To the farm we go!

 After leaving the southern end of Lake Michigan, we sauntered up into the Chicago area to make a much needed quick visit with our friends Sarah Lam and Erwin Yee.  We’ve been friends since our boys were in kindergarten (they are 22 year old men now).  We met at a fun seafood restaurant near their house and on our route.  It’s amazing how no matter how long it’s been since we last saw each other, we always just pick up where we left off.  Good friends are just like that.  Our time was short, but there was not a moment we didn’t fill with each other’s news and goings on. 

After a quick dinner and a long goodbye, we jumped back on the road to head about an hour north to a quiet Illinois park Chain O’ Lakes State Park.  There, we had a lovely waterfront site, from which we could not see the lake.  That was our first late nighttime arrival which was a bit of a challenge: low trees, not level site, and pitch dark.  We learned the next morning, that the neighbors next door had been watching us when we come in and were impressed that we not only made a pretty good set up but had done so with such calm and patient communication. 

I had Vic drive the rear wheels up these ramps to help make the site more level 

The low trees around our site are pretty, but a bit of a challenge to maneuver around in the dark

The park was nestled on a pretty little lake that made for some great pictures. 

From here, we continued north into the bonnie state  of Wisconsin.  We stopped for a birthday lunch in Lake Geneva.  Vic and I spent a winter weekend here about 30 years ago.  Then, the lake was completely frozen and I could not figure why there were trucks and little shanties sprinkled around out on the lake.  Were those people crazy??!!!

 The town is very quaint and it was fun reminiscing of our time here so long ago.  We settled on a lakefront pizza place: Oakfire Pizza for my special treat.  After lunch we went for a lovely stroll around the town. 

Yummy cheese curds!!!

Imagine that lake all frozen,  covered in show with trucks driving on it with their headlights on and ice shanties 

Birthday pizza 

Next was a visit to Hinchley Dairy Farm in Cambridge, Wisconsin; our reason for coming through the state. Here we were treated to a 3+ hour long tour of a modern large dairy farm run by a family that’s been doing this for 3 generations.  Tina Hinchley led the tour and was non-stop teaching, displaying, and explaining the entire life cycle of a cow on a dairy farm. We were delightfully surprised with how fascinating this industry is and how much is involved in producing a gallon of milk.  The message we came away with: EAT TWO SCOOPS OF ICE CREAM!  Support the Dairy Farmers!

Booties to protect the cows from our germs 

Each cow has a name as well as a number

Got to feed lambs

Of course there were chickens

Tina driving the tractor and talking 

Agi meets the cows

Isn’t she pretty?

The dogs have continued to be awesome travelers and find ways to blow out their zoomies when they can. 

And Vic is steadily grinding out his book: currently working on Chapter 2. He sets up his office wherever we are.