BlogSport

Kristin has done a great job of chronicling The Week in Chicago—complete with piccies—so rather than rehash here, I’ll just elaborate with some details I found interesting/fun/pertinent, what have you.

On the drive out, the Penske was a country-music-only vehicle. K and I both love country music and took advantage of our shared predilection (and the fact that we were driving through the heartland, for Pete’s sake) to indulge. I found an amazing website: www.newslink.org which, among other things, lists radio stations by state and within that, genre. So whenever a signal would fade I’d figure out where we were and adjust accordingly. The truck only had AM/FM radio, so this was a godsend. All we were missing was a mechanical bull. ;) Oh, and also on that note, Dierks Bentley sang the National Anthem at the Cubs game we attended. I was giddy. TOTALLY GIDDY.

The “who would have guessed?” moment of the drive came upon traversing West Virginia. That state, she is gorgeous my friends! So beautiful and scenic. We drove through Cumberland Gap at dusk, and the vistas and sunset were so picturesque…everywhere we looked we were agape. We stayed over in Morgantown on Thursday night and were impressed with how pretty the town was, and how friendly the people were. Both of us remarked on how undeserved WV’s bad reputation is. I honestly have no idea where it came from, and I’m telling you, if you’re into the outdoors at all, get thyself hence because it is an untapped wonder. Plus, that state is full of Hardee’s!!!! Hands down the best biscuits and breakfast sandwiches in the land are on tap at Hardee’s, and the one we visited had both a NASCAR jumpsuit on display and the hood off of one of Dale Earnhardt’s old #3 cars. God Bless ‘Merica.

We passed through an area called Cheat Lake. In said town there’s also a Fairchance Road. Not kidding. I’m also not kidding about Licking County, OH. Is that where Jerry Springer is from? ;)

Somewhere in Ohio we drove by a field where someone had converted an old dump truck into a huge planter. Filled with dirt and seeds, it has sprouted into a huge overflowing flower urn. It was wicked cool…so creative.

The PBR of Chicago is Old Style beer. It is plentiful, and cheap, and gets the job done. It kept us awake on our 4th wind on Friday night, kept us warm at the Cubs game, and kept us out of the poor house to boot. I might have to Smokey and the Bandit some of that stuff back to VA on my next trip.

I need to buy a helicopter 1. to avoid actually driving IN Maryland on my way to Annapolis and 2. to get myself to Chicago, Kristin, and the fabulous activities there as often as possible.

posted by ADD @ 14:51