Category: Places

On March 20, 2018, I visited La Crosse, Wisconsin.  It was a cloudy day unlike the day before when it was sunny and warmer.

Compared to the winter storm in February 2015, this weekend’s was a fluffy one, with snow on the deck table resembling a bundt cake.  Today marks the ninth consecutive snowing day, tying the record.

Began my drive to work in the new year in frigid temperatures, with windchills as low as -22 degrees Fahrenheit.  The last time it was this cold was in January 2015.

Ordered a cup of latte at the Google Chicago office on December 14, 2017 and received a work of art….

Eugene had the opportunity to experience high adventure with 25 other boys from around the country at the McCallie Character Leadership Community (CLC) Camp in Chattanooga, Tennessee from June 18 to June 30.

Today I got to visit the place that was featured in the 1947 Cecil B. De Mille’s Unconquered movie, starring Gary Cooper and Paulette Goddard.  I didn’t realize it till I read about the history of Pittsburgh that referenced Colonel Henry Bouquet, who was a major character in the movie.

In his ongoing journey to the Eagle Scout rank, Eugene has to earn the Hiking merit badge.  Although he already has 26 merit badges, he has yet to to earn five Eagle-required merit badges, including the one for hiking.

As part of fulfilling the merit badge, Eugene has to do six hikes: one 5-mile, three 10-mile, one 15-mile and one 20-mile.  Eugene did his first 5-mile hike as part of his Second Class rank requirements last year and will do his final 10-mile hike at the Morton Arboretum on August 21.

In the last couple of months, I had the opportunity to go on the following hikes with Eugene:

• May 22: 10-mile hike @ Forest Preserve of Cook County’s Poplar Creek Trail in Hoffman Estates, Illinois
• May 28: 15-mile hike @ Linear Park Trail in Battle Creek, Michigan
• June 5: 10-mile hike @ Forest Preserve of Cook County’s Deer Grove Trail in Palatine, Illinois
• June 12: 20-mile hike @ Forest Preserve of Cook County’s Busse Woods Trail in Elk Grove Village, Illinois

Learnings from the hikes include:

1. My average casual walking speed is about 2.5 miles per hour.
2. My daily walking distance is anywhere between just under 1 mile to 2 miles.
3. My daily walking distance at this year’s summer camping adventure at Camp Napowan was between 8 miles and 17 miles.

On April Fool’s Day, Eugene competed with 91 semifinalists at the Illinois National Geographic State Bee at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Illinois.

One thing I learned from the event is that Thomas Jefferson introduced the french fries to Americans and that french fries actually originated from Belgium!

Some stats of the IL Geo State Bee:

• 105 qualifiers
• 95 registered qualifiers
• 92 participating qualifiers
• 23 returning participants
• 7 qualifiers were girls