A visit to the Illinois Railroad Museum

Our current location is at Union, Illinois, about 30 miles east of Rockford/60+ miles north of Chicago. Union is the home of the Illinois Railroad Museum - and it is special, especially if you are a railroad buff. We spent about 4 hours at the museum on Sunday. Sure to go back because it is only 5 miles from the campground and we weren't able to see all of it in one visit.

One of several trains in service during our visit. The rides are not long, but even once around the museum property is nearly a mile.

East Union did not exist until the museum created it. The station house, however, is from Union. It was moved to the museum site and restored.

Not all trains are open for inspection every day. They alternate which are open so you can see something different each time you come. Pat never did get lunch.

In addition to trains, there are also street cars. This is an electric streetcar that runs around the grounds every few minutes. Small crowd when we were on it.

One of the events of the day was a pulling demo by a local dog club. These are pretty huge dogs, Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, weighing right at around 100 pounds. They can pull up to 5000 pounds! I think we discovered a whole, new subculture we were never aware of before.

The car beside us is a work cart used by track workers. It's powered by a small gasoline engine, has a clutch, gear shift, etc. Some railroad buffs collect these, restore them, and then travel around the country to meet other collectors and run their carts on outings on tracks that are made available to them.

We'll be seeing other things, and going other places as the summer progresses. Look back often.

We're easy to find, and we'll be in Union until mid-September. Let us hear from you.

Settled in for the summer

We got busy and it's been nearly three weeks since the last entry. Our summer home is at Chicago NW KOA near Union, Illinois. We've been at work for two weeks, although the campground doesn't open for another week. The weather is getting better - still some cool nights, and sometimes cool days, but overall it's getting better and warmer. The included photos are from the past few weeks, just to bring you up to date.

Just so you all know, Union is just east of Rockford IL, so that puts us close to Angel for the summer. It's about 6 hours to Steve's, and going the other way, it's about 6 hours to Saint Paul and/or Rochester.

Steve has a large backyard, and the dogs really enjoyed running in it.

Back of Steve's house. Pat and Malwina doing some yard work.

Malwina playing with Molly.

Mel's Olivia with some of her toys. Mel and her girls came to Steve's while we were there.

Girls all packed in the van for the trip.

Takes a lot of "stuff" for a bunch of kids.

Front portion of Chicago NW KOA.

Mini Golf with our site just beyond it.

Our yard and home for the summer. Come see us!

Makin' our way through Illinois

We've made it as far north as Mascoutah, Illinois, home of Scott Air Force Base and our son, Steve. Don't want to dwell on the weather, but we are really missing Texas, and the bluebonnets and sunshine, a lot. Well, summer is coming to the midwest, at least we can hope.
So far we've made a trip to St. Louis to visit the Arch, and there is a Blues hockey game tonight that Pat, Steve, Jason, and Daniel will attend. Oh yes, Melanie, Jason and their four girls are here for a few days, and they brought Angel's Sabrina along as well.

First, here's one of the things to miss from Texas. All of our friends there are so level-headed and conservative. Gotta love 'em.

I'm sure you can see what I mean.

Sunrise on Benbrook Lake near Fort Worth. Army Corps of Engineers Holiday Park.

Melanie and Olivia.

Our group waiting to get into the Arch in St. Louis.

Elevator car to the top of the arch.

What the arch headquarters is really named.

Pat and Steve looking at a carved wall display in the museum.

Photo op at the arch.

The Arch as seen from the Metro Station one block north.

Can't visit downtown St. Louis and not see Union Station!

The daily Fudge Show at Union Station.

Getting our pennies pressed into souvenirs. Grandpa Dave, Melanie, Meghan, Bailey, and Sabrina.

Catching the Metro back to Scott AFB.

Eastern end of the Metro Line is at Scott AFB.

We'll be moving on from Mascoutah by the end of this week. Stay tuned.

On The Road Again

It's our first day on the road to the northland and, I gotta tall ya, after only 350 miles we're missing the Gulf Coast - a lot. Landed in Waco TX and set up for the night. It's in the 40's with a strong NW wind blowing. Not at all springlike. Had to get out of the shorts and t-shirt attire and into some much warmer clothes. And in spite of being cloudy and for a short time rainy it was still a scenic drive. The foliage is coming out in the new tones of spring that happen only once a year. Wildflowers are in bloom with a whole rainbow of colors. Texas is beautiful in the spring. But, we know we're heading straight back into winter, and unless the planet is sliding into a new ice age it too shall pass and summer will be back as it always is. The sooner the better.

We'll be seeing you - some sooner than others.

Last post from Port Aransas - heading for Illinois

We've started to clean up and pack up our home in preparation for the trip northward. Hope winter is gone by the time we get there! We'll miss the Texas Gulf Coast - but we'll be back.

These are American White Pelicans. They spend the winter here just like we do, and then head north for the summer, just like we do.

Pat with Molly and Annie at the Malaquite Pavilion at National Seashore on Padre Island.

On the beach at National Seashore.

The sign says it all.

Pat and our neighbor, Carol Casner, shopping at the Oysterfest.

Some of the crowd of 35,000 people at the Oysterfest.

Everyone's favorite part of the Oysterfest.

1,000+ year-old oak tree at Goose Island State Park near Rockport, Texas.

A pair of Whooping Cranes. These birds are HUGE!

Egret at Port Aransas recreation area.

Resident Heron along the ship canal at Port Aransas.

Long-billed Curlews hanging out at the beach.

There is an explosion of spring here in Texas after the cooler months of winter. It never really stops being green and/or growing, but there is a renewal of life each spring. We won't be here for the hot months of summer, and that's OK. We'll be seeing a lot of you soon.

One especially for our little girl blog followers

At the Texas Botanical Gardens

Armadillo at the Aransas Wildlife Refuge

A miscellaneous entry.

Pat, Betty & Ted doing some sight-seeing on Corpus Christi Bay.

Betty and Ted doing some birdwatching in Port Aransas, Texas.

Pat and Betty doing some "shopping" at the Peddler's Mart in Robstown, Texas.

Dave working on a relief wood carving. New hobby.

Dave's latest carving project. Things will get better. Hey! I've only had 24 hours of classroom instruction.

Kites on the Port Aransas beach.

Buzzards roosting on cell phone tower near Ted & Betty's condo in Port Aransas.

Belt sander race track at the Gaff in Port Aransas. Yes, you are reading that right and, no, you can't make up stuff like this. It really happens here. Not enough to do, you say? Could be.

Pat going wild in the wild at Aransas Wildlife Refuge.

Stay on the path and out of the water!

A very strange bird is the pelican...you know the rest.

Laughing Gull.

Javalina (wild hog), at Aransas Refuge.

Carol Casner, our neighbor, and Pat by the big oak at the refuge.

Common Moorhen.

Northern Mockingbird.

Always seem to be playing catch-up on our blog. We stay busy, do stuff, see people, and enjoy life. The winter season in Port Aransas will soon be over - just as the weather is starting to get real nice.