some pictures while we unwind before the drive to Omaha

This is Cleveland. It makes it look a lot more interesting than it actually is. Here you see 3 members of the team outside the rock and roll hall of fame (to the right). As you read, we hung out on that round thing and kim played a song.


This is our second great lake. Lake Michigan. Hi Sean and Mikey! The first was Lake Erie in Cleveland. Lake Michigan is in THE CENTER of Chicago. as is wrigley field.

Deep dish pizza funded by michael's brother, Steven. Lipenta, this is our scavenger hunt solution or chicago.

First night in Chicago. We played on the swings in a park on Belmont Harbor. Well, I did and kim tried to photograph us both.

This is a very poor representation of the spiders that are all over Chicago. "Guys, they were on my bike when I came home." -Sean.

tired. TIRED!

last night was long but super worth it. drag queens and boystown and dancing OH MY!

oh, here's a thing we haven't mentioned yet:

there are spiders. like, a lot. along a fence last night, there were -- i'm going to say hundreds. just aallllllll along the lake, those spiders were hanging out for the evening, marking their territory.




holla to the blogs belonging to katie and lipenta and shaunna and paul! and lisa lacey, who may or may not be straight up spam. i'm looking into it.


(later we're going dancing!)

Cleveland rocks!

Chicago SUCKS!!

No that's not true. It's pretty sweet. At least in the summertime. Did you know that Chicago is a shore town? Because there's beaches and Lake Michigan and boats.

But enough at Chica, here are some pics of the trip to Cleveland (the worst city so far)....

These were the only people we saw in Cleveland. Other than the man who laughed at us when we asked him where to have breakfast.

Here's the gang in front of the (not open til 10) Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. No one was around so Kim played her song in the plaza out front.


We finally stopped at Bob and Sherri's Fortyniner Restaurant. Eggs and toast cost $1.89. The toilets don't flush.

More to come, dear readers.

chicago is where it's AT, man!

hey, guess what city is awesome?
carolyn, i can't believe you didn't freak out when you came home from this place. i guess you did.

we stuffed deep dish through our throats down into our stomaches and it was GOOD. then we spent last night walking through the city to belmont harbour and lincoln park with shannon and amanda, where we parked ourselves in front of lake michigan on these Huge cement steps. i played the g and sang songs and a guy on a bike stopped and recorded me on his phone. we hung out with thomas. mikey and i danced around pretending to be aladdin and the genie. and i kartwheeled a lot.

plans: bike everywere. buy breakfast and bring it to shannon's. go to the art museaum. bike to the beach (read hp 6!). play my guitar with an open case in front of me in wicker and millenium park. check out boystown, andersonville, a drag show, etc.

tonight the boys are going to the cub game, and lizzie and i are going to ________ .
that means we have yet to decide.

guys, chicago has a lot to offer. and it's wild beautiful. this is a place to live, fo sho.

All things go, All things go

The trip started off grand. By 6am we had all taken turns driving, co-piloting, and sleeping in the back.
We have seen some shady rest stops and friendly people. We've seen farm land and sprawling fields with grass that looks like water as it blows in the wind.
The van has been very cold and so damn hot.

First Forgotten Item: Kim's guitar tuner.
When Forgotten Item was realized: Haddon Ave (the main street in collingswood)

Our first sunrise, watched by Mike and Lizz and slept through by Sean and Kim, consisted of: 65 mph on I-76 with mist over lakes and fields, Here Comes The Sun coming out of our speakers, a few cows, and friendly toot from a truckers air horn.
We just left Cleveland. First stop at Lake Erie, where the Rock 'N Roll Hall of Fame was. Kim played a song outside on a weird structure thing. Downtown Cleveland: ugly. big buildings. no people. pretty water. good breeze.
Breakfast in Cleveland was a success. We stopped at a Mom and Pop luncheonette. Construction paper taped to the windows told us that eggs with bacon and toast cost $1.99. I had issues pulling in to the parking lot and was judged by locals. We rolled into the place with sunglasses on and our Jersey plates. "You guys come all the way from Jersey?" said the cook. He talked us up. I thought he asked if we wanted to see a "Titty Bar," he said "Kiddie Park."
Mike is sleeping, he drove most of the wee hours of the morning. Kim is shotgun, Sean driving. He's introducing Kim and I to Teegan and Sarah. We're both into "Underwater".

We've already seen Lake Erie and Lake Michigan.

We're at Steven's, Mike's older brother's apartment. It took 16 hours to get here, Chicago. We're all tired and hungry and sweaty and looking for camera wires to upload photos.

"We have Tostitos and I think some cheese dip." -Steven Rauch
"Cheese dip! Sounds like a Rauch!" -Michael Rauch

Chicago

We're in Chicago. Better post later. Tired. Cleveland is a greasy city. With no people. Or places to eat breakfast.

You're all the best.