JUNE 2022- NEW TRIP!  Headed North to Illinois, Wisconsin, UP of Michigan.... and Beyond?

June 8th:  Leaving Home

Left Bluffton behind- including our girl Autumn, with her favorite sitter.  Always tough to leave her...  Our plan was to overnight in Knoxville, TN, then head to Nashville- a town I always have wanted to visit.  Our trip on I-40 through the mountains was beautiful and brought back a lot of memories of our hikes in the North Carolina/Tennessee area on the AT.  I think those days are behind us...

We arrived in Nashville around noon on the 9th, just as we had planned.  We headed to the Visitor Center with the idea of booking a city tour, then grabbing lunch.  What we didn't plan on was the crowds.  We knew the Country Music Awards were happening that following weekend.  What we didn't know about was the CMA FEST!  People were everywhere!  Parking was non-existent- except at one location where you had to scan  something to download an app to allow you to pay.  They were to send an email to confirm- never got it, so we left.  Conveniently, it arrived the next day!  Anyway, we decided to leave Nashville for another time.

We headed out to our hotel location just outside of Nashville to regroup.  Our new plan was golf.  We located a nice looking course and signed up for 9 holes with the option to increase to 18 at the turn.  Several water hazards and lost balls later, we decided 9 was enough.  The course was nice, though, just would be better once you had played it a few times.  It was surrounded by lovely large brick homes.  Nice!

Our day ended with a stop at a Farmers Market as we left the course.  Homemade vanilla ice cream from an Amish farmers' booth was perfect.  Yum!

The next day we headed out for Springfield, IL, through lots of farms, wheat fields, and open space.  We planned to visit the Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.  Our hotel was just down the street.  

June 11th we went to the museum early, beating most of the crowds- except the kids from a school group, whom we ended up running into all day long.  Great group of kids, all very interested in what they were seeing.  The Lincoln Library and Museum was very well done- a mix of history with a little Disney thrown in for added interest.  We spent the whole morning watching a presentation that used holograms to highlight the show, and a theater presentation on the Civil War- complete with vibrating seats when artillery was fired!  All really well done.  Many displays of Lincoln through his life, beginning with as a young man, then meeting his wife Mary, then on to the White House, ending at the Ford Theatre.  There were displays with lifelike manikins- none more real-looking than Mary.  

Following our visit to the museum, we continued on the Lincoln Trail to his Springfield home.  We had an opportunity to have lunch before our tour, so tried the deep fried pork tenderloin sandwich at a local pub as recommended by my hairdresser friend, Penny.  Delicious, but huge!  Doggy-bag time!

The Lincoln home was in a middle class neighborhood with, in Lincoln's time, up and coming young professionals.  There was a diverse group of neighbors, most of whom became friends with the young lawyer and his family.  There is some speculation that his experience here- living among such a diverse group, including families of freed slaves- provided some of the inspiration for his view of freedom and equality for all.  The home is still painted the same color as his original home, and there are many items remaining in the home that belonged to the Lincoln family- a desk, candelabras, a marble-top table- that give the home an authentic look.  It is interesting to think of walking up the stairway holding the handrail that Lincoln held many times!  The bedrooms of Lincoln and Mary have the original design of wallpaper.  The paper was found under many layers, and the restorers were able to find the same design for the renovation.  

Our last Lincoln visit was to Lincoln's tomb.  After his assassination, his body was transported back to Springfield.  One son had already been buried here.  He, Mary and another son would also be buried in Springfield.  Robert, the longest surviving son, was buried in the National Cemetery in Arlington.  The tomb was impressive, as befits this President.  Note the shiny nose on the head sculpture- many visitors rub his nose to bring luck!

A full day, but well worth it.  We learned a lot, and have a heightened appreciation for who he was and the man he became.

We will be off to Wisconsin next!