Illinois

After Sioux Falls I kept going down Interstate 90, turned south at Interstate 35 and then East again at US 20.  This gets you to Dubuque, IA, which is where my Dad was born.  I managed to locate the house we was born in and got a picture of it (for later upload).


View Devil's Tower to Chicago, IL in a larger map

South Dakota: grasslands

Minnesota: keep the grass, add 10,000 lakes

Iowa: reduce lakes, change grass to corn

Cross Mississippi.

Illinois: change half the corn to soy

Illinois has this town called Galena which is a hidden enclave of foodies.  At the Galena Cellars Vinyard and Winery they have this wine they grow and produce there called Chambourcin which is this amazing wine for BBQ oriented foods.  I also picked up some cherry wine, and blood orange vinegar and pomegranite balsamic vinegar.  They have this shirt at the winery that says "Life it too short to drink just California wine."

It is so on.  (But I think I'm ordering the shirt, because I support irony in all its forms.)

Illinois is also home to Cousin Jane and Gino, who treated me like king.  However, I am now three visits up on Jane.  So we started planning her California trip.  Here's where you put your suggestions in the comments!