008: We spent two days in capital city Bismarck and enjoyed visits to several important and interesting historical sites. We started with the North Dakota Heritage Center, where historian (and family friend) Ron Warner, who works in the center, gave us a thoroughly fascinating personalized tour in and around the center, including looks "behind the scenes" and a visit with a paleontologist who kindly took time off her work with an Edmontasaurus fossil to talk with us. Wow. After lunch, Mom had fun introducing us to Hobby Lobby (and Gina had fun imagining everything she could do to her scrapbooks with the stuff in that store). That night we were joined by several of Mom and Dad's friends for dinner at the Golden Corral. We finished off the evening watching a documentary by Ben Stein, Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed. Good stuff.

April 29, 2008: First on our agenda today was a visit to the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, where we learned a lot about the important scouting travels of these young men after the Louisiana Purchase. We also learned the correct name of their guide Sakakawea (not Sacagawea), who was one of many Native Americans who helped the party find their way to the west coast. Incidentally, we found out that she was probably about 16 years old at the time. Wow. Points of interest included wrapping ourselves in a buffalo robe and finding out what Thunderclappers are. We also had a short guided tour through reconstructed Fort Mandan a few miles away, where Lewis and Clark spent their first winter. Be sure to count the stripes on the flag in the picture. After a stroll along the Missouri River, a delicious lunch at El Paseo, some shopping at the Kirkwood Mall and a stop to see Salem Sue, the world's largest Holstein cow sculpture, we made our way back to New Leipzig.

April 30, 2008: We had a day to wind down and become better acquainted with New Leipzig and its surroundings. We got a chance to take some pictures in the cemetery, where Ed's Grandma Edna and her brother Uncle Reno are buried. We also went to visit Aunt Anita in her home. She's doing fantastic at the young age of 89; she introduced us to her teddy bear collection (she has hundreds) and is able to remember their names, who gave them to her, and when she got them. Pretty amazing. Dad took us to lunch at the diner in neighboring Elgin, where we ordered vegeburgers and thereby depleted Grant County of all its vegetarian fare. (Yup, we ate the only two vegeburgers they had.) Cousin Larry came over to invite us to his ranch/farm to see some of the newborn baby calves and to play on his farm equipment. Later in the evening we helped Mom and Dad welcome visitors Charlene and Orville Pallo with a few rousing games of Mexican Train.

May 1, 2008: Although we had to leave early to get on the road to Bismarck and our rental car, Mom arranged for Gina to get her hair done at her favorite hairdresser's in Elgin, Miss Tease. Mom and Dad made sure that we were well stocked with drinks and snack bars for the trip. After that it was a full day of driving through North Dakota and into Minnesota, where Ed's cousins Judi and Frank invited us to have a wonderful spinach lasagna dinner with them which finished with a scrumptious chocolate peanut-butter mousse cake. Mmmmm! Next time we're there we'll take them up on their offer to spend the night.

May 2, 2008: We decided to stop by the Mall of America in the Twin Cities - unfortunately we were too early to visit any of the stores or go on the rides. More driving today, this time through the rest of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and finally into Michigan. We arrived in Berrien Springs late, although it was still light out, and were captivated by all the trees in bloom, especially the dogwood and cherry. Ron and Edith were waiting for us with a delicious dinner full of typical Peruvian dishes.

May 3, 2008: Busy day for us. We got up early to go to church and save a spot, since it was graduation weekend at Andrews University. The flowers were blooming in full force (also, the wind was blowing in full force) and we took advantage of brief patches of sunlight to take some pictures. After another great meal at home, we set off to do some exploring on foot around the university. Quite by accident, Ed discovered that his former first grade teacher is Ron and Edith's neighbor, so we paid her a visit. Ron and Edith led us to the lovely St. Joseph River. Then Ed took us on a tour of his old homestead(s) in Berrien Springs where he'd lived until he was eight years old and moved to California. We even walked around some of the woods behind one house where he used to live. (Gina's glad no one took a pot shot at us.) Finally, we visited Gina's cousins Hille and Rudolph Maier who also are Ron and Edith's neighbors. It's so nice to catch up with friends and family. Later that night we relaxed with a favorite movie, Groundhog Day. (Oldie but a goodie.)

May 4, 2008: Together with Ron and Edith we decided to visit Lake Michigan and took an afternoon trip to Warren Dunes State Park. It was a lovely sunny day - we even got a little sunburned! After lounging by the beach for awhile, we climbed some of the dunes. It's harder than it looks! We regained some of those calories with a scrumptious dinner at Papa Vinos and then made our way to St. Joseph's Silver Beach for a stroll. After having some ice cream in town at Kilwin's Ice Cream-Fudge-Chocolate Shoppe we returned to the university, where Ron took us on a tour of the beautiful seminary building where he studies. We also stopped by Ruth Murdoch Elementary School where Ed started his education, and also Apple Valley Market where we enjoyed perusing the shelves for such stock items as cheese bread (it's actually cheese-colored). Then we turned in, since we were planning a big day in Chicago tomorrow.

