How To Make Your Own Spring Break! Part One: The Road Trip

So although I'm no artsy craftsy creative person, I do know how to make some things. Like...okay, I make a mean plate of scrambled eggs. Or grilled cheese, I can make the shit out of grilled cheese. Mix CDs, my bed, "out," I'm really good at making all of these things. Did you get the joke there? Believe it, I said it. And it's all true.

You know what I made this week? A SPRING BREAK! Sometimes, especially when I have like six days off, it may cost like $400 to go anywhere. And sometimes that money isn't given to me for free or for no reason, which is pretty stupid. Because, to me, Spring Break means road trips, catching up with old friends, visiting a new place, trying new food, buying souvenirs...but when it cost a billion dollars just to get somewhere, what's a girl to do? I'll tell you: I take matters into my own hands and make my own Spring Break. Here's how the first part of it went:

For the road trip type of Spring Break, you'll need a full tank of gas. You see, this is how cars go places.


Inside your car, you'll need some good music ready to go - have you listened to Alabama 3? They did the theme song to The Sopranos. Amazing music right here! Perfect for driving, good for the heart and soul. This is deep shit.


Rations! One needs rations for the sexy spring break that's about to happen! Caffeine plus Revive Vitamin Water (great for hangovers, incidentally). Snacks are optional.


And a smile on your face. So exciting!!!


For my awesome road trip, I avoided highways and took Route 12 from Madison to Glenview - the scenic route. I used to take it from Beloit with Sam and we'd take our time and stop for milkshakes on the way. There's something about Wisconnie and Midwest scenery that is really beautiful to me. There's really nothing there, but it allows you to remember the beauty of emptiness, of openness, of land and sky and nothing more.


Though everything is brown right now, thinking about the green that will soon come is pretty amazing.


This is in Fox Lake, I think. There's a McDonald's literally right on this dock. You can park your boat and go get some McNuggets!



One of the great, and sometimes scary, adventures with road trips is the possibility of driving behind a truck like this. Is anybody else afraid of the truck stopping suddenly, too fast for you to stop, and driving up on the back of the truck, and the truck driver going "Finders Keepers!" and driving off with you on the back? It happened in The Simpsons once...


When you take the scenic route, you get to pass many local wonders and sights. Here is a very rare and seldom-seen  Long John Silvers. It was extremely difficult to refrain from stopping here.


Sometimes things have funny names. Although I didn't get pictures of most of them, here are some of them:

Hair It Is (a hair salon)
What's The Point (a diner)
Soup's On (restaurant)
Booze 'n Go (a church. No, it was really a liquor store)
American Cafe (I'm guessing another restaurant)
Say What? (screenprinting and embroidery business)
Dip Stick (oil change place)

I also passed Cheeseborough Rd. and Creamery Rd., one right after the other, and didn't get pictures of either.

I did, however, get a picture os this sexy tattoo store:


And one of the Panty Express!


And last but not least - dedicated to Sara, Ela, and Malissa. JAMAICAN ME TAN!!! In northern Illinois!


Finally, after my arrival in Glenview, I was treated to some of the local Chicago fare. Unfortunately, when Chicago Food is put on the table, there's really no time for pictures. You must eat immediately. There were, at some point, ribs, italian beef, cheese fries, fried zucchini, salad, coleslaw, and cokes on that table. You'll just have to imagine.
Oh wait, here's some ribs!
And cheese fries. Who doesn't love cheese fries? Even the lactose intolerant...


So far, I think Spring Break is a total success.

Coming soon! Part Two: Local Shopping and Souvenirs during which I travel to a little-known store called "Old Navy" and sample more local cuisine, including "chicken."