The post than almost didn't happen!

June 26 -  As I was driving this morning I firmly decided that this was a day I wanted to for-get and was not going to write a journal entry.  The day somehow got better and I decided the better part of the day outweighed the bad.

I had checked the weather when I got up and it was looking to be very rainy from our campground down into Indiana where we were headed.  In addition, we would be on interstate in or around Chicago and I wasn’t looking forward to driving the city in the rain.

We hurriedly dressed, ate and got the RV ready to travel.  We hooked up in the park with a few drizzles and got on the road.  The camp host had given Bill directions that were supposed to be easy to get to I-94. He had them written down and we hadn’t gone far when the first issue arose.  We were to go East on 32 but the first sign we saw only gave West and North.  Of course, we have to make a decision and Bill said go left (west) and then just up the road he said to turn right and I did.  It was a rather narrow 2 lane road with a rise.  When we crested the rise ahead of us there was a railroad bridge that said 12 feet.  Uh oh!  We are close to 13 feet tall.  We stopped dead in the road and I fought to control a panic attack.  Luckily there was very little traffic and we were stopped beside the only house on the road and it had a pretty big driveway.  I put the hazard lights on (fortunately we had checked them when we hooked up and they worked).  We unhooked the truck and Bill backed it into the driveway.  Several vehicles went around us and once it looked clear I backed into the driveway and off the road for both lanes to be clear.  I was again starting to panic because we still didn’t know what road to get on.  I pulled into the road and Bill went around me and we went back to the crossroad and took the east road, even though it didn’t say east.  I was not a happy camper or driver.  I would have gone straight since East was not clearly stated.  We were on a tiny road with multiple railroad crossings and I really thought we were going to get into a worse pickle than before.  Eventually we intersected with 32 East (straight was the way to go since  the road veered around).  Then Bill pulled into the striped “safety” zone between the lanes and stopped.  I gathered I was to join him there, and so on went the hazard lights again and we hooked up.

Downtown Chicago in the rain

It rained on and off, fortunately not as bad as the predictions were.  Traffic and construction were stressful.  Lane changes, b-hole drivers, left side exits – they all wore me down.  Tolls were outrageous as Bill thought it would be faster to go through downtown Chicago.  I feel fortunate we didn’t crash and burn!  Once we got to the other side, the roads were still under par, but traffic died considerably.

We arrived intact, albeit a bit ruffled to

Went through to Indiana

Michigan City, IN.  We ate a late lunch and then headed out for Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.  They have a nice Visitor Center and I got a couple of stamps for my Parks book.  To see the best dunes you have to pay to enter the state park but the ranger gave us some pointers for a drive along Lake Michigan’s coast in the national park.  We stopped at a section that’ is privately owned.  There were 5 houses that were on display at the

This the Florida House

1933 Chicago World Fair that were billed at “Century of Progress Homes.  They were all very different.  They were moved by barge from Chicago to Lake Front Drive in Beverly Shores, which sits smack dab in the middle of the park.  The structures boast ahead-of-their-time building techniques, materials and appliances.  Three appeared to be like new, one is almost complete of renovations and one is getting a total makeover.  They are supposed to be returned exactly to how they were built in 1933 (at the expense of private owners).

The lighthouse museum in the marina of Michigan City closed at 4 so we hurried there.  I

MIchigan East
Pierhead

got stamps and photos of Michigan City East Pierhead Light and

Old LIghthouse Museum

Old Lighthouse Museum.  So 2 more off my list!

Time to head back to the RV for relaxation and reading before time to make dinner.  I fixed the last of the schnitzel I got in Canada, again with noodles and gravy with leftover kale salad.  Bill had a bit of the cottage cheese concoction and we had a brownie for dessert.

As I complete today’s rough start and pleasant ending, I hear the pitter patter of rain on the roof.  Hope it’s gentle and soothing to sleep by!