Tuesday, May 24, 2022

Into Illinois - a Short Birthday Stop

 May 21-24, 2022
Geneseo, Illinois

Our original plan took us into Wisconsin and Minnesota for a few days before moving south to the Chicago area. When I made changes attempting to reduce fuel consumption I removed that route, added a couple days to Dubuque, and added a four day stop in Geneseo, Illinois. Figured it would be a nice peaceful stop before the big city over a holiday weekend. Only one thing went on the list - a lovely birthday dinner at the one nice restaurant. 

The 90 mile drive on Saturday is the first travel day without wind! I almost forgot how much I enjoy driving the motorhome, even with the rain of the last 25 miles. Not a lot of variety, but Iowa into Illinois is green and pretty with more rolling hills. They seem to have planted corn a little earlier here so the brown fields become light green, and add different textures. 

Geneseo Campground is in the tall hardwood trees and quite lovely. Of course after our Dubuque stop the bar is pretty low :-)) Their website is very detailed and I knew our space wouldn't get satellite, but we have 50 amp FHUs. Level, gravel pad with grass space that is muddy from the rains we drove through to get here. Sewer is a stretch into the neighbor's outdoor space, but on the plus side, they're motivated to move their camp fire pan to the other side :-)))



Checking out the little town as we always do, we find that every eatery is a bar and grill with pub fare. With the exception of the Cellar where I'm looking forward to my birthday dinner. It's a cute historic village with vintage Victorian homes surrounded by lots and lots of corn and soy bean fields.

 



There are a lot more trees here than anywhere since we left Colorado. With agriculture everywhere else, the hills look like dams around the fields.

Sunday is the birthday, and I'm not cooking. Breakfast at the Sunrise Cafe is okay. No problem with my special dinner coming up. This is the first place we've been with blue skies to the horizon. Between the dust from the winds and then all the storm clouds, the blue is a great birthday gift!


The Cellar opens at 5 PM and we're there before 6 PM. It looks lovely and smells great!

They're booked. It's graduation weekend. Apparently my birthday isn't on their calendar. Lame.

We end up driving 24 miles to find something that isn't pub food. Shouldn't have bothered. Brothers Family Restaurant is busy but we're able to get a table. My spaghetti is disappointing. I eat less than half. Take a piece of red velvet cake home. A tiny piece. It's fine.

Between my whining we both laugh. Whatcha gonna do? Take a raincheck on the birthday meal and move on.

And moving on is what we decide to do. More rain expected for our travel day on Wednesday, so even though we really love the park, there's nothing to do or see, and our next stop confirms our spot is available a day early. 

Monday we laze around, do laundry before 10 days without sewer hookups, enjoy the blue skies, and trees swaying in the light breeze.

The grands are all growing too fast, all healthy and happy. We miss them bunches.

Granddaughter Reese loving the water park.

M&M giggles with Mom.

Oliver with Mom and Dad

Elliott helping Dad make breakfast.
Tuesday we head east on I-80 for a week in the Chicago area.

19 comments:

  1. Geneseo Illinois looks a little like Geneseo, New York! Plenty of old barns, some beautiful and cared for and some left to ruin. I love them all. Our area even published a huge hard cover book The Barns of Genesee Country. I have it in a box somewhere...maybe I'll find it before we see you again! Safe travels as you move along....I wish you blue skies and a good birthday dinner....make reservations!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. How wonderful, I'd love to see the NY barns. Every time I typed the town name I thought of you two and the Ponds :-) I'm definitely making reservations from now on!!

      Delete
    2. Thanks for reminding me....Dave's birthday is next Wednesday and I just found out that the restaurant I'd planned on "taking" him to is closed on Wednesdays! Pivot to Tuesday night!

      Delete
    3. Glad you missed that disappointment!

      Delete
  2. Happy (belated) Birthday wishes! Glad Bill gave you a raincheck on your anticipated birthday dinner. You always find such interesting history in the small towns you visit. Chicago is a not a small town, looking forward to our visit there.
    Continued safe travels!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Jeff, lots of raincheck options in the big city :-))

      Delete
  3. It’s Gay…happy (belated) birthday Jodee! I LOVE road shots and have a couple of road shot pics framed. Your photo of the road is definitely frame worthy! I also LOVE the barns and agree with Sue…old and in shambles or restored and cared for it doesn’t really matter to me either.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Gay! I think seeing the road ahead is so defining for our travels - they are all so different :-)

      Delete
  4. Laurel (www.ravenandchickadee.com)May 24, 2022 at 7:41 PM

    Well, I think you definitely need to make your birthday a month long celebration so that you can get a proper birthday dinner! I'm glad you had blue skies, and you certainly have a great attitude. Wishing you another wonderful year of adventures and all good things. :-)

    It sounds like you're going to Chicago...I know you've been before, so I'm looking forward to what you do this time. We loved our two trips there and would happily return. Love the adorable photos of your grands!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was the perfect opportunity to milk the special birthday meal(s)! I'm excited to see a lot more this trip to Chicago. Fingers crossed for some clear days.

      Delete
  5. Sounds like you better have a repeat of your birthday and find a better restaurant! Disappointing but nothing that can't be fixed. Those babies are so cute!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's wonderful getting pics and videos and chats with those cuties. Can't imagine having to wait for hard prints or seeing them in person.

      Delete
  6. I'm with Laurel, make it a birthday month. I think you need at least two dinners to make up for the nerve of them not to have a table on your birthday. So many grands, I don't know how you keep up. So cute!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I thought it was pretty nervy!! Never thought I'd have eight grands, but they're all so fun and wonderful :-)))

      Delete
  7. So glad you had a pretty blue sky for your birthday. You definitely deserved some nice, calm weather. So sorry to hear about your birthday dinner bust. Chicago should be the perfect spot for your next birthday dinner. Love seeing how big the grands are getting:) Enjoy the Windy City!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And this was the first time I've "planned" a birthday dinner for either one of us. Won't do that again :-)) Once we get past a couple rain days I'm hoping to see much more of the city.

      Delete
  8. I so dislike sharing my birthday with a holiday. This seems more like the Illinois I remember. By the time you get back, those kids will be teenagers.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Several of them will have had another birthday for sure!! They just grow too dang fast.

      Delete
  9. Too bad on the birthday dinner. Mine is coming up, so maybe a combined birthday dinner is a possibility?

    ReplyDelete