Reflections on a Road Trip….and a Beautiful Wedding

When I told people we were driving to Chicago, they were incredulous. Why drive such a helluva long way? Simply, Pete suffers from vertigo, and is unable to fly. So on June 21, we embarked on a road trip that included 3 days on the road, 3 days in Chicago, and 3 days to return home.

The Road Trip

Now it’s been a while since we’ve travelled out of state or spent so many days in a car. A few reflections from the road:

• Lessons learned: other than I-4 around Orlando, Florida is a great place to drive. And I’m much more comfortable driving my own car.

• Georgia needs more Starbucks stores convenient to I-75, south of Atlanta. Priorities, people.

• I was pleasantly surprised to see a Pride banner in the Georgia Starbucks we found, as well as the hotel clerk with lavender hair and a Pride name tag in Kentucky. There’s hope yet!

• That billboard advertising 28 toilets – who DOES that? Best part – shortly after passing that billboard, I saw the sign for Butts County, GA. Coincidence?

• While we didn’t check out the 28 toilets, we did visit our first Buc-ees. What a metaverse experience! Gotta give them credit for cleanliness, efficiency, and a huge assortment of food items; the varieties of fudge were a wicked temptation. Yes, I’m now a Buc-ees believer – we also stopped on our way home to pick up an easy lunch.

• We worried about getting through Atlanta traffic but should have been more concerned about Chattanooga and Nashville. Getting into Chicago and parking at the hotel was a nightmare.

• The mountains around Chattanooga are beautiful but driving through them surrounded by 18-wheelers pushing 70 mph was a bit unnerving. The runaway truck lanes were downright scary.

• Best part of dinner at the Olive Garden in Bowling Green, KY – the server said she loved my tattoo and that “it’s really pretty.” Of course, the fact that she also gave us 6 chocolate mints with the bill was pretty sweet, especially since I got them all.

• Craziest thing about our night in Bowling Green? I discovered my dear friend Terri, a consultant, was there at the same time! Who knew? Also, when I texted the kids where we were for the night, Rebecca responded that she and her boyfriend Adam had just passed by. They drove straight through from Florida on youthful energy, but we hadn’t expected them to overtake us THAT fast. (They have their own story about 28 toilets.)

• How confusing was it to start in EST, switch to Central time in Georgia, back to EST in Indiana, before switching back to Central time in Chicago? And then reverse all that on the way home. I’m still not sure what day or time it is.

• This road trip was a screaming ad for better infrastructure (thus my earlier comment about Florida). Indiana roads were the worst! Plus, Indianapolis was under an air quality alert.

• But kudos to Indiana for the utterly cool windmills!

• While we were worried about the trials of long-distance driving, turned out that several family members had major airline issues. Jacob ended up flying from Tallahassee to Miami to Tampa, before arriving in Chicago after our bedtime.

The Chicago Experience

The wedding party hotel was a lovely old building in Lincoln Park, convenient for all the festivities. The rooms were tiny, but the elevators were fast – at least faster than getting hot water on the 12^th floor.

First order of business was meeting Rebecca and Adam in the hotel bar for unwinding cocktails and laughs. Convo opened like this:

Rebecca: Did you see the signs for 28 toilets?

Me: OMG yes! Who does that?

Adam: Are you two the same person? That’s exactly what Rebecca said.

Rebecca (to me): If you and I stopped to use the bathroom, would you wait or leave when you finished?

Me: I’d wait for you.

Rebecca: See, Adam? Women wait for each other. They don’t go to the car and leave you for 20 minutes wondering if you’re okay.

Random observations:

• I had a great night view from my hotel room, but the daytime view of roofs and air conditioning units was less appealing. I did enjoy the pigeons that visited my windowsill.

• We got disdainful looks from restaurant hostesses every night for not having reservations. C’mon, we were tourists looking for Chicago pizza. We could take the no, but disdain was uncalled for.

• Plus, what kind of restaurant is nearly empty but still refuses a party of 8 on the grounds it would be too much for the server? We said the tables could be split, but again they refused. Wow. We walked out, then spent our $300-400 at the nearby Blue Door Kitchen & Garden, which was absolutely delightful. Highly recommend.

• I loved the rainbow striped stairs at Navy Pier and hope they are a permanent feature and not just for Pride Month.

• The Chicago Art Institute was fabulous and overwhelming. The Impressionist exhibit alone was worth the visit. Not enough time or stamina to see it all. The Chicago History Museum was interesting and a more manageable scale for tired feet.

• During a Saturday walk for breakfast, we were surprised to find a farmer’s market right there between Starbucks and Walgreen’s. The fresh croissants were a hit with Jacob. And yes, Chicago does have a Starbucks on every corner.

The shooting deserves a separate bullet point (unfunny pun intended):

• Our first morning in Chicago, we started hearing about the shooting. At first, we thought it had happened at the first haughty pizza place, and we were grateful to have moved on. Later, we discovered it had been a street shooting about a block from the hotel – and some of our family members were close enough to see people running. I got chills thinking about what could have been.

• Sadly, this is our world, and much too close for comfort.

The Wedding

I can’t do this part justice. This wedding was meticulously and beautifully planned from start to finish. (Seriously, the ladies’ room had monogrammed floss picks.) It was stunning to watch the wedding party arrive down the steps of the Chicago History Museum. However, the true beauty of the event was the warmth and love of the couple, their families, and their friends. The vows were lovely. The speeches from the fathers, the best man and maid of honor, the first dances – all were moving to the point of tears. I could get all mushy here, but I’ll spare you. It was simply beautiful.

But don’t think it wasn’t fun.

Once the dance floor opened, it filled with young people celebrating with pure joy. Many of the rest of us joined in, loving the music from our generation. (The 70’s and 80’s really did have the best music.) I loved seeing my own children dancing and having fun. It lasted well into the night – later than some of us made it.

Coming Home

Sunday was for goodbyes, family, and final tourist stuff. The newlyweds spent the morning greeting people in the hotel lobby, a touch of grace I found particularly sweet. Also, how did that gorgeous bride manage to wear white the entire weekend and always look perfectly fresh? Well done, Hannah.

Somehow, the road trip home seemed faster and less stressful than the drive north. Even getting out of Chicago was easier than getting in. If we annoyed each other, I don’t remember. Arriving home was the best – except for the laundry and empty fridge. As Dorothy said, “there’s no place like home.”

I’m so grateful for the experience. I don't take for granted those days with my family. Rituals as simple as riding the trains, having a drink, and eating Chicago-style pizza with my kids were joyful. We witnessed a lovely wedding. Chicago was nice enough, but family made this trip special.