More Rushing Home
Well, not exactly. Driving directly back to Denver isn't our style, so we took the more scenic northern route for one last summer adventure. After spending a few days visiting family in Illinois and recovering from our 3-week European trip, we packed up and made one more trip to Wrigley Field (last Friday). The Cubs lost the series opener (surprisingly, the first Cubs loss we've witnessed in 8 games) to the Pirates, but we got our first live look at our new favorite player. When former Notre Dame All-American receiver Jeff Samardzija was announced, it took me a few notes to recognize the Victory March on the old Wrigley organ. The Shark sure looks good in Cubby blue. It must be nice to try a second sport for fun and throw 97 mph!
We enjoyed a visit with my cousin Danielle and her husband Joe north of Chicago before heading for Madison, Wisconsin on Saturday. We checked out Madison with our ACE friends, the newlyweds Stephanie and Brian. Many thanks to both couples for their amazing hospitality!
Sunday brought us to Minneapolis in time for an afternoon game between the Twins and the Indians. The Metrodome marked my 29th different ballpark (27 different teams), and it held a larger crowd than normal thanks to the return of phenom pitcher Francisco Liriano. After a close play in the 4th inning, I've never heard a louder boo for the scorekeeper, who ruled the play a "Hit." The crowd was smelling a no-hitter and was looking for the "E-5." Liriano still got his W, and I got to check the Metrodome off my list.
For the next couple days we hung out with our dear friends from Guatemala. Like Liriano, the Cade family has made a triumphant return to the Twin Cities. We were treated to the grand tour of Northfield, also known as the place where Jesse James met his match. We also took in the largest mall of them all (Mall of America), where Sarah and I were both in our element - Sarah shopping; Ryan riding the rollercoasters with the kids.
It was great to catch up with the Cades, and we look forward to having them only a phone call away this year. Thanks to Stephen, Kristen, Jackson, and Channing for their generous hospitality. Also, Happy Birthday to Kristen and Jackson!
On Wednesday, we drove across South Dakota, which was quite uneventful for most of the trip, but that changed in a hurry. We took a detour to drive through Badlands National Park. The drive was not without spectacular views. Endless fields of shale rock provide a look at what was once the bottom of the sea - only a few million years ago. The colors dancing around the peaks and valleys are unlike anything we've seen before.
A few hours later brought our final stop of the summer - Mt. Rushmore. We navigated the route among hundreds of Harley riders swarming the area for the 68th annual Sturgis Bike Rally. In fact, we were among the few tourists arriving at the National Memorial on 4 wheels.
The making of this epic granite sculpture in the Black Hills of South Dakota is hard to comprehend. Over 14 years, workers strategically placed sticks of dynamite to carve the faces of Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln. Among the interesting facts we learned: Gortzon Borglum hoped to carve a large room in the granite behind the faces. He hoped this would become a "Hall of Records" and house important documents like the Declaration of Independence. The team blasted the door before Congress pulled the plug on that portion of the project.
After viewing more than a few impressive sculptures in Rome this summer, Rushmore's 60 ft. faces (Washington's nose is 21 feet long and the eyeballs are 11 feet wide) certainly held its own.
After nearly 10 weeks of travels (over 7,000 miles by car; 10,000 by air; and who knows how many by foot), we returned to Denver late Wednesday night. It was not a summer we will soon forget. And the budget would not have allowed such a rock star summer lifestyle without an amazing group of friends and family (from the Midwest to DC to Dublin) who opened their doors to us.
While in '07 we were honeymooning, this summer you might say we were "honeymooching." You all will really make us feel bad if you don't allow us to return the favor in Denver. A video tribute to all is forthcoming; we can't thank you enough!
We enjoyed a visit with my cousin Danielle and her husband Joe north of Chicago before heading for Madison, Wisconsin on Saturday. We checked out Madison with our ACE friends, the newlyweds Stephanie and Brian. Many thanks to both couples for their amazing hospitality!
Sunday brought us to Minneapolis in time for an afternoon game between the Twins and the Indians. The Metrodome marked my 29th different ballpark (27 different teams), and it held a larger crowd than normal thanks to the return of phenom pitcher Francisco Liriano. After a close play in the 4th inning, I've never heard a louder boo for the scorekeeper, who ruled the play a "Hit." The crowd was smelling a no-hitter and was looking for the "E-5." Liriano still got his W, and I got to check the Metrodome off my list.
For the next couple days we hung out with our dear friends from Guatemala. Like Liriano, the Cade family has made a triumphant return to the Twin Cities. We were treated to the grand tour of Northfield, also known as the place where Jesse James met his match. We also took in the largest mall of them all (Mall of America), where Sarah and I were both in our element - Sarah shopping; Ryan riding the rollercoasters with the kids.
It was great to catch up with the Cades, and we look forward to having them only a phone call away this year. Thanks to Stephen, Kristen, Jackson, and Channing for their generous hospitality. Also, Happy Birthday to Kristen and Jackson!
On Wednesday, we drove across South Dakota, which was quite uneventful for most of the trip, but that changed in a hurry. We took a detour to drive through Badlands National Park. The drive was not without spectacular views. Endless fields of shale rock provide a look at what was once the bottom of the sea - only a few million years ago. The colors dancing around the peaks and valleys are unlike anything we've seen before.
A few hours later brought our final stop of the summer - Mt. Rushmore. We navigated the route among hundreds of Harley riders swarming the area for the 68th annual Sturgis Bike Rally. In fact, we were among the few tourists arriving at the National Memorial on 4 wheels.
The making of this epic granite sculpture in the Black Hills of South Dakota is hard to comprehend. Over 14 years, workers strategically placed sticks of dynamite to carve the faces of Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln. Among the interesting facts we learned: Gortzon Borglum hoped to carve a large room in the granite behind the faces. He hoped this would become a "Hall of Records" and house important documents like the Declaration of Independence. The team blasted the door before Congress pulled the plug on that portion of the project.
After viewing more than a few impressive sculptures in Rome this summer, Rushmore's 60 ft. faces (Washington's nose is 21 feet long and the eyeballs are 11 feet wide) certainly held its own.
After nearly 10 weeks of travels (over 7,000 miles by car; 10,000 by air; and who knows how many by foot), we returned to Denver late Wednesday night. It was not a summer we will soon forget. And the budget would not have allowed such a rock star summer lifestyle without an amazing group of friends and family (from the Midwest to DC to Dublin) who opened their doors to us.
While in '07 we were honeymooning, this summer you might say we were "honeymooching." You all will really make us feel bad if you don't allow us to return the favor in Denver. A video tribute to all is forthcoming; we can't thank you enough!
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