All of this talk about "wrapping up" has definitely put me in a reflective mood. However, I am not quite ready to write the final entry with concluding thoughts. Besides, I logged a long week trekking eastward--I started in Denver Monday morning and will turn out the lights tonight more than 2,300 miles away (by the way I drive, not the crow flies). It was a week full of new cities and a lot of sports, namely football and baseball.
I covered Mt. Rushmore and the surrounding area in a previous post, so I'll pick up with the Badlands, then discuss the greater Chicago area, the road north from Bourbonnais, IL (there's a story, don't worry) to Toronto, Ontario in Canada, my time north of the border, and then Niagara Falls on my way back into the good ole' US of A.
Needless to say, this is what we call a "catch-all" post.
Badlands, SD:
I visited Badlands National Park at the suggestion of a few friends, and boy am I glad I didn't ignore them (sorry to those whose advice I've ignored along the way...there's only so many hours in a day!). Moving on...the geology here was similar to what I saw around parts of Grand Canyon--desert-like in many respects, with beautiful bands of a wide variety of color across various mesas and canyons. The geologic formations, in general, were stunning, not only in their diversity--some were just a few feet high, while others towered over the landscape--but also in the dramatic manner in which they ascended from the depths of some of the deepest canyons in the region. This was another one of those "pictures don't do it justice" places, but I'll give it a shot anyways...
Chicago, IL:
After a lengthy drive over the better part of two days, I found my way to Chicago on Wednesday afternoon in time to take in a White Sox game at U.S. Cellular Field. I had seen a game here before, though that was through a work function. This experience was decidedly different; my "cheap seats" (I personally don't think $25 is cheap for a Wednesday afternoon baseball game, but oh well) had what I will call an "expansive" view of the field, and **thankfully** were shaded. It was around 100* at game time, and the heat index must have been higher than that.
Anyways, the game was pretty cool, though the stadiums in Seattle and Toronto (more to come) were much better, in my opinion. The White Sox ended up winning, and I found some cold beer and ice cream to keep cool...yea, yea, the workouts are coming. I know...
From here, I bounced around the Magnificent Mile and Grant Park areas of downtown. Grant Park was hosting a classical music series every afternoon, and I was able to catch a bit of the performance by Chicago's symphony orchestra. I didn't catch the specific symphony they were playing, but the portion I was able to listen to was beautiful.
From there, I sampled a famous Chicago deep dish pizza at one of the original Lou Malnati's near downtown. The pie was delicious. I then met up with a friend who lives in the city and able to catch up over a couple of beers. It was great to see a familiar face and chat with someone with whom I haven't spoken in too long (there's a pattern forming here...to those I haven't spoken to lately, don't be surprised by a call!). I crashed on his couch, and rolled a bit south the next day to...
Bourbonnais, IL:
Why, you say, would I ever go to Bourbonnais, IL? Three words. NFL Training Camp! It is that time of year...while baseball is in full swing with a bunch of teams in the race to the World Series, my first love has come calling...loudly. I am most definitely in a football mood these days (call it withdrawal after almost 6 months since the Super Bowl), as illustrated by this and the next two stops on my voyage.
To start, I don't have a particular affinity for the Chicago Bears. I wouldn't say I don't like them; it's more that I'm indifferent about the fate of the team in general. However, the opportunity to catch an NFL team this early in training camp, with a bloated roster (80+ players, which will be trimmed to 53 by the end of the summer) of uber-talented players, was simply too good to pass up.
I showed up early and was able to watch several "big name" players warm up and handle their drills with ease. Jay Cutler, Jason Campbell, Brian Urlacher, Julius Peppers, Lance Briggs, Matt Forte...they were all there and in top condition. Suffice it to say I was like a little kid again.
South Bend, IN:
After leaving Bears camp, I headed north to what I believe is "sacred ground" in college football--the campus of Notre Dame in South Bend, IN. For reasons I can't quite seem to pinpoint--and get called out on regularly--I have been a Notre Dame fan for as long as I can remember. I think it all started with Joe Montana, who was nothing short of my idol growing up. He went to Notre Dame (the fact that it was long before I was born is of little significance to me...he was my favorite!), so I think I just stuck with it for that reason. Regardless, I fell in love with the program's strong tradition at an early age, and have only come to have a greater appreciation for it in the years since. Touchdown Jesus. Notre Dame Stadium. The Grotto. Rudy. Knute Rockne. Lou Holtz. The list goes on and on and on. All of them hold serious meaning for me, and yes, I am one of the few crazy ones who actually believe that we're going to win another National Championship in the near future. When? Who knows. But soon. I hope!
