Meanwhile ..... Way Up North .....

Ridgeway, S. C. - Winter 2010

Well folks, I hope you got nice and toasty warm lounging around on the golden-pink sands of the Baja cause we're going somewhere that is probably the polar opposite of Los Cabos.

A while back we got to thinking about our visits to the Southwest U.S. and the vast, often arid spaces we had seen with temperatures ranging from 'very hot' to freezing in a relatively short distance.  We thought of the rugged individuals we had met and the wonders we had seen and began to wonder how they compared to our Midwestern states - in particular, the area around our Great Lakes.  So - we decided to go find out what there was to see up there.  The journey took us to some amazing places and we wanted to share them with you.  As usual, we began with an early morning wake-up call in Greater Metropolitan Ridgeway South Carolina - population 326 with 145 males and 181 females (Obviously a "guys" paradise!!) and a quick trip to Charlotte, NC for our now traditional VERY early morning flight.  Arriving safely and getting checked in we had our customary "Bloody Mary" tribute to our former traveling partner Lou.  Then, it was a quick flight to Cincinatti and on to Chicago.  We picked up our "trusty steed" at the auto rental place and headed out to find the Best Western.  It was a comfortable, pleasant place with a range of dining opportunities nearby.  First, though, we had to explore the Windy City.  It was the first time there for Linda and Sherwood and seeing the iconic landmarks was exciting - for all of us.  The impressive skyline, the famous Navy Pier and a stoic Totem Pole standing sentinel duty on Lakeshore Drive all extended a 'welcome to Illinois."  We also cruised through Grant Park (Outstanding) and by "Soldier Field, home of the Bears.  Then it was on to dinner, a time for reflection on the travels of the day and then back to our rooms in preparation for a long road trip tomorrow.

We got an early start the next day and set our course for points North.  Actually, that's not too hard in Chicago.  All you have to do is go East until you hit Lake Michigan and turn left.  We did!!!  We were looking forward to seeing the places with the exotic names - like Kenosha, Oshkosh, Fon du Lac, Milwaukee, Manitowoc and, eventually, Green Bay.  We weren't disappointed.  Our trip to Milwaukee was wonderful and allowed me to fulfill an objective I've had for a while.  Some time back I saw a documentary about the building of the Milwaukee Museum of Art and I was blown away by the cutting edge architectural technology used in it's construction.  Back in about 1994 the museum asked renowned architect Santiago Calatrava to design a 58,000 square foot addition to their existing space.  When local patrons found out who was involved, fund-raising skyrocketed and enabled them to ultimately expand the addition to 142,000 feet!!!!!!!!  Wow!!!  Anyway, I'm not going to re-build the museum here but it is such an extraordinary place I wanted you to have some background information.  This thing is spectacular!!  The innovative and imaginative architecture and engineering are unbelievable.  If you are ever in this area, you've gotta come see this place - even if you're not an art enthusiast.  You won't be sorry!! 

Our visit also included some quality time in the "Third Ward" art district and we really enjoyed the shops and galleries there but, even more, the abundant "sidewalk art" throughout the area.  Later we warmed up with a cup of coffee at a really cool latte' bar and got ready to continue our journey on to the legendary Green Bay.  Along the way something unusual happened to Sherwood.  I'm not sure if it was the proximity of a famous NFL team in the vicinity or some other effect caused by the prevalence of cheese in the Sheboygen area. Either way, it was strange!!!  We got to Green Bay, checked into our hotel for the evening and set out to explore the renowned city.
 
Anyone who has ever heard of U.S. football is well aware of the place that the Green Bay Packers former coach, Vince Lombardi, has in American folklore.  And - the "House That Lombardi Built," where the Packers play - otherwise known as Lambeau Field - is a remarkable structure.  With it's "bigger than life" reputation most of us think of Green Bay as a huge city.  Actually the population is a relatively modest 104,000 - third largest in Wisconsin.  (Now, remember the size of MY town!!)    And - the stadium holds more than 73,000 - nearly three quarters of the city's population!!   I hope the pictures do it justice but I doubt they can.  
We'll leave this fabled city with a look at the downtown area that appears to be brooding and gloomy.  Well - what can you say - there's no home game this week!!!!

But, as is usually the case in our travels, the people of Green Bay were welcoming, thoughtful and delightful and we enjoyed our stay.  But - we were anxious to move on to the North to see the sights that lay there.  Come on back as we head up that way.  See ya.