Road Trips and Rivers

After crisscrossing the USA during previous summer vacations this year, going to both coasts, I took in scenes in the regional of the Central Plains/Great Lakes/Midwest.

First, I went once again across the inestimable geographic marked of the Mississippi River and then a short distance west.  And in West Branch, IA, I went to the Hoover Hometown Days in celebration of President Hoover's birthday.  I departed Oak Park later in the morning.  I made a quick stop at an I-80 rest stop to eat the lunch I packed, and then to shop at the World's Largest Truck Stop.

I was in West Branch shortly before 4 PM.  

The Business District of Main Street in West Branch is all decked out for Hoover's Hometown Days.

(All photos are mine, unless otherwise stated.  For this West Branch trip, all times are CDT.)

First, I looked at the historical buildings in the NPS area.  Then I went to the West Branch Friends Church for an Old-Fashioned Sing-a-long.  I was delighted to partake of music the way it was done before recordings, when people would sing and be accompanied by instruments, in this case, the piano.  The hosts invited us to open the hymnals in the pews in front of us and pick out songs for us to sing.  I opened a brown hymnal and was glad to see "Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee" as hymn #1, so I requested it--please see photo directly below.

Here's the view from up front, with the easel with the sheets for writing hymn numbers.

Others then offered requests.  We took a break to hear from a woman who works at an organization that supports those affected by domestic violence in eastern Iowa.

After the hymns concluded, we went to the lower level for a pie and ice cream social.  There were so many pies available.

Lots of pie

I think this was peach pie, with ice cream, and a cup of lemonade.

Here's Peanut Butter and Jelly pie from Village Inn with ice cream.

I left after a few minutes and went to check in at my AirBnb house down Main Street.  Then I walked around town some more.  

A passerby photographed me on Main Street, with the Hoover Hometown Days sign above me.

I ended up at the Fire Station, where grilled food was being sold.  I got a pork tenderloin sandwich.  Then I got a taco from a taco truck parked along the street.  There were also Hy-Vee birthday cupcakes.

Hy-Vee birthday cupcakes were handed out on the Village Green.

Pork tenderloin sandwich

Tacos

Then I enjoyed some of the live music by the Burlington Street Bluegrass Band. One piece that delighted me was the "Iowa Waltz". I found this YouTube video of the song from another time they performed it.

The Burlington Street Bluegrass Band performs in the gazebo on the Village Green.

I also walked into the restored Prairie area by the Hoover Library/Museum.  It was wonderful to hear the wind rustling through the tall prairie grass and watch the sunset.  Here are some scenes from the prairie area at the time of sunset.

The path into the restore prairie

The Herbert Hoover Presidential Library/Museum's renovation is in progress.

The Herbert Hoover birth house with the sunset in the background

It was still and peaceful, except for the noise of traffic nearby on I-80.  Later, I went back to take a quick view of the moonrise, with its orange glow.  I was at the final part of the Bluegrass Band concert, which was done close to 9 PM.  Then I retired to my AirBnb lodgings.

The next morning, I was up a little bit before 7 AM.  After a quick breakfast, I made a short stop by the birth cottage, on President Hoover's actual birthday, and then I drove east on I-80 to Davenport and the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart.  I arrived shortly before 9 AM Mass.  I was impressed by the tall soaring nature of the building on the outside and then the splendid sanctuary interior.

Exterior of the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart

Close-up of the altar

Looking from the pews closest to the altar toward the back of the sanctuary

Someone at the Church photographed me inside following Mass, looking toward the altar.

I lingered for a few minutes after Mass to look around inside the sanctuary.  Then, I drove to a nearby Hy-Vee Store (please see below) for some groceries and a chicken sandwich for lunch.  

After getting gas, I got on I-74, and within minutes, departed Iowa and was back in Illinois.  I made a couple of stops at rest stops along I-80.  I was back in Oak Park around 4 PM.

Later in the month, on Saturday of Labor Day weekend, I began another road trip.  I departed Oak Park between 11 AM and 12 PM after tending to a few matters around town and at homebase.  (Please note, that in this post, most of the times are in EDT, and I note the change in time zones.)

I made a stop at 31st Street Beach in Chicago and then in Valparaiso to celebrate the birthday of my friend Bob with treats at Dairy Queen.

Around 3 PM CDT, I departed Valparaiso and headed in a southwesterly fashion toward I-65, passing through fields of Lake County.  I rode I-65 to West Lafayette.  I wound my way through there and then along US 231 through fields and small towns to Greencastle, IN, home of DePauw University, where I arrived around 7 PM EDT.  I specifically went to visit the Percy Julian Mathematics and Science Center.  I had heard that he attended this university, and having a personal connection with him through Julian Middle School, I wanted to connect with this part of his life.

Exterior

Interior

This statue inside closely resembled a similar bust of Dr. Julian in Scoville Park in Oak Park.

A display in one of the hallways includes an image of the Julian stamp.

Someone on the lawn photographed me in front of the building.

After a few minutes there, I headed toward I-70.  I got gas and then a quick dinner at Subway before getting on the Interstate and heading east.  I drove along the southern edge of I-465 and then got on I-74.  I rode it almost to the IN-OH line, and exited on IN State Route 1.  I drove IN 1 on a winding road in the dark.  In Dover, I stopped briefly when I came upon St. JOhn the Baptist Catholic Church, which, according to a sign out in front, is the second oldest Catholic Church in Indiana.  Then I continued to Lawrenceburg, the southeasternmost town in Indiana, where I spent the night at the Quality Inn there.

The following morning, on Sunday, August 31, I was up by 7 AM.  Within minutes, I was enjoying the hotel's wonderful breakfast.  

Breakfast

Morning sunshine in the hotel's parking lot

Around 9:15, I was in Avila and headed eastward along US Route 50.  Just a few minutes later, I was in Ohio.  As I drove, I caught glimpses of the Ohio River.  Upon reaching central Cincinnati, I wound my way around onto a bridge over the Ohio River and into Kentucky.  After a little bit of directional uncertainty, and help from a passing motorist, I arrived at the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption for 10 AM Mass.  As I