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Author Topic: The Bullpen Bar, Patio, & Picnic Area  (Read 88539 times)

Offline msf

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Re: The Bullpen Bar, Patio, & Picnic Area
« Reply #125 on: May 23, 2011, 02:16:01 pm »
We have not been yet, but I have heard that there is a town near the Mississippi River, on the Illinois side, Galena. I have heard it is cool if you like to stay in a Bed&Breakfast and do some shopping etc.... Some friends told us about it, but we have not done it yet, still planning to some day.

Offline TheCamel

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Re: The Bullpen Bar, Patio, & Picnic Area
« Reply #126 on: May 23, 2011, 02:28:40 pm »
Rory and I went to Galena last fall. It was fun, some good restaurants and bars, though be forewarned, it's a lot of the little shops that selll quaint little things and once you've been in one you've been in them all. It can get old after a bit.

Offline ISF

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Re: The Bullpen Bar, Patio, & Picnic Area
« Reply #127 on: May 23, 2011, 02:34:25 pm »

Cahokia Mounds sounds cool. ISF, what are Effigy Mounds like? YOu been? What else is cool to do in IA? We like outdoorsy shyte, but roadside attractions are also a lot of fun.

Any other ideas beside those two anyone? We could also go north, east, doesn't matter.


Never been to Effigy mounds. We are going to Cahokia Mounds next month when we go to St. Louis.
Amana is a cool pit stop off I-80, especially Millstream Brewery...

Galena is an excellent place to spend a weekend, we tend to go in October for the Country Fair.

Starved Rock, if you haven't already been.

Or, you could try to hook up with Wildcat Bob; http://www.trollway.com/

Offline msf

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Re: The Bullpen Bar, Patio, & Picnic Area
« Reply #128 on: May 23, 2011, 02:36:17 pm »
Sounds like similar to Minacqua or Heyward, both in Wisc. Both toursist traps too. Myself, I cannot stand shopping, but I am a patient man, the Mrs likes to get into it. I just find a good seat and wait. Sort of figured that is what Galena was like, does not seem what Jeter will be looking for.

Hell, JJ, go down to Southern Illinois and GeoCache, has to be some cool places down there, entirely different kind of Illinois. There are some nice state parks down that way.

Offline JhonJeter0112358

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Re: The Bullpen Bar, Patio, & Picnic Area
« Reply #129 on: May 23, 2011, 02:36:24 pm »
thanks, yeah, Galena is on the list for this summer for sure; sis has hookup on a house up there, so we're doing that at some point; and yes, we avoid the shops, not B&B fans generally, but lots of outdoor stuff to do up there.

Those shops are really something. we HATE French Country Blue and anything with a rooster in it! Dammit.

Offline msf

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Re: The Bullpen Bar, Patio, & Picnic Area
« Reply #130 on: May 23, 2011, 02:37:48 pm »
Speaking of Wildcat Bob, he owes us an explanation, did they just get swept by the Injuns?

Offline JhonJeter0112358

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Re: The Bullpen Bar, Patio, & Picnic Area
« Reply #131 on: May 23, 2011, 02:39:33 pm »
Hhahahah, have been to Mt. Horeb-le. Just awful.

HAve been to Starved Rock a couple times, last time in middle of winter to see all the bald eagles. Terrific.

Offline msf

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Re: The Bullpen Bar, Patio, & Picnic Area
« Reply #132 on: May 23, 2011, 02:47:30 pm »
Kankakee is the arm pit of all towns, pretty much a dive of a town. But they are the only place in the world with 2 Frank Lloyd Wright houses next to one another (I believe that is correct) and near there is a nice B&B that is owned by 2 gay partners, but they cook a mean 5 course breakfast, and have remodeled 2 old Queen Victorian houses into their B&Bs. They do not like to let folks in that have children, too much damage likely to be done, heh. So we love staying there. It is like 125 bucks per night, we thought reasonable, and for another 25 you can have the entire place to yourself (they will not allow rentals of the other 2 rooms if not already rented). A block away from Kankakee River in the Old Historic part of town. Lots of good books to look thru too. 

Kankakee River State Park would be a good place to Geo-cache I would think.

