The plan was to head North out to Milwaukee towards Michigan’s upper peninsula but after my 2nd cup of coffee decided to head East.

After getting Kelley checked in for her flight home I was on my way to Chicago which was an OK choice on Labor Day with great weather.  Traffic was not too painful and the city looked great on a good weather day.

Headed South off of Interstate 80 prior to it becoming a toll road onto the secondary roads.  Trying to figure out how Indiana can be charging tolls for a highway built in the 50s- 60s as part of the Interstate system?  Colorado does not charge for using  I70 through Glenwood Canyon which is probably the most beautiful ride of any Interstate Highway.

Rode through the small town of Kouts, Indiana while riding the back roads.  This is where my Mother was born and a place I have not visited in over 50 years.  Some of my memories of this town consist of:

• My Grandfather Harry brewing beer before it was the modern craze
• Taking a tractor ride with my Uncle Gordon (a Hog Farmer) to drop any piglets that died into the river (guessing the EPA would frown on this today)
• Visiting my Aunt Louise and Uncle Fritz who owned the local tavern and lived in a residence attached to the tavern.  Meals sometimes consisted of what was cooked on the tavern’s grill.  It was one of those cool old time taverns with the big jars of pickled pigs feet and hard boiled eggs on the bar.

Town is still a small town but they have updated the Town Hall sign

A lot more motorcycles were out riding these back roads but guessing this is what the locals have for riding on a nice weather day without mountains.

This section of road seemed to have more than its share of utility poles.

Maybe the utility workers background is in farming and they lined them up like corn?

Ended the day in South Bend just North of Notre Dame.  Kind of ironic since Notre Dame was the favorite going into their first game against Texas but lost in overtime and the hotel we stayed at in Milwaukee was overrun with LSU fans in for the game this past weekend. Number 1 rated LSU team against Wisconsin at Lambeau Field  which ended in a Wisconsin upset.  Thinking of riding to New England to see what havoc I can cause for the Patriots.