From the Road and Beyond

We left Tennessee at 3 pm on Tuesday afternoon, went through Chicago, Minneapolis, Grand Rapids, MN and Fargo, ND before turning back towards a long run home to return ahead of the storm that is sweeping across the center of the nation. We made it in 2 pm today. That's almost an average of 26 mph for every hour of the trip (even the ones we weren't actually moving). We're geeks.. we calculated it ;)


Chicago Public Library

Mark showed me around his old stomping grounds in Chicago, where he lived during his high school years. He has fond memories of driving around the city and suburbs with his friends, and we cruised some of those places Wednesday during the early morning hours, before going to the museum.


The Picasso in Daley Center in Chicago
We stopped by at 7 am in the morning
and braved the cold to view this statue.

Sunrise in Chicago
on Lakeshore Drive

Wednesday afternoon we went to the Bodyworlds display at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry - the first available day. It was amazing, if to most people a little gruesome. The exhibit was done reverently and in the name of knowledge - they also had a form showing the short essay one of the body donors wrote about why he wanted his body used in this way after his death. As an artist(and a fellow human being), I gained a lot of insight into the human form and structure. We also enjoyed the displays of motors, gears and the hatching baby chicks ;)


part of a mural with dragons
in downtown Chicago

Then we were off North again - stopping at Wisconsin Dells for the night then on to Minneapolis. I was happy to see snow again, and to see the trees and land look closer and closer to the 'back home' feeling of northern Minnesota. We pointed out the differences in the plants, terrain and especially the weather. Mark had never been further North than central Wisconsin. The first time I saw a snow bank I jumped in it ;) and he laughed 'crazy northern girl.'


We met Chris of StumblingOverChaos and RheLynn
at the Caribou Coffee in Minneapolis!

A gift from Chris!
A PURPLE KnitOwl dishcloth! Also some wonderful soap and tea, thank you!


Chris took this picture of us when we met her for coffee.
Mark and RheLynn

I had made up my mind a week before I finally left Jesse - that Mark and I are really meant for each other. I can't explain how well things have just fallen into place now that we are together -- sometimes it's like we've always been here, together, complementing and fitting into each other like magic. The reason I stayed with Jesse so long - after I knew how bad it had gotten - was that he was making threats (to himself, mostly) and becoming so possessive that I wasn't sure how to get out without first going to Minnesota -- if only to get some help from my family and/or his.

We stopped by Grand Rapids, MN to visit with my parents and my cousin. Apparently Jesse is still hanging around up there - but we were too busy and not wanting to get into anything more while we were there. After the family visit - we were off to my college-days city, Fargo ND. I showed Mark the college, the places I used to drive around and we stopped into my old workplace to look around. We had a blast at the Zandbroz variety shop, the model shop and the used bookstore on Broadway.


Miss Kelba, the bluetick coonhound, came along for the ride as well. She was happy, as long as she got to howl at other dogs and roam around at wayside rests and gas stations here and there.

A remote control helicopter bought in Fargo, ND

Stack from a stop to a used bookstore
(The owner was very happy with us *heh*)

In the bookpile: Charles Sheffield, Philip K. Dick, Lester Del Rey, Larry Niven, David Drake, A.E. Van Vogt and many others... Also, an illustrated volume of Lewis Carroll and a 1980 copy of Goedel, Escher, Bach (GEB). The 'sets' are from the Great Books study series and include selections from Xenophon, Toqueville, Plato and Aristotle.

Now, even after a 2,500 mile road trip (in 4 days) Mark and I are back home in Tennessee where we plan to stay.