Sunday, September 1 - I flew Alaska Airlines First Class from Portland, Oregon (PDX) via Seattle, WA to Chicago, Illinois (ORD). I took a Lyft to Hyatt Place Chicago River North. I had an 8th floor room with a great view of the city. I went to the Road Scholar table on the first floor to register with the Group Leader, Anthony "Tony" DeSalvo. The group met in the hotel lobby and walked together to Maggiano's Little Italy Grand a nearby restaurant for dinner. Afterwards we had Orientation. The remainder of the evening was at leisure.
Monday, September 2 - Following breakfast, we had a lecture on the History of Chicago Architectural Movements. We took a 90-minute narrated Architecture River Cruise to experience the spectacular skyline architecture of Chicago from the perspective of the Chicago River. The Chicago Fire in 1871 destroyed much of the city's commercial property, which "provided an opportunity for those who had the vision to merge structural steel and plate glass into vertical architectural wonders, thereby giving birth to the first skyscrapers." I saw the stunning Trump International Hotel and Tower. It has been ruled 'public nuisance' over thousands of fish kills over a number of years.
We had lunch at Saucy Porka. We toured Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House. Completed in 1910, this home is talked about as one of the most important buildings in American Architecture. Back at the hotel I took a Lyft to the Chicago Tribune building to find a Virtual Geocache (GC8FBF). One hundred and fifty pieces-of-rock have been embedded into the base of the Tribune Tower's NeoGothic facade and form a collection of Heritage artifacts from significant architectural and historic sites around the world. I crossed the street to get a pickup address and took a Lyft back to the hotel.
Tuesday, September 3 - Following breakfast, we boarded a motorcoach for a Chicago City Tour focusing on FLW. We stopped briefly at The Rookery Building located in the Chicago Loop. Completed by architects Daniel Burnham and John Wellborn of Burnham and Root in 1888, it is considered one of their masterpiece buildings and was once the location of their offices. In 1905, Frank Lloyd Wright was hired to modernize the interior public spaces of The Rookery. He redesigned the stunning two-story, sky lit lobby.
We traveled to historic Oak Park where we had an expert-led exploration of the first home and studio of Frank Lloyd Wright. While there, the group went around this historic neighborhood with a FLW expert. Oak Park is renowned for having the greatest number of Wright-designed buildings. We ate lunch at Papaspiros a local restaurant in Oak Park. Afterwards, we had an expert led exploration of the Unity Temple. The Unity Temple is essential example of Wright’s early Prairie School of design and one of eight designated UNESCO World Heritage sites of Wright's works. We had dinner at Beatrix.
Wednesday, September 4 - Following breakfast we loaded our luggage onto the motorcoach. We checked out of the hotel and traveled by motorcoach to Racine, Wisconsin. We met our guide Mark Hertzberg, an author and photographer. We had a Field Trip: Hardy House. We had lunch at the Old Madrid Restaurant. We had a Field trip: SC Johnson Corporate Headquarters. Both the Administration Building and Research Tower were designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and the Administration Building is considered by many to be one of 25 most important buildings of the 20th Century. Known for its unique Great Workroom, the open work space features dendriform columns and circular “birdcage” elevators. Mid afternoon we departed for the Double Tree Hilton Racine. We had a lecture on Penwern, cottage and estate on Delavan Lake. We had dinner at the hotel in the Corner House Restaurant. After dinner, our local expert gave a lecture on specific Frank Lloyd Wright buildings and architectural elements. Afterwards, we prepared for check-out and transfer in the morning.
Thursday, September 5 - Once we checked out of the hotel, we boarded our motorcoach for a short journey to Milwaukee, Wisconsin where we went on an expert-led exploration of the American System-Built Homes (1912-1916)/Burnham Block designed by Wright for low- and moderate-income families. We passed by the Fredrick Bogk House by FLW. We went to the Milwaukie Art Museum. I took a Lyft to the nearby Milwaukie Gas Building to find a Geocache Earthcache. I got the photos and information that I needed. I got back in time in find a bench in the shade so I could watch the moveable "Wings" open above the museum. Something went really wrong and the wings did not fully open. I had delicious avocado toast with salad greens for lunch in the museum cafe. Our next stop was in Wauwatosa, where our own resident expert led us on an exploration of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church. Wright began to design the Church in 1956, but he died prior to the completion of its construction.
That afternoon, we transferred from Milwaukee to Madison where we saw more of Frank Lloyd Wright’s work. On our way to the hotel for check-in, the group stopped to look at Monona Terrace, located on the shore of Lake Monona. First proposed in 1938 as a convention center for the capital city, the project finally went forward in 1992 with the exterior designed by Wright and the interior based upon a design by Taliesin architect Tony Puttnam. There were stunning views of the lake, skyline and the dome of the state capital. We had dinner at Craftsman Table and Tap near the hotel in Middleton, WI. We stayed at the Fairfield Inn and Suites Madison West/Middleton hotel.
Friday, September 6 - We had breakfast at the hotel. We boarded the motorcoach and headed out for an expert-led tour of Jacobs 1 Usonian House and an exploration of the Unitarian Meeting House, considered to be one of the world's most important examples of Church Architecture. Our next stop brought us to the Wyoming Valley School. The building (built in 1957) was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, who donated his design and two acres of land to the School District in honor of his mother, Anna Lloyd-Jones Wright. We had lunch at Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin visitor center.
With a local expert, we explored the Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor’s Center and the 800-acre Taliesin Estate, which was Wright’s home for 48 years from 1911 until 1959. The estate features buildings that represent his work across his career as it served as a laboratory for architectural design and innovation. We then headed back to our hotel for transfer to our farewell dinner at Johnny's Italian Steakhouse. I had shrimp ravioli and raspberry lemon cake. We shared favorite experiences after our dinner. Back at the hotel we prepared for check-out and departures in the morning.
Saturday, September 7 - Following breakfast, we traveled via motorcoach back to Chicago for drop off at O'Hare Airport; driving up to 142 miles, approximately 2.5 hours riding time. My flight did not leave until 7:00pm so I spent the afternoon at the Admirals Lounge. At 6:00pm I went to Gate K3. We were told to board the flight at Gate K18. Of course there was no wheelchair to get there! I was livid. Then the plane was late leaving Chicago which narrowed the window in Seattle.
In Sea-Tac Airport I was not entirely sure if the wheelchair attendant knew where to go to get my connecting flight. I got there in time to board. The plane was even held for other connecting flights. I finally got to PDX. No wheelchair. I waited about 15 minutes in the passageway. The flight attendant wanted me to wait in First Class cabin but they were cleaning the plane interior. Finally an airport staff member took me in a wheelchair to get my luggage. It was standing lonely with one other suitcase. He took me to the Lyft area. I quickly got a ride. Fantastic trip however I was glad to be home and sleeping in my own bed!
I found one Virtual Cache and one Earthcache. As usual they were one of the high points of my trip. During my 20 years of Geocaching I have seen things and done things that except for Geocaching I would not have seen or done.
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