Wisconsin

Who knew that traffic leaving Chicago at 5:30 a.m. on a weekday was so horrendous? Now, I do. First stop Taliesin, home of megalomaniac Frank Lloyd Wright. Very interesting - great architect, crummy contractor, everything leaks or is falling apart. Ideas and execution are very different beasts. The Atrium B&B in Eau Claire was our haven for the evening and it was fab - huge suite, plasma TV, reclining chairs, wine & cheese - aaahhhh. Too bad the owners have sold it and will be gone in a month :( The seatbelt in mom's Toyota was jammed but thanks to Markquart Toyota we now know how to pull off the door seal, pry back the seat belt mechanism and fix it ourselves next time! Next stop Chippewa Falls for the Leinenkugel Brewery Tour and Olson's kiwi/watermelon ice cream. Mom commented on how clean the air is up here and the friendliness of the natives - hope we can keep her in Cincinnati!