WISCONSIN HERE WE COME!!!

Destination .. The "House On The Rocks" in Spring Green Wisconsin!!!   We started talking about taking this trip long before we decided to sell our house and buy another one  .. so it's been a long time coming!!  Ken has been to the "House On The Rocks" and has been dying to take me to see it.. he says I'll love it!!!  After checking it out on the internet I agree with him .. I'm sure I'll love it!!!  We have been waiting to get all settled into our new home and for the sprinklers to be put in, the yard graded and Sod put down.  That's all done now .. and off we go .. LOL!!! 

This has been a pretty non-exciting day .. just driving down the highway through Illinois  .. or should I say UP the highway since we're going North???  Not a lot to write about or take pictures of so this first posting will pretty much be the notes I typed into my NOTES app on my IPhone!!!  Hopefully the following days will get more interesting .. LOL!!! 

Checked the milage (73684) before leaving and set the odometer at 0 so we'll know how many miles we drove!!  Left home at 8:29 am. 

Driving in light rain.

8:56 .. Sitting at Bread Co eating a Pumpkin Pie Bagel with Honey Walnut Cream Cheese .. Not even going to think about the calories!!!  I usually take a Special K Strawberry Pastry Bar to eat while I'm sipping my coffee and yakking with the ladies but this is their first day for having the Pumpkin Pie Bagel and I could not resist!!! 

10:10 .. We're on the highway  and almost to the  JB Bridge ...  whether we're going someplace or coming home I love the sight of those 2 bridges ahead!!! 

10:14 We are across the bridge and into Illinois .. 

10:56 .. First rest stop Homestead Welcome Center .. Edwardsville, Illinois. 

11:02 .. Driving in pouring rain .. just saw a semi jammed into the back end of a small red vehicle on the highway going the other direction .. Rear end of the truck/car was smashed flat against the front of it!!  Couldn't tell if it was a truck or a car  .. if it was a car I hope no one was sitting in the back seat!!!!  Very sad sight!! 

11:44   Ah Oh .. Traffic tie-up.  Hope it's not because of a wreck on our highway!!! 

11:56 .. Out of the traffic  jam and moving right along. We weren't held up long!!  Turned out the jam was because of highway construction .. Thank You Lord!!   Rain is  light and intermittent now.

1:05 pm .. Rest stop ..  Funks Grove, Illinois.   Hershey Bar for Ken .. Almond Joy for me .. Lunch?????

The Flatlands of Illinois .. as Ken says .. LOL!!

The Illinois River .. 

I am actually trying to get a decent picture of the many many tall white windmills creating electricity for Illinoisans but they're not showing up very well!!

Illinois Cornfield ready for harvesting!!

More windmill pics ..

AH .. finally a chance for a closeup!!!

Mendota, Illinois .. windmill after windmill after windmill!!

I told you .. this was a non-exciting day .. these white windmills are about it for excitement!!   I would say "after all this is Illinois" but since I was born and raised in Illinois that would not be very nice .. LOL!!

They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks but since there wasn't much to see as we drove through Illinois I played with my I Phone .. and actually learned something new!!!  I went to my SETTINGS and didn't some looking around and managed to set my phone up so that I can now dictate what I want to say and it will type it for me!!!  How neat!!!  And with text messages I can choose for it to record my message or to type it for me .. WOW!!!  I had heard you could do this but hadn't checked it out yet .. very neat except that I kept forgetting to dictate when I wanted to put something in my notes and I typed instead .. every time I made a typoe she told me .. or was she asking me?  .. what I was trying to type and then she put the word there!!  This could be very neat when I get used to it!!!  I will be setting Ken's phone up to do that too then he won't have to peck away on the keys when he wants to do something!!!

Ready for another rest stop???  2:35 .. Willow Creek rest area, Mendota, Illinois.

6 miles after Rockford, Illinois  I 39 N becomes a toll road.  $1.90 in cash. 

3:44 ..  Wisconsin at last!!!  Didn't even realize we were in Wisconsin until we were right on top of the Welcome To Wisconsin sign so didn't get a pic!!!    Stopped at McDonald's in Beloit  for a quick Burger and a drink. 

First stop for gas .. The Pilot Station in Beloit $2.41 a gallon .. Kenny is not happy!!!!  We filled Mabel's tank in Festus last night for $1.89 a gallon!!!!

Shortly after getting into Wisconsin we saw a sign that said  "Wisconsin Home of  Culvers Butter Burger"!!!  Guess that's where Culvers started!!!  We wished we hadn't stopped and had a Burger at Mickey D's!!!! 

5:00 .. Madison Wisconsin Rodeway Inn .. Spending the night.  Right behind Perkins Restaurant .. I know where we'll be eating Supper .. LOL!!!!!

I snagged this picture of the hotel from the internet ..



7:00 .. Time for a bite to eat .. we discovered we could walk over to Perkins from the doorway at the end of the hall .. all we had to do was walk across their parking lot around to the front ..

 



Our back door .. LOL!!!

 



 



 

I love to see an American flag blowing in the wind .. and this one was huge!!! 

 

Look at those desserts!!!  The Perkins Restaurants have the BEST desserts .. Yummmmm!!! 

 

 

 

 

On the menu you could get a "duo" for $6.99 .. 1/2 a Sandwich with a cup of Soup .. a Garden Salad .. or a Dessert!!!  I ordered the 1/2 Ham n Swiss on grilled Sourdough Bread Sandwich .. I'm sure you can guess what my second choice was .. a Dessert!!!  But I had a hard time deciding which dessert .. can you guess?????  Kenny did the "smart" thing and got a Garden Salad with his 1/2 BLT .. smart alec!!! 

 

It was dark by the time we walked back to the hotel but I took a picture of the entrance anyway since we had to walk around front to the car and get a few more things out anyway .. it didn't do too bad!!!

 

I brought my dessert back to the room with me to enjoy with a cup of Coffee ..

 

Look at that!!!  It's the Peanut Butter Silk Pie .. read the description on the pic up above .. Yummmmmm!!  I had originally told the waitress Banana Cream Pie but after Ken showed me that description on the thing on the table I changed my mind .. LOL!!!  And it was just as delicious as it looks!!!  If you have a Perkins Restaurant near you .. make a stop for a cup of Coffee and a piece of this delicious pie .. you won't be sorry!!!! 

 

Tomorrow morning we'll be up bright and early for our Hot Breakfast and then we'll be  headed for Spring Green and the House On The Rocks .. Ken says I better be sure my camera AND my phone are fully charged because I'll be taking LOTS of pictures .. so time to get off of here and get the charging going .. then get myself into that hot tub of water that's waiting for me so I'll be ready for a busy day tomorrow.  Ken says it will take all day to go through the house .. so I'm thinking these feet will need another long soak tomorrow night!!! 

 

 I don't know when I'll have another chance to spend this much time on my computer but I'll do what I can!!  Good Night All!!