Offline josephc

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Re: The Bullpen Bar, Patio, & Picnic Area
« Reply #133 on: May 23, 2011, 02:49:00 pm »
JJ, try West MI.  Even Grand Rapids.  Lots of good deals out here right now.  Casinos (if you're into that sort of thing), wineries, lakefront cottages / bed & breakfasts (or is it beds & breakfast?)....

Offline ISF

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Re: The Bullpen Bar, Patio, & Picnic Area
« Reply #134 on: May 23, 2011, 02:52:52 pm »
Hhahahah, have been to Mt. Horeb-le. Just awful.

HAve been to Starved Rock a couple times, last time in middle of winter to see all the bald eagles. Terrific.

Mt. Horeb has 4 shops I like to frequent, so it can be done in about an hour. Not worth a trip in itself, but we usually stop on the way home from Chetek, WI.

Only place around Muscatine I'd recommend for a trip for outdoor recreation would be Wildcat Den State Park:

http://www.iowadnr.gov/parks/state_park_list/wildcat_den.html

Offline JhonJeter0112358

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Re: The Bullpen Bar, Patio, & Picnic Area
« Reply #135 on: May 23, 2011, 02:55:09 pm »
There's something communal about B & B's that we are strongly averse to. I'll take a shytty hotel room with my own TV thank you.
Hey, what got asterisked out there joeconners. There's some weird censoring on this site.   

Yeah, we anticipate W MI being overrun, but if we get away from main tourist areas, we'd love to do that. Might save that for later in summer for paddling.

Offline JhonJeter0112358

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Re: The Bullpen Bar, Patio, & Picnic Area
« Reply #136 on: May 23, 2011, 03:02:44 pm »
Mt. Horeb has 4 shops I like to frequent,

Not the "Mustard Museum"? aka "A phucking store with a gajillion types of mustards in it that's good for about 5 minutes of entertainment?".

Hahah, just looking, Mt. Horeble even lost THAT. It's now in Middleton.

We loved kitschy stuff like Cave of Blue Mounds and Little Norway out there ISF.  LAughed our asses off throughout our both tours  (suppressed, which is the hardest kind to stop of course).

Offline boatdrink

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Re: The Bullpen Bar, Patio, & Picnic Area
« Reply #137 on: May 23, 2011, 03:11:23 pm »
Might save that for later in summer for paddling.

TMI.

Offline ISF

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Re: The Bullpen Bar, Patio, & Picnic Area
« Reply #138 on: May 23, 2011, 03:13:25 pm »
Mt. Horeb has 4 shops I like to frequent,

Not the "Mustard Museum"? aka "A phucking store with a gajillion types of mustards in it that's good for about 5 minutes of entertainment?".

Hahah, just looking, Mt. Horeble even lost THAT. It's now in Middleton.

We loved kitschy stuff like Cave of Blue Mounds and Little Norway out there ISF.  LAughed our asses off throughout our both tours  (suppressed, which is the hardest kind to stop of course).

Heh. We miss the mustard museum, I used to stock up, since most of what Hy-Vee sells is the watered down crap.

Still, I can't make the entire 7-hour drive home without stopping at the Chocolate Haus for some dark chocolate and a caffeine fix.

Never done those other two. Have done the House on the Rock. http://www.thehouseontherock.com/

Some cool stuff to see in there. Again, not worth a trip itself, one of those "we have time why the h e l l not" types of things.

Offline msf

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Re: The Bullpen Bar, Patio, & Picnic Area
« Reply #139 on: May 23, 2011, 04:19:39 pm »
Hhahahah, have been to Mt. Horeb-le. Just awful.

HAve been to Starved Rock a couple times, last time in middle of winter to see all the bald eagles. Terrific.

Mt. Horeb has 4 shops I like to frequent, so it can be done in about an hour. Not worth a trip in itself, but we usually stop on the way home from Chetek, WI.

Only place around Muscatine I'd recommend for a trip for outdoor recreation would be Wildcat Den State Park:

http://www.iowadnr.gov/parks/state_park_list/wildcat_den.html

Do you go to Chetek often? I know a guy who has a home on a lake, goes every weekend over there.

