From little towns to big city

We left St. Joseph as soon as the rain started to clear on Tuesday and knew there was a possibility of showers along the way. The radar showed the thunderstorms were gone and the winds weren't bad and we also knew there would be rain later in the day in Chicago. Luckily we made it, anchored at the mooring field (where we will stay 3 nights before moving to a marina) and cooked dinner before the rain started. It came down in buckets and then the skies cleared and the view was spectacular.

It amazes me as we crossed the lake, with no land in sight that we would pass a lake frieghter within a mile of us. The visibility wasn't that great but at about 10 miles out we started to see the Chicago skyline. It reminds me of the first time I saw Toronto and NYC by boat...magical...like the land of Oz coming into view in the Wizard of Oz.

Wednesday we decided to take a walk to Navy Pier, then to the Holy Name Cathedral, the magnificent mile and we kept walking and walking. By this point we were hungry and one of our daughter's friends had recommended Au Cheval for the best burger in town and maybe the world??, so we walked there. The burger was good and was rated the best in America by Bon Appetit, people wait hours for a table on the weekend. Our opinion, for what's it worth, is that it was good but we wouldn't wait hours for a table.

By the time we walked back to the marina, after a quick stop at a wonderful grocery store called Mariano's, we had walked 11.8 miles, 24,890 steps and "our dogs" were killing us! I thought about running up and down the stairs of the boat to get the other 110 steps, key word here - thought. The winds have kicked up and we are ever so grateful we decided to make the crossing yesterday. Time to rest up for tomorrows adventure.

Just the water, the lake freighter and us

 

 

Watching the storm roll in

The view from our boat

The Chicago River 

Holy Name Cathedral dedicated in 1875