Distant Adventures Await: Chicago Land 2019

Whenever we travel through Seligmen, Arizona, we make it a point to stop and have something to eat at the Snow Cap. The Owners are great and always have a good time with their customers! Delicious Hamburgers, Hot Dogs and ice cream but most important is the Fun you'll have at the Sno-Cap!

We went for a walk to when we got back to camp to work off that Sno-Cap Burger and were rewarded with a magnificent sunset.

We always wanted to see the dedication to the Eagels 1970's song "Standing on a corner in Wnslow Arizona" so this was our next stop.

Next, it was on the road to PIE TOWN, New Mexico to try some delicious PIE! I had heard about this from a review on YouTube so we just had to try it and we're glad we did! If you never tried Apple, Green Chile and Pinion Pine Nut pie, you gotta try it once!

Pie Town, NM. is right on the Continental Divide on Hwy. 60 and is one of the most scenic drives in my opinion.

Just east of Pie Town is the National Radio Astronomy Observatorie's or NRAO Very Large Array or VLA. We didn't have time for the tour but if you would like to learn more about the VLA, click HERE.

One of the best ways to meet people we have found is to go to a baseball game. Everyone there is for the same purpose which is to route for their favorite team and see their favorite players. We saw games in Albuquerque, NM, Amarillo, TX., Oklahoma City, OK. and Des Moines, Iowa. all of which were Minor League Teams for the Colorado Rockies, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs.

Albuquerque, Home of the Albuquerque Isotopes

Amarillo, Texas, Home of the (I didn't name em!) Amarillo Sod Poddles

Oklahoma City, Home of the Oklahoma City Dodgers!

Des Moines, Iowa, Home of the Iowa Cubs

The Iowa State Capital Building as seen from Principal Park

From Oklahoma City, we headed north on the 81 to our very good Friend Janie Kopeky's house in Yankton, SD. There we visited Janie's Cousin Judy who owns a Beautiful Farm outside Yankton. We visited here 2 years ago and enjoyed ourselves so much that we just had to go back this year. Judy and her Son-in-Law Floyd who runs the Farm are so gracious and make you feel right at Home. Thank You Judy and Floyd for your Hospitality!

Janie's Cousin Judy's Farm. So Peaceful

A Baseball Game right next to the Missouri River. It doesn't get much better than this for me!

The Missouri River in Living color

We enjoyed going to Sioux Falls in Sioux Falls, SD. a couple years ago so much that we went back this year. As I was walking the bike path, I was accosted by a MA MA Birdy who must of thought I was going to eat her Babies. She would literally fly down and knock my hat off my head and peck my head at the same time. I guess Birds can multitask too!

A Bicycle repair station along the bike path at Sioux Falls complete with wrenches and an air pump.

Earlier this year, Arlene and I joined Boondockerswelcome.com which is a service that provides places to boondock throughout North America and Europe. So when we left our Friend Janie's, we contacted a location in Iowa that was a working Farm. Apprehensive to say the least as this would be only our second time using Boondockerswelcome. So we lived life on the edge and headed for Woodward, Iowa where the Farm was located and we were so pleasantly surprised that we ended up staying a week at this location. It was centrally located for what was coming up next and was such an awesome experience.

Arlene on the High Trestle outside Woodward, Iowa. It is a former Railroad bridge converted to a bike path and runs right over the Des Moines River

Sunset on an Iowan Farm

The High Trestle

The High Trestle Bike Path just east of the High Trestle Bridge

An Iowan Farm Sunrise

What's used to keep the grain warm during the winter months. It blows warm air into the grain bin while the grain inside is churned by an agar.

So I'm not going to bore you with what we did next except to say we saw and experienced the Union Pacific's Big Boy Steam Locomotive! 4014 was on a tour of the Mid West which included a 3 day display in Chicago. We were considering meeting up with 4014 in Chicago but glad we didn't as over 45,000 people, way more than what Union Pacific was expecting, came out to see Big Boy. Instead, we scouted out some locations where Big Boy was to make brief service stops along it's journey to Des Moines, Iowa after it left Chicago. Things couldn't have worked out better as we spent 3 days enjoying Big Boy in Marshalltown, Elkhart and Des Moines, Iowa. Such a Great experience!

Big Boy arriving in Marshalltown, Iowa

After Marshalltown, we headed to Elkhart, Iowa where Big Boy's next stop was to be. As Big Boy was coming into Elkhart, I began to roll the video on my phone when, wouldn't you know it, my phone froze up. Luckily, Arlene was rolling Her video and got a nice shot of Big Boy.

To give you some idea as to the amount of people waiting to see Big Boy in Elkhart, Iowa

Arlene's video of 4014 coming into Elkhart, Iowa. Great video Arlene!

4014 Departing Elkhart, Iowa and heading for Des Moines, Iowa

4014 arriving Des Moines, Iowa for a 1 day display the next day

Lubing em up!

Iron Man, Mr. Ed Dickens, Manager of Steam Operations for the Union Pacific and Engineer for 4014

Arlenie going for a tour of the Big Boy!
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So stay tuned as I add more adventures to Chicagoland 2019 coming soon!

So we headed for Chicago after Big Boy with the excitement of seeing the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field and the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field. Built in 1914, Wrigley Field is the second oldest ballpark in the Major Leagues with Fenway Park in Boston the oldest (Built 1912). We also had plans to meet some very good Friends of ours who would fly back to meet us in Chicago, all the more reason to be excited!

We just had to experience the Choo Choo Cafe in Des Plains, Ill. as it was recommended to us by Friends who grew up near the Choo Choo Cafe. You order your food and it gets delivered to you on a Train! And the Sloppy Joe burger was DELICIOUS!