Portland to Portland - Driving around the U.S.

I "discovered" baseball when I was around 12 years old. I babysat for a family and they lived in the boonies so they got very few television stations. One station they did get, for some reason, had baseball. Once the kids were in bed, it was something to do so I started watching baseball. It didn't take long before I was hooked. I remember Dwight Evans, Carlton Fisk and Carl Yastrzemski! I so remember Fisk hitting that home run in game 6 of the 1975 World Series! When I was dropped off at Emerson in Boston in 1979, I walked out of Fensgate which sat on the edge of Kenmore Square. My room faced the CITGO sign and I could hear the cheers of the crowd at Fenway. I waked to Fenway and bought a bleacher ticket to the next day's day game. It cost me $5!! I'll never forget walking up into the park and catching my first in person look at the perfect field and the Green Monster! I was WAY up in the bleachers but there was no security so I walked right down...

Can you believe it? I'm almost done with this incredible adventure! After tonight, I have only one more night on the road. Wow! When I started, it felt so huge with over 8 weeks of travel and now I'm almost done. I am damned proud of myself, not just because I did this on my own but that I kept my energy and enthusiasm up the whole time. I only took 2 days off where I didn't drive or seek out adventures. I averaged over 230 miles a day! Yesterday I left Illinois and made my way up into Michigan to see the west coast. My good friend Jahn is from Michigan and she raves about this beautiful state. My first glimpse of Lake Michigan when coming around Indiana and up into St. Joseph was beautiful. It was a hot and hazy day but you still get an idea of how massive the lake is.  I then headed down to the beach to dip my toes in the lake.   I stopped at the classic carousel for a quick ride before heading down to the lake. It is so strange walking a hot...