fabulous forests and concrete jungles

We were so thrilled to see the forests start reappearing outside of Saint Paul this morning, especially as we got further and further into beautiful Wisconsin, that we forgot to take pictures of them. No leaves on the trees yet (in fact, not even much budding out just yet, probably for the better after this cold blast!) but the forests appear to be predominantly oak. Some pines started popping up, but the forests are largely winter-still, towering deciduous forests, virtually bare underneath, wonderfully walkable, it was hard to want to stay in the truck with forests like those out the window...they seemed to be beckoning us.

What an absolute treat to drive in the clear, cold sunshine of a beautiful day for driving. No ice, no snow, no heavy gray skies. Glorious blue skies, warming sunshine, dry highways. And forest galore.

We managed to arrive in Chicago exactly at 5 pm, which we want to personally recommend as the most opportune time to enter rush hour traffic through a giant city of nearly 3 million. You will not be disappointed. Thousands and thousands of cars, and a truly impressive vehicle repertoire featuring weaving cars and a possible display of extreme car psychosis characterized by driving down shoulders when the lanes are too crowded, and zipping wildly from lane to lane whenever the sparest car space appears. Cities are not places for driving. But actually, the drive was quite smooth, it did take two hours, though. But no real problems and we got the full vantage of the city, which is HUGE and has wonderful brick buildings and townhomes building up all the way into the center of the city. Next time, we'll take the train and not set foot in a car, unless it's a cab. Mike Sanchez, we said hello into the traffic, hope you heard us.

And finally, an update on the cats. The cats are doing GREAT. They stay in their carriers all day and don't meow much except in the mornings when we first start out. Poor old Pen, our little orange terror, has taken to sitting in a total depression in her carrier. She won't come out during the trip anymore, being totally terrified and apparently completely defeated by the strange rush of sights flying past her eyes. It would appear that Penny has finally realized that she is NOT the boss. She is deeply depressed and silent during the drive, but rallies beautifully when we let her out in the hotel rooms, rushing about in sheer glee, rolling on her sides and jumping from bed to window sill to tub, to top of the TV cabinets. She loves hotels.

A much needed sleep awaits. Tomorrow it's on to New York and then it's MAINE!! It hardly seems real!!! It's getting warmer, too. Tomorrow will be in the low 30's. G'night.