DAY 49 THURSDAY 25th OCTOBER 2007

Dodgeville, WI (Miles to Date: 4060)

Fortified by another filling breakfast courtesy of Ray’s B&B we set out yesterday on a brisk, but fine morning. We had decided to try our luck on public transport and made our way by metro and bus out to Lincoln Park. Our main destination for the day is Lincoln Park Zoo, which is a quaint little zoo and has the added benefit of being free to enter. Indeed you just stroll up to many of the entry gates and wander in. We had done the zoo on our last trip but wanted to do it again (we like a nice zoo). Although funded by the City of Chicago it is well funded and has some great exhibits; in particular the large ape exhibit with it’s collection of gorillas, the Africa exhibit (which has pygmy hippos and aardvarks) and the small mammal exhibit. Also right outside the zoo is the Lincoln Park Conservatory which is a large formal green house with an amazing collection of tropical and temperate plants – including a collection of orchids. Once again admission if free!! After a long day walking around it was time to head back for Ray’s B&B – and there was no better way to wash away the aches and pains of a day on foot than to have a session in the steam room and sauna – luxury!!!

Today it was time to leave Chicago and Ray’s B&B (after one final amazing breakfast). We like Chicago (might be different if we had visited in January) it is vibrant city and there is so much to do, the streets are clean and the people are friendly. Also if we come back to Chicago we’d definitely try and stay at Ray’s again (anyone who is interested the website is http://raysbucktownbandb.com/). Our next stop is Dodgeville, Wisconsin.