Offline 4nek8

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Re: The Bullpen Bar, Patio, & Picnic Area
« Reply #140 on: May 23, 2011, 04:24:31 pm »
I find it amusing that Jeter refers to us collectively as "deuches" while asking for help.  I find it even more amusing that we respond with earnest offers of assistance. 

I need to figure out a way to make that dynamic work for me in the office.

Offline JhonJeter0112358

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Re: The Bullpen Bar, Patio, & Picnic Area
« Reply #141 on: May 23, 2011, 04:37:48 pm »
hahahah, well I did that in preparation for any wisecrackery; hey, I was nice about it

I go to Vegas for my paddling fix boatdrink. Worth it- reasonably priced and discreet.

Offline aka Loveland

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Re: The Bullpen Bar, Patio, & Picnic Area
« Reply #142 on: May 23, 2011, 09:57:23 pm »
I hate B&B.  The entire concept.  Eating with strangers family style served from communal dishes.  Ick.

Offline 4nek8

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Re: The Bullpen Bar, Patio, & Picnic Area
« Reply #143 on: May 23, 2011, 10:07:14 pm »
Never been to a B&B and really have no desire.  Hotel, privacy, maybe a pool and a balcony, that's good enough.

Offline msf

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Re: The Bullpen Bar, Patio, & Picnic Area
« Reply #144 on: May 24, 2011, 08:18:33 am »
I hate B&B.  The entire concept.  Eating with strangers family style served from communal dishes.  Ick.

But that was what was so nice about the one we went to, for 150 we got all the rooms reserved, invited my brother and his wife over and the 4 of us ate the 5-course breakfast all by ourselves.

Offline JhonJeter0112358

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Re: The Bullpen Bar, Patio, & Picnic Area
« Reply #145 on: May 24, 2011, 09:08:45 am »
Looks like it's Shawnee National Forest, screw the Mounds, they're certainly significant, World Heritage Site and all, but got a "meh" feeling when researching, especially having been to cool Mayan ruins. Shawnee looks to have all sorts of cool hiking and climbing around. I don't suppose anyone has spent any time around there, in terms of knowing about other attractions, good eats, etc.? Don't make shyt up, dyckheads.

There's a giant Brooks catsup bottle over by Cahokia, but we're just going to have to miss that.

Offline ISF

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Re: The Bullpen Bar, Patio, & Picnic Area
« Reply #146 on: May 24, 2011, 09:19:02 am »
Do you go to Chetek often? I know a guy who has a home on a lake, goes every weekend over there.

We go once or twice a year. Mother-in-Law has a place on Potato lake. We always go on Labor day weekend, I do my fantasy football draft at Gilligan's.

Offline msf

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Re: The Bullpen Bar, Patio, & Picnic Area
« Reply #147 on: May 24, 2011, 09:19:59 am »
Southern Illinois tourist attractions.

http://www.shawneeforest.com/Attractions.aspx

Offline ISF

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Re: The Bullpen Bar, Patio, & Picnic Area
« Reply #148 on: May 24, 2011, 09:33:19 am »
Looks like it's Shawnee National Forest, screw the Mounds, they're certainly significant, World Heritage Site and all, but got a "meh" feeling when researching, especially having been to cool Mayan ruins. Shawnee looks to have all sorts of cool hiking and climbing around. I don't suppose anyone has spent any time around there, in terms of knowing about other attractions, good eats, etc.? Don't make shyt up, dyckheads.

There's a giant Brooks catsup bottle over by Cahokia, but we're just going to have to miss that.

Shawnee is excellent. However, if you're going to be there on a weekend during the school year, be forewarned; Drunk SIU students tend to make their way to certain areas. Not that I would know anything about that...

Haven't been in that area since 2007, but Carbondale was never a great food place, unless you have a La Bamba's craving.
Only place I can truly recommend is 20's Hideout Steakhouse in Marion.

http://www.hideoutrestaurant.com/

Very good food, extensive wine list. Make sure you have time to eat though...you'll be there awhile.



Offline Method

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Re: The Bullpen Bar, Patio, & Picnic Area
« Reply #149 on: May 24, 2011, 01:46:07 pm »
I hate B&B.  The entire concept.  Eating with strangers family style served from communal dishes.  Ick.

I agree with Loveland... dont wanna stay in some strangers house... thats not a vacation that's work.

 

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