Week 5: The Journey for the Chicago Dog

October 8th, 2021.

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Nana and the Farm

Seeing Iowa with our own personal tour guides was such a wonderful experience.

After the excitement of seeing Ben and Kota wore off a little, we sat down, caught up, and ate some deliciously fresh brownies. After weeks of constantly moving from place to place, it felt good to finally stop and let our adventures sink in. Ben and Nana were also so much fun to talk with, because they were both so good at asking questions and sharing their own experiences.

After settling in a bit, Nana introduced us to her farm.

Of course, I had to take a few artsy photos from her little tour. I’ve never been a part of the farming life, but I really enjoyed the small glimpse we got.

Safe inside as the clouds roll across the sky.

How could I resist capturing the little barn against the big fields?

Something that caught our eye when she was showing us around was her companion, Charlie’s tractors. Sam was taken by the mechanics of such an old machine. I, admittedly, was drawn slightly more by the bright colors and distinct look.

Charlie collects Minneapolis Moline tractors, and his collection fills many sheds such as this one.

Once our tour was over, Sam and I had to collect ourselves. We adjusted our plans and decided to spend an extra night so we could spend some more time with Ben, Nana, and Kota. Then came the chores. I will forever be grateful to Nana for letting us use her laundry machine to clean Laviska the Laundry Being (thank you, Ben, for naming her).

We also took advantage of the vacuum and deep cleaned the Teardrop. Nothing like a squeaky clean trailer to make you feel at home.

The rest of our night was quiet and relaxing. We hung out, ate food, drank some beer, and simply enjoyed each other’s company. Oh, and we got to see Ben’s photos from middle school, which was most definitely a highlight.

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Ben surprised everyone by successfully cooking seven eggs at a time, despite the heckling.

Our morning was slow and filled with food. Sam and I definitely engorged ourselves on the delicious breakfast made by Ben and Nana. To kill time before leaving on our explorations of the day, we three twenty year-olds played hacky sack. Nana even sat and watched us for a bit.

It’s been a long time since we’ve all hacked together, and our popping joints had a lot to say about that.

Our day was filled to the brim with fun activities:

We stopped to take a ride on one of Charlie’s tractors;

We had lunch at the local Cafe / Bar / Bowling Alley;

Nana took us to a local park to see a baby white buffalo;

And we went to a local National Wildlife Refuge that Ben’s grandfather used to work at.

Not only did the visitor’s center have an amazing nature center, but there was an entire exhibit devoted to the wreck of the Bertrand steamboat.

The ship sunk in the Missouri River during the westward expansion of the 1800s. The cargo bay carried tonnes of miscellaneous goods, from pickles and ketchup to cannon balls and shovels. Preserved in the mud for almost 200 years, the artifacts recovered illuminated early American life in a way I’ve never seen before.

You can see Sam through the windows, checking out the replica of the ship.

Life for those early settlers must have been incredibly difficult. The museum definitely made that clear. However, the exhibit also did an excellent job putting this “progress” into perspective. As men looked to the soils and the forests of the west as inexauhstible resources, these environments were changing drastically. It’s hard to blame these people for doing what they did, but I found myself wondering how things could have been different, if there was any way to coexist with these environments instead of changing them to suit our needs. These thoughts often find me when I learn about our history. I’d be happy to have a conversation about this if you have any thoughts of your own, so don’t be afraid to reach out :)

I wish I could join these little guys as they hang out and enjoy the autumn sun.

We also saw this hawk flying around looking for food along the river. I’m convinced it’s a juvenile bald eagle, but the others disagreed with me.

Before leaving for the farm, we stopped to feel the river’s cool water. I snapped a photo of someone cozily fishing on the shore, and I really love it for some reason. We also got one of the best selfies from our trip so far. All in all, it was a wonderful day.

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True Iowan steaks were waiting for us when we got back. After devouring the T-bones and officially being spoiled rotten, we played a three and a half hour game of monopoly.

Man, whoever invented this game must be sadistic. The highs are at your friends’ expense, and the lows are crushing. Winning doesn’t even feel good! That being said, we had a great time ending the night with dry capitalism.

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Our last full day was slow, filled with various chores and tasks. My favorite part of the day was spent writing as we all watched college football together. Sam napped through most of it, and I even saw Ben dozing off in the middle.

I wanted nothing more than to join them, but I was having too much fun writing last week’s post. I swear, every time I start writing these, I tell myself I won’t go too much into detail, that this time it’ll be short and sweet. Clearly I enjoy lying to myself.

Before the game, Sam and I took Nana’s Mule for a joyride beside the beans and corn on her fields. That thing can really zoom!

The sun really put on a show before setting behind the low Iowa hills. The colors were spectacular and really helped push away some of the bittersweet feelings we had been feeling about leaving. Saying goodbye to friends, new and old, is never fun, but they’re a little easier when you know you’ll be seeing each other again.

Thank you, Nana, for feeding us and showing us a glimpse of the wonderful life you live.

Thank you, Ben, for surprising us and letting us learn all about you and your family.

And, last but not least, thank you Kota, for being one of the sweetest, sassiest dogs.

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Effigy Mounds

The journey across Iowa was long and uneventful. Thankfully, Sam and I have an arsenal of podcasts ready to play when the boredom becomes overbearing. In fact, one of our favorite podcasts, Criminal, pointed us in our current direction: Effigy Mounds National Monument.

