The Modest front of Our Rental Home
Trump vs. Harris on PBS
Travelling gets harder as we age. This year we came together in Springfield, Illinois, from Tuesday, September 10, till Friday, September 13. The Bowers could not join us. Bill and Julie flew to St. Louis, MO., and then rode with Bob and Ann to Springfield, Illinois. Gail and I flew to Milwaukee from Maryland. Maija picked us up at the airport. Maija and Gail then shared driving duties for six hours,
Both the Zinks and Maija had rental cars. The Zinks’s own car needed maintenance so they rented a van large enough to hold all of us. A deer had damaged Maija’s car so she had a Mini Countryman SUV from Enterprise.
The house we rented for the week was interesting, containing much more inside than its modest exterior suggested. It had a living room, kitchen, dining area, one bedroom, and a bathroom on the first floor. On the second floor were two bedrooms for adults, a dormitory-style room with small bunks for children, and a bathroom. In the basement was a theater room with nine chairs, a black-light lit room with video games, another bedroom, and a bathroom with a shower. In place of cars, the garage had a ping-pong table and other physical game supplies. A train track ran right behind the house but the noise did not disturb us.
The plan was to to get food from Costco for our first evening, but Springfield does not have a Costco. Ann and Julie brought ravioli and salad from the Olive Garden. Maija brought Spotted Cow beer from Wisconsin. The important ingredient was the company around the dinner table.
The main event of our Tuesday evening was the Harris-Trump Presidential Debate. Trump was his usual self on repeat and Harris was great.
|
The Modest front of Our Rental Home |
Trump vs. Harris on PBS |
|---|---|
|
|
|
|
Abraham Lincoln lived in the pioneer village of
New Salem from 1831 to 1837.
He tried on different professions during that time: soldier, postmaster,
surveyor, and shop keeper.
The village was abandoned shortly afterwards when its economic dreams disappeared.
In the 1930s
and 19402, it was researched and recreated by the Civilian Conservation Corps.
This historic site includes a new visitor center filled with information about Lincoln and period artifacts. There is a sign near the outer door that says “Handicapped Entrance”, but the door must be opened by hand and would be difficult for someone in a wheelchair. We visited the recreated village on a beautiful Wednesday. For lunch, we stopped at an Outback Steakhouse. Back “home”, it was nap time and then in the evening, we watched O Brother, Where Art Thou? on the big screen TV in the living room.
|
|
|
Ann, Maija, Gail, Bill, and Bob inside the visitor center |
Something was funny at the Trent brothers cabin |
|---|---|
|
|
|
The Onstot’s Cooper Shop at New Salem |
The Carding Mill powered by oxen walking on a sloping wheel under the shed |
|
|
We visited the museum on Thursday morning. It was impressive. We began with two theaters featuring holographic presentation. We then walked through an actual log cabin that was the entrance to telling Lincoln’s story before the Presidency. Finally, we went through exhibits behind the White House. There were rooms devoted to many aspects of Lincoln’s presidency, such as the Gettysburg address, the Emancipation Proclamation, and the assassination. There was even a room devoted to the derogatory cartoons that were aimed at Lincoln.
Afteer visiting the museum, we searched for a restaurant within walking distance, and settled on The Foundry Kitchen / Anvil & Forge Brewing and Distilling Company. They served sandwiches, pizza, flatbread, BEER, and more.
|
Minn Clan approaching the museum with Union Station in the background |
Greeted by the President and his family at the White House |
|---|---|
|
Discussing how to find a restaurant 
|
Our second destination of Thursday was Lincoln’s tomb. Lincoln, his wife Mary, three of their four sons, and their grandson are buried there under an obelisk.
On our way there, we were nearly creamed by a speeding driver running a red light. Fortunately, Bob was alert and quick to hit the brakes. Scary!
We arrived at the tomb just in time to attend an outdoor presentation on its history. The tomb was being renovated, but we were able to enter it.
|
The Tomb |
Al, Bill, Gail, Julie, and Maija |
|---|---|
|
|
|
Rubbing Lincoln’s nose is supposed to bring good luck |
|
|
|
We had two mishaps. I fell and broke two incisors, and Maija’s rented
car had tire problems on the way home.
It was late evening, the lights were low, the railing ended before the end of the stairs, and the wood of the steps blended with the wood of the floor. Those are my excuses. When coming down to the first floor, I missed the bottom step. I landed on my face and broke the crowns on my top two incisors. I was fortunate in not cutting my lip, not breaking my nose, and not breaking any bones. I only had a little pain in my left chest muscle and my lower back. The worst immediate consequence was that I had to eat soft foods for the rest of the trip. The other mishap occurred during our travel home again. Please note that this was Friday, the 13th. Maija’s Mini Countryman was self-aware and about milepost 77 on I-39, it notified us that the left rear tire was going flat. We looked at it and drove another mile, and then looked at it again. It looked flatter. Then the fun began. New cars no longer come with spare tires. Instead they have a repair kit that uses tire sealant and a compressor to temporarily repair the hole in the tire. This rental had neither the spare nor the repair kit. Maija called AAA and the Enterprise rental hotline. AAA could not repair a tire on the roadside. Enterprise could not deal with a roadside emergency either. The sun was shining, it was hot. We had a limited amount of water and Miaja had sent the Spotted Cow beer to Missouri with the Zinks. AAA could send a tow truck to take the car somewhere where the tire could be fixed, but the tow truck could not handle three passengers and they could not leave people standing alongside the road. The solution was to call 911 to have a state trouper pick up Gail and me and take us back to the nearest truck stop. Did you know that there are no door handles for the back seat of a police car? Then a tow truck took Maija and the Countryman to an Enterprise site where the offending tire was replaced. The delay meant that Gail and I missed our flight home. We had to reschedule our travel (at extra cost) and to stay a night at Comfort Suites. Both of these mishaps involved me. I had not rubbed Abe’s nose for good luck. I should have. |
|
Responsible for Webpage: Albert Holm
Created: 27 September 2024
