(Photos: driving down the road in MN, with the GPS stuck to the windshield; Nora asleep with the wind in her hair; and Michael peeking into the camper at a rest area.)

DAY FOUR 9/16 Chicago to Wisconsin
Woke up before Michael (!) and had cereal. I took care of the dogs for once, then fed Michael and myself. At some point in there I realized that the one friend I had planned far in advance to see, Paige, I had completely forgotten to call. Fortunately she was able to come on short notice and meet us at the French Market/farmer’s market in downtown Forest Park. Alison came out her front door with Ian and we all set out to walk up there. We must have looked like a parade: three adults, two strollers, three kids and two German shepherds. I bought a few fresh veggies for some future dinners. Paige and her two little boys arrived, and Alison had to head back home to take her cat to the vet. David took the dogs and headed south to visit another friend. Paige’s two are Jeremy, 3-almost-4 years old, and Eli, age one-and-a-half. We headed out of the market to a nearby playground where Jeremy blew off some steam and Eli and Nora mostly spent their time sorting the wood chips. We did manage to get them all on the merry-go-round spinner at the same time. Michael mostly stayed asleep in the front carrier. We snacked on some of the fresh blueberries Paige bought at the market. We eventually parted ways, and I had a long walk back to the camper, but it will be good practice for hiking the national parks. I considered it a pretty big accomplishment that I made it back to the camper and was able to get both kids up the steps and settled in. Especially because it’s kind of a pain to get Michael out of the front carrier. He’s at that age where his arms and legs have to be unfurled by hand. David helped Doug move his treadmill from the second floor to the basement (a fair trade for them letting our dogs run loose in their backyard), we battened the hatches, unplugged, took some pictures and headed off. Before the pictures, Nora entertained Doug and Alison with her juggling routine. This is where she takes 2 or 3 items, usually sticks or rocks, in her hands. She pumps her arms up and down furiously while clutching the items in her hands. Then at the end, she drops them all. David says she does this because whenever he juggles for her, he ends the session when he drops the balls. On our way out of Forest Park, we stopped by the police station to say hi to Mike and Eric. Then headed west to Villa Park to see Jim and Julie and their daughter, Mina. Jim had some paperwork I need for a freelance project I’m trying to finish on the road, so that was a business stop, but it was great to catch up with them and meet their daughter.
As we merged onto I-355 in the western suburbs, I felt like we were finally on our way. It was great to see old friends, but it was hardly exploring and hardly adventurous and definitely NOT camping. So now I feel like we are really venturing out. We’re headed north across the Wisconsin border to follow I-90 west into South Dakota. We’re going to go as far as we can this afternoon, and then maybe do a bit more driving after Nora’s bedtime.
--------------------------------
Stopped for dinner in a rest area in southern Wisconsin, a bit northwest of Madison. We spent a good deal of time there. I took Nora out in the grass for some jumping and stretching. Seems like she’s still limping a little, but it’s hard to tell. David heated up a meal we brought along in the freezer. It had been thawing in the dish drainer all afternoon. After dinner, David took the dogs out for exercise, feeding and grooming while I put away the food and did dishes. Then he took Nora out to collect treasures in her “outside cup,” a plastic purple cup she enjoys putting things in and dumping things out of. I fed Michael. Then David and Nora came back, we put Nora in her Pjs and hit the road. I read her some bedtime stories and got her blanket and black doggie. Now we are headed west, pretending she is sleeping even though we know she isn’t. When we stopped so David could put some coffee on, he rubbed noses with her. Then it was, “Mama, rub noses.” Then, “Baby Michael, rub noses.” After all of us had been exhausted, she contented herself with rubbing noses with black doggie and doll baby. She also says, “Dark outside. See moon,” whenever she notices that it has gotten dark.
-------------------------------
Crossed the Mississippi River into Minnesota at 9:30 p.m. as Vanilla Ice was playing on a retro show on the radio. Settled in at a rest area for the night. It was quiet, but we weren’t parked in a level spot and it was both cold and muggy at the same time. Too cold to sleep with no covers. Too humid to sleep with covers on. It was raining and lightening all night, which usually makes for good sleeping weather, but neither of us slept very well. The kids seemed to do fine.