We added three more states to the map today. It is starting to look like we are filling it up a bit.
We made a dual purpose stop in Le Claire, Idaho. It is the home of the tv show American Pickers. Our main reason though was to meet up with Gary Hoegner. Martha went to school with him until 9th grade. He walked home every day after school with Bill Gorman and Jerry German. His family moved back to Idaho after 9th grade and then I started hanging out with Bill and Jerry in 10th grade when our family moved to Corona. It is weird, I feel like I met the guy I replaced!
Gary is a great guy. He was in the Army and then a police officer for 35 years.
Can you locate a few pics here? Betsy Monich, Jerry German, Martha Nastronero, Bill Gorman, Gary Hoegner?
After leaving Le Claire, we crossed the Mississippi. We are definitely out of the West now.
After getting the trailer set up about 45 minutes from Rockford, IL we went to see my Aunt Ruth. She is 95 and the most wonderful person you could ever meet.
We went out to a very nice restaurant with Ruth, her daughter Karen, and daughter in law Nancy.
Martha got the biggest piece of cheesecake for desert that I have ever seen.
Luckily I was there to help her out. Tomorrow we are off to Chicago for the day.
Aunt Ruth looks great...how old is cousin Karen?...owning all those restaurants, I bet you've had fun critiquing all the food...I've got some cheesecake stuck to my ribs since 2002...looks like you'll cross the Mississippi a couple more times...make sure in New Orleans you check out where it dumps into the Gulf...:-)
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