Dog Daze Roadtrip Day 2: James Goes to College

SONG: "Making My Way Back to Chicago" by Styx
TRAVEL TIP: Organization helps ease the transition and pain when dropping your kids off at college.

"Am I really ready?

After packing James up in Naperville, we headed off to the city. As we approached Lake Shore Drive, we could see Roosevelt's new skyscraper standing tall in the Chicago skyline.

"The Big Roosey". The old and the new!

View from the bunk. Not as cool as the Tredyffrin Library, but pretty good.

James' dorm is really great. Common rooms are on the corner of every floor with views of Lake Michigan. Good cheap restaurants all around. Great neighborhood. We had a day of meetings finished by a cocktail party with the faculty [parents only, no students]. We said good bye to James knowing he is ready and in good hands.

Dog Daze Roadtrip Day 1: Philly to Chicago

SONG: "Ramble On" by Led Zepplin
TRAVEL TIP: When traveling through Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana, bring a big tub of juice watermelon cut up into bite-size pieces so you won't be jealous of the people at the next table as you eat your Quiznos salad with a hair in it.

We experience a rainy, boring ride to Chicago. Fortunately, fast and uneventful. After a yucky lunch, we get DQ for dinner in Indiana. Northern Indiana is surprisingly "country" We meet a really funny convenience store clerk who tells it like it is. "What, you don't like my ice cream?" James ask him "how's is going?" and he answers very firmly "Just another day in paradise."

I can't say much about leaving Devon. It's too hard. But we are looking forward to big adventures both in the short and long term.

Good bye Pennsylvania