May 5, 2008: Happy Cinquo de Mayo! We got up early today for the drive over to Chicago, where we crammed a lot of activity into 24 hours. We started off with the amazing Shedd Aquarium. Gina enjoyed the Beluga whales the most. We ate lunch at the Navy Pier and then paid a quick visit to the Museum of Science and Industry, which had some cool audiovisual displays. We took a long elevator ride up to the top of the Sears Tower - it was a particularly clear day and so there was awesome visibility. Back to Navy Pier for some carnival rides, including the huge Ferris wheel. By that time we were pretty hungry, so Ed hit upon the brilliant idea of using our GPS to walk to Giordano's to have some of their world-famous stuffed pizza. He didn't contend with all of Chicago's tunnels, where we lost GPS reception long enough to get slightly off course, allowing us to meet some of Chicago's more colorful residents. By then we were really hungry. But happily our deviation in course led us right through Millennium Park, passing by Frank Gehry's Pritzker Pavilion and the striking Cloud Gate (aka "The Bean"), a polished steel sculpture that looks like mercury and that brilliantly reflects the surrounding city sights. Ah, finally some pizza! Then the long drive back home....

May 6, 2008: Sad day - we're leaving Berrien Springs. Ed is a champion driver by now. We made our way up to Mackinaw City in upper Michigan to catch a ferry over to Mackinac Island. Gina was super excited about this visit because Mackinac Island is legendary in her mind, thanks to her great admiration for the movie Somewhere In Time. It was filmed in and around Mackinac Island's Grand Hotel. Yes, we stayed there. The day was clear but cold, so we explored some of the grounds of the hotel, where Ed enjoyed teaching Gina how to play croquet, before changing for dinner. Literal quote from the guest information pamphlet: "Every evening at Grand Hotel is an occasion, most of our guests dress in their finest. After 6:00 p.m. dresses or very nice pant suits for women are preferred. In the evening, gentlemen 12 years and older are required to wear a coat and necktie." Ed considered wearing only a coat and necktie but figured that might cause considerable comment.

May 7, 2008: Woke up to a grey, cold, and dreary day. Yay!! A perfect day for curling up with a good book (Bid Time Return by Richard Matheson) and soaking up the ambience of this wonderful hotel. Gina finished the whole book in one day. In the afternoon after it stopped raining, we walked down into town, bought some souvenirs (including Mackinac's famous fudge), and shot some great pictures of the environs. (If anyone has actually seen the movie Somewhere In Time, you might recognize the little "boathouse" below in the picture to which Richard Collier and Elise McKenna rowed during their unforgettable day together.) We crossed our fingers that the next day would be a nice day for more tourist activities.

May 8, 2008: Yes! It was a gorgeous day. We did so many wonderful things on our last real day of vacation. First was a visit to Fort Mackinac, maintained as an outpost to protect America's second national park (and eventually Michigan's first state park), where we witnessed canon and rifle firings. (Loud.) We ate at Goodfellow's Restaurant in town, then rented bicycles and rode around the island. Perfect weather for it. On our way around the island, we stopped by the natural limestone Arch Rock - a lot of steps up! Back in town, we located the coin shop where Richard Collier bought his 1912 money before his travel back in time. Too bad he mixed it up with his modern money - dratted 1979 penny! On our way back to the room we rested in the lovely Little Stone Church and shot some pictures of dazzling stained glass. (Ed manages to find good stained glass no matter where we go.) We had a little time to take pictures of some of the Somewhere In Time "stuff" in the hotel before dressing up for our last dinner. By the way, the vegetarian selections were excellent - thanks to the chef Gina has developed positive feelings towards asparagus, and Ed had to admit that root vegetables might not be so bad after all. We wrapped up the evening watching - what else? - Somewhere In Time. It had to be done.

May 9, 2008: There was one more stop we had to make before leaving, and that was the beach where our romantic heroes saw each other for the first time. We found it, along with a commemorative monument: "At this site on June 27, 1912, Richard Collier found Elise McKenna." Great ending to a wonderful vacation. Despite some snafus with our luggage, we managed to leave in good time and even met with friend Elise Lessard in Flint, Michigan, to eat at Don Pablo's before catching our extremely long flight back home. We're coming back to Mackinac someday - next time when the lilacs are in bloom.

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