(This trip included art shows in Minneapolis, Des Moines, Chicago & Jackson Hole, WY)

A view of Lake Michigan, the place I grew up.

My trip to the midwest was a great excursion this summer. The Gekkards wanted to prove they can find good homes to live no matter what the climate, and that’s exactly what they did. My adventures included winning my first art show award, nearly hitting a deer on my mountain bike, slaughtering over 2000 flying insects on America’s interstates, seeing a wild eagle in flight and spending time on the south shore of Lake Michigan where I grew up. Here’s a few things I learned on my journey:

• The forecast means nothing in the midwest.

• Chicago is the greatest big city in the world.

• The bug population continues to thrive even in this economy.

• There is always one lawnmower operating at any given time in suburban Des Moines.

• The best pizza in the world still comes from Indiana.

• It takes about 2.5 audio books to drive 1700 miles.

The Mastadon ate more bugs than the Gekkards did. (Mastadon, nickname for the van)

The Bean downtown Chicago

NOT the deer I almost hit on my bike.

The Devil’s Tower, but I actually couldn’t find him.

The Snake River, made the Gekkards feel right at home.