Gammel Dansk and Crew Reach Chicago

We made it to Chicago!

This is how it looked as we came into Chicago off Lake Michigan.

Training Back to the Boat

Journeying in Comfort from Red Wing to Chicago

Leaving Red Wing on the morning train headed east to Chicago.

Mary and Tori waiting for the train just outside the historic Red Wing train station.  A very nice cool breeze off the river made the short wait very pleasant.

Arriving on Track 1, The Empire Builder to Chicago.  The evening train stops in Red Wing westbound for Seattle.

Mary in our private berth.  This is a very comfortable and relaxing way to travel.  It is more expensive and takes longer than air travel, BUT, we have a personal porter, James, who delivers our food and makes sure we are comfortable.

Our morning omelette and coffee. No peanuts on this trip!!

We have our private bathroom and shower.  Also the compartment is large and Tori can relax. 

Following the Mississippi River south to Winona, Minnesota, then to the east.

Above and below:  Views of Chicago skyscrapers from inside Union Station.  The skyscraper was invented in Chicago.

Boats and Trains

 Training Home for a Week

We found out that the Metra Commuter to Chicago stops in Waukegan on the hour, headed south to Chicago and also north to Kenosha, Wisconsin.  The fare is $8 to Chicago.  The terminal is only two blocks from
Union Station in downtown Chicago. 
We decided to catch the train home to Red Wing for a week. 

Waiting in the Union Station for the AMTRAK train from Chicago to Red Wing.

 It takes about 6.5 hours.  The train stops at the Red Wing station, which is three blocks from our Red Wing Central Park Condo. 

Gammel Dansk Crew Goes to Denmark

 Gammel Dansk crew visits Denmark...
Wisconsin, that is

We thought we would stop and perhaps find a wee dram of Gammel Dansk liquor.  To no avail... no liquor, not much of a town. No stores, just a flour mill and a grain elevator. No passport needed in Denmark, Wisconsin.  We did see the flag of Denmark in the window of one of the buildings.  A Copenhagen snuff sign.  We saw the irony where perhaps the residents did not.  They were too busy looking for a chew.  

Pausing in Petoskey

Gammel Dansk makes it to Petoskey on a great day to travel. 

Gammel Dansk in the Petoskey, Michigan, city marina — this is the calm before the storm.  It was great traveling today 45 miles.  Crew is a little rusty after the COVID layoff.  We’re working on being a team.  

We expect to be here for several days.  Winds predicted to increase and waves 8-9 feet.  Next Saturday might be our weather window to travel.  If not, we explore Petoskey and maybe Charlevoix. 

Burgees Abound

 PaNNTOA Burgee

PaNNTOA is an acronym for Pacific Northwest Nordic Tug Owners Association.  Such a great group and we are proud to “represent” the PNW everywhere we go cruising on the Gammel Dansk.  Today, 6/21/2021, we are in Mackinaw City, Michigan.  Tomorrow to Mackinac Island, then around the corner into the top of Lake Michigan.  Destination downtown Chicago into the Illinois River.  

We’re getting close to home with only 1200 miles to go — 5500 miles under our keel since our casting off the lines in September of 2018 and down the Mississippi River to and across the Gulf of Mexico to Florida, then to the Atlantic side of Florida, up the Atlantic coast of the United States to New York City, up the Hudson River into the Erie Canal to Lake Erie and Lake Huron.  That’s the Great Loop.  Who knew the eastern part of the USA is an Island that can be circumnavigated?  Dream big and give it a try!  

Flying our burgee of the Eagle Harbor Yacht Club…

...of Bainbridge Island, Washington.  Can you see the Eagle?  One of the coolest burgees EVER.

Burgees galore but bumpers even more.
  

You need a plethora of bumpers for protecting our boat and other boats. We got plenty because of the blind helmsman.

We're Really Cooking Now!

 Things are getting cooking with our new Wallas cooktop...

And sweet things happen with our Omnia Stovetop Oven...

Lest you think we actually use it for the meal pictured above, look what Mary did the first time she tried the Omnia Stovetop Oven...

And we all know practice makes perfect, reconfirmed by Mary's second attempt at her now infamous Cinnamon Rolls...

Is it a Dream or a Nightmare?

 A KADEY KROGEN 42

This is the bow of Dan’s dreamboat, A KADEY KROGEN 42.  Dan and Mary took a tour of the interior.  Dan’s selling point to Mary was that it had a potential Art studio.  Mary was NOT impressed by the humongous size and advised Dan:  "Save this project for your next wife.”  Did you hear the pop of Dan’s dream just bursting?  Oh well, it’s one man’s dream and one woman’s nightmare.

Cheboygan Sights

 The Wise Ones...

Metal sculpture in the shape of Lake Huron...

Sparkly fish (some tiles with writing on them)...

Tori and the Big Boy...

Tori, the seeing eye dog, meets Mark the Big Boy and seems to be saying “you are so yesterday.“

Going "Hard"

 Gammel Dansk waiting...

… for a ride on the Travelift.  Next stop: high and dry and hard.

The Gammel Dansk on the Travelift.  Each set of wheels can rotate 360 degrees.  This allows the lift to travel sideways.

The Captain gives a hands-on inspection...

Very good with no barnacles on the hull.

Out of Storage and Back in the Water

 Spiffed up and getting ready...

Our Nordic tug Gammel Dansk is out of storage and back in the water.  Gammel Dansk has been stored inside since September of 2019 at Walstrom Marine. Walstrom has been an excellent facility for our repairs and upgrades. They installed a new Garmin, a Chartplotter and a Reverso oil change system — as well as a new Wallas cooktop and cabin heater. 

Turns out, our old depth sounder is not compatible with our new Chartplotter.  We now have a new CHIRP transducer.  We need to see our depth when traveling and coming into the harbor and marinas.  This overnight haul out and fix will help get us depth information.  We cannot — or choose not to — travel without the depth information.

Also, note the Washington State flag and the home port or hailing port.  Dan lives there in his head.  He made his bed there long ago.

Flag Flying...

Flying our Pacific Northwest tug owners association's burgee (PaNNTOA).

Resuming the Loop

 Headed to Cheboygan, Michigan, on the Great Mackinac Suspension Bridge.

Coming to Cheboygan, Michigan, crossing the Great Mackinac Bridge.  Lake Huron, Lake Michigan and Lake Superior come together in this area.  We will travel on our Nordic Tug down the east or Michigan side of Lake Michigan to downtown Chicago, into the Illinois River to the Mississippi River, and head upstream to our home base in Red Wing, Minnesota, on the Mississippi River.

Making Smart Choices

This is why we're putting the Gammel Dansk in heated storage 

for the winter...

Gale Warnings are issued for Lake Michigan, Huron and Superior, with waves up to 26 feet forecast.  Thus we did what our parents taught us to do: made a smart choice to avoid the nasty sea conditions on Lake Michigan!

To read more about the wild weather the Great Lakes are experiencing,

link here.

Stranded in Cheboygan - Pie Not?

When stranded in Cheboygan, MI... 

Go to the House Of Pies, of course!

More Cool Things to Look At While Waiting To Sail

Fort Gratiot Lighthouse seen from Lake Huron

Thomas Edison and the Grand Trunk Railroad.