August 24, 2003

Day 5 - Reagan's Way

Holland, Michigan to Rock Creek State Park, Iowa


--Lake Michigan overlook and Chinese Food brunch.

Heavy Sunday traffic going south to Chicago, pull off to see Lake Michigan and get a fantastic view from a cliff overlook and polish off the remains of last nights Chinese dinner.

I-80 through Chicago without incident. Covered bridge not too far outside Chicago, will see a whole county of these soon.

I had to stop for a road sign pointing to Ronald Reagan's Boyhood Home in Dixon, IL part of the Ronald Reagan Trail and knowing how much my friends at home love Reagan I document this Republican Symbolic Place. A picture of the actual home is as it was in the 1920s but closed to visitors when I arrived. Coming this close yet so far I want more Reagan and spot Hometown Liquors respectfully placed directly across the street which hopefully will have more information about what else to see such as the famous pool where he was a lifeguard. I wonder if Reagan shopped here. As it turns out the clerk is Pakistani and doesn't speak English and the girl in line is a goth chic buying wine coolers they had little information and seemed oblivious to this being Ronald Reagan's boyhood home but were very friendly and I bought an ice cream sandwich. I drive around town a bit then head back to I-80 and push on further west. It is very hot.

--Reagan

Near dusk around 8:30pm stop at Herbert Hoovers birthplace and the Presidential Library in West Branch, Iowa. The town is frozen in time in the early 1900s it would be a good movie set. The library is closed by this time of day and I need a break from driving and walk a nature trail that runs along a rail-track through the backyards of houses it is about 1 mile total and very hot. Had the feeling no one ever actually walks this trail as it is exactly like everything else around the area. Went to the town grocery store and could only find white eggs, everything else was processed food, not even any real butter! Feeling tired.

Further down I-80 stopped at Bennigans for dinner. Fish and rice. I left in a bad mood feeling lonely, probably from being tired, and drinking a beer, and not knowing where I was sleeping tonight, and the waiter not returning my change.

Continued into the night and found Rock Creek State Park, Iowa along some very confusing back roads with the GPS guiding the way, as there were no road signs and the roads were dirt and gravel the GPS was a savior. Campground Map (PDF).. slept at where it says "Campground". Pulled in after midnight and just fell into the back and passed out.

Posted by stbalbach at August 24, 2003 12:19 AM
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