Given that their first game is still more than one month away, the NCAA rules prohibit practicing this early. So the campus was fairly quiet by the time I made it there. But I was able to head into the bookstore for some all-important pre-season purchases (had to get the "Gameday" t-shirt!) and walked around campus. It was not my first time on campus, but it is always pretty cool to walk around and think about the legends that have previously strolled the grounds. Here are a few shots of "hallowed ground."
Ann Arbor, MI:
From South Bend, I headed north to that other bastion of college football tradition, Ann Arbor, MI. I've never been a big Michigan fan--mostly because of the natural rivalry with Notre Dame. Either way, I was still hoping to check out the "Big House," Michigan Stadium, which is the largest stadium in college football as measured by capacity (~110,000, I believe).
There are tours of the stadium...however, my aversion to planning once again bit me in the ass, and I was well beyond the two week waiting period to schedule tours. So my views were limited to the outside of the stadium, which was still fairly impressive. I was able to catch parts of the turf through "portals" in the stadium's architecture, but it was nothing close to what I'm sure it's like inside.
Toronto, ON, Canada:
After crashing in Ann Arbor on Thursday night, I drove north of the border to Canada. While I had initially intended for this trip to remain within the U.S. border, I decided to add Toronto for a number of reasons. First, I had never been there, and had heard very good things about the city. Second, the sister of a friend and former colleague works for a really nice hotel in the city, and she was able to help me out with a great rate on a room that was far too nice for the likes of me. Third, the Blue Jays were in town, and I wanted to keep the sports theme going.
First and foremost, I want to thank Maggee for "hosting" me in Toronto. I had a blast, and enjoyed my time in a great hotel right in center city (or centre city, for any Canadians reading out there).
In general, I thought Toronto was a really cool city. We bounced around Queen Street West on Friday evening, hit what I'll call an eclectic mix of bars, ranging from the typical to an Asian restaurant with a raucous group upstairs (complete with singing "Must be the Money" and other 90s jams) to a jazz bar with some intense jazz players, including a mellophone--yes, a mellophone, otherwise known as a marching french horn.
Saturday, I walked around the Queen Street and King Street areas, hit Kensington Market, which had numerous cool stores and outdoor market areas, and then headed to see the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. The game was great--the Jays are actually good this year; who know?--and the fans were great. From there, I tried to scale the CN Tower--well, in an elevator--but was rebuffed by the two-hour plus wait times...that evening, I had some really tasty Indian food, then headed back to Queen Street West to hear some live music, which was a bit of an improvement on Friday night's jazz ensemble.
Overall, I thought Toronto had a really cool feel to it. The city was beautiful; while there are several tall towers, the architecture is much more varied and interesting than what you'll see in many American cities. In addition, the eclectic and diverse crowd yields some really unique bars, restaurants and shops. All in all, I had a good time in Toronto. I was definitely suffering a bit of travel fatigue, but I would--and plan to--return to this city.
Niagara Falls, ON, Canada:
Stunning. Beautiful. Breathtaking. These are the words that come to mind when I think back to my visit to Niagara Falls earlier today. From the Canadian side, which is MUCH more impressive than the U.S. side.
There's not a whole lot I can say about this natural wonder that pictures won't be much better able to tell. While there, I did the "Behind the Falls" tour, which takes you to tunnels that offer portals that look "through" the Falls and a balcony that overlooks the Canadian Horsehoe Falls. I also rode the "Maid of the Mist" tour boat, which takes you within 100 feet or so of the Falls themselves. This is exilerating. And I was soaked; there were definitely times when it seemed we were standing in the middle of a torrential downpour. Very worth it--and highly recommended.
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| Sweet poncho! |
Alright folks. That's enough for tonight. Thanks for indulging me. There will likely be more than one "Concluding Thoughts" postings, so stay tuned!
DRB
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