Summer Trip Part 1: Ride to Chicago - June 22-23, 2013

June 22: Amsterdam, New York, to Elkhart, Indiana

We started from Amsterdam [2 Pictures] around 8:30 and headed west on Route 5, across the Mohawk from Fonda into Fultonville, and then the Thruway for the morning. It was an uneventful ride across the state before we got off onto Route 5 again near Pembroke to take us to lunch at a Duff's in the Eastern Hills Mall [Picture]. From there, we made our way back via New York 78 and New York 33 to the Thruway. After a quick stop in Dunkirk, we were into Pennsylvania and soon after into Ohio. We were able to get through Cleveland and I-90 with no real traffic troubles. Beyond Cleveland, we took Ohio 2 west toward Sandusky, where we stopped an Sortino's [4 Pictures], an excellent little Italian restaurant owned by a friend of a friend. We got to the restaurant just as a storm was coming in and left just as it was ending. Good timing. After dinner, we took US 6 west out of Sandusky to US 20 in Fremont, which we followed through more storms to Ohio 420. That took us back to the Ohio Turnpike. After a little detour near Toledo to find some less expensive gas, we were back on the Turnpike, into Indiana, and into Elkhart for the night by around midnight. [48 Roads/Signs Pictures].

June 23: Elkhart, Indiana, to Chicago, Illinois

This was a much shorter travel day. We left Elkhart and cut north to go across southern Michigan rather than staying with the Toll Road the whole way. A few miles into Michigan, we joined US 12 and took that across to I-94. Then it was I-94 back into Michigan. We stopped for gas right near where Interstates 80, 90, and 94 all converge and then took I-90 (and the Chicago Skyway) through Chicago until our exit to get to our destination on the north side of the city. [42 Roads/Signs Pictures].