Effigy Mounds National Monument is located on the far northeast end on Iowa, close to the Mississippi River. At a first glance, these mounds look to be nothing more than just piles of overgrown dirt, but underneath them lie the remains of native people from hundreds of years ago. There is still a lot of mystery surrounding these mounds. What we do know, however, is that ceremonies were centered around these mounds. The sense of community that was required to make just one must have been tremendous. Depending on the time in which they were assembled, the construction of these burial mounds varied. Some were even made in the shape of a bear or a bird. There are only a few dozen mounds left of what used to be thousands in the area.

It’s hard to tell right away, but the small hill between the trees is an effigy mound.

“Episode 72: Bears, Birds, and Bones” details the search for the missing remains of people that were excavated from a few of these mounds. I won’t spoil the rest for you, but I will say it is 100% worth a listen.

Our hike to see these mounds gave us spectacular views of Wisconsin across the Mississippi River.

Many of my friends know me as a podcast pusher. I get so excited when I learn cool things, and podcasts are an endless supply of said things! What can I say, I’m an excitable person.

Oh, and you’re welcome.

The hike also featured some of my favorite organisms in the world. Just look at how cute they are!

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Walking the Rainy Gardens

After spending the night outside the national monument, we crossed the Mississippi and drove to Illinois. We drove for a few rainy hours, comparing the similarities and differences between Iowa and Illinois before stopping at Anderson Japanese Gardens.

If it weren’t for the rain, this would have been the best place to sit and read for a while.

The rain was as relentless as the garden was beautiful. The Seattleite in my skin prickled, and I honestly thought the garden was more stunning underneath the rain. I’ve always loved the way water looks just before it drips from a flower, or the patterns in the pond made from raindrops.

We explored every inch of the garden, occasionally hiding from the rain when it got too heavy. We stumbled upon a tea house and a bridge to a tiny pond island, as well as countless waterfalls and arches. My favorite part, however, had to be feeding the koi fish.

I would like to note that the rain in Illinois feels wetter than Seattle rain.

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She Finally Gets the Dog

Superdawg. I don’t know how, but you have become one of my favorite fast food restaurants in the world. We stopped here for a genuine Chicago Dog on our way to the city of its namesake, salivating as we pulled in

These monstrosities rose above the streetlights, greeting our hungry stomachs with glowing red eyes.

The Superdawgs were held in what I would consider some of the best packaging I’ve ever seen.

His Deliciousness is hiding underneath the fries. Are you jealous yet? Hehe

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Our bellies were happily filled when we finally reached the edges of downtown Chicago. As soon as the high rises towered above us, Sam and I marveled at every little detail in the streets. There was an incredibly high-end McDonald’s down the street from detailed murals depicting jungle scenes. Billboards the size of RVs shone high in the sky, advertising anything from beer to museums.

Our bright eyes dimmed a little at the prospect of finding affordable parking. I swear, there had to be close to fifty different places to park, all of which required a human sacrifice to occupy for any reasonable length of time. We eventually found somewhere to park, but I felt like a small part of my soul was sold along with the ticket.

This greeted us as we left the parking garage. I got the feeling that the plywood this was painted on is a remnant from protests of 2020.

We walked around the heart of the city for close to three hours. I was surprised that Chicago wasn’t just “another big city” like I’ve grown to expect most places to be. After living in Seattle for four years, it’s hard not to compare every downtown to the one I’m most accustomed to. The first difference I noted was the obvious -- instead of the green hills Seattle was built upon, Chicago is split across a river. I also felt like the skyscrapers had much more variance in architecture in the Windy City than the Emerald City. I do, however, enjoy the fact that both border large bodies of water.

The glass walls from the Apple store gave me the perfect opportunity to play with the city reflections.

Eventually, we found ourselves on the Riverwalk. If we had all day, I would have insisted we walk to the Field Museum, where my mom used to work when she and my dad lived in Chicago nearly thirty years ago. Alas, we turned back before we got the chance to stop by.

It’s been a long time since I’ve walked around a city and taken pictures of what I see.

I also smartly forgot to bring my camera, so I had to settle for my phone.

Our stomachs began to empty as we wound our way back to the main streets of downtown Chicago. We reached our car, re-parked it so I could keep the majority of my soul, and reached the destination we were most excited for: Pizzeria Uno, the sacred birthplace of the deep-dish pizza.

I may have forgotten to take many photos of the experience because I was too captivated with the flavor.

The first bite. Sam is most definitely in his happy place.

Our last stop was dessert. Earlier on our walk, we passed a vending machine that served cakes. We obviously couldn’t resist the temptation.

I am happy to announce that this was one of the most delicious cakes I’ve ever had. I never thought I’d be saying that about something from a vending machine, but here I am wanting more.

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Next Week

Wisconsin.

We visit with family,

and feast on cheese curds.

More importantly, however, we remember who my late grandmother was, and why she was so special.

Next week’s post will be devoted to her.

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Author’s Note:

Dear reader,

I’ve been trying to think of fun ways to interact with y’all, and I think I’ve finally figured it out.

Each week, I’d love to know what photo is your favorite from the post. I’ve asked some friends in private which one’s they like the most, and no answer has been the same. So please! Share your favorites with me and the other readers, and let’s see what catches everyone’s eyes :) Hearing all the positive feedback really helps me muster the motivation to keep writing, so thank you for all your kind words.

As always, thank you for reading. This update came a little late because I devoted a lot of my time this last week to hanging out with my family. And don't get me started on how horrible the internet has been.

Hopefully it doesn’t take too long to get back on track ;)

Until next week,

I wish you all the best,

Kes "The Photobean"