My name is Andrew and I run a foodservice that serves family friendly products at sports and entertainment events across the country. Each year my company works at Monster Truck shows on back to back weekends in Indianapolis then St. Louis. Instead of driving back home to Virginia, I invite two of my finest employees to join me on an unique adventure in the Midwest. Welcome to this year's journey.
Every good road trip needs a little time exploring the outdoors. This year I took two of my hardest workers on a pretty lengthy hike in Starved Rock. We hiked over ten miles, saw countless waterfalls, and enjoyed a near perfect Spring day with nature. Did I mention it was there first time hiking?
Next up, we drove to the small town of New Glarus, Wisconsin, which I had briefly stopped in a year before. We had a fantastic, local dinner at the Ott Haus consisting of deep fried cheese curds and a maple bacon jam burger with a clever name. The beer selection was superb and only $2 a pint.
Following dinner we had a night cap of New Glarus Brewing beer at the Sportsman. The back room had a dark and dingy vibe that made you feel like you were drinking in your friend's Dad's garage. There was even a wall lined with books and a pool table.
We took an unexpected detour in Monroe. What started as a quick stop to grab coffee turned into a fantastic tour of the Roth Cheese Factory, which led us to trying our first Limburger sandwich at Baumgartner's. Horray for stinky cheese!
Following Monroe we drove to Galena, Illinois which struck me as a lively small town from my research. However, it was unplanned to stop at the West Street Sculpture Park. Here we discovered the "Eyeful Tower," the "Leaning Tower of Family Family,"and a dozen other unique sculptures worth seeing (or climbing!).
Our trip ended us in St. Louis, where we were to finish our week with a few days of work at another Monster Jam. Yet before we made it to the stadium, we spent several hours exploring the expansive St. Louis Zoo. We saw animals hailing from all continents and concluded our "fun" at one of the nations best zoos.
Life is one big adventure and in between all the work and daily obligations, we each must take time to savor the moment, be spontaneous, and love the pure beauty of a country we so often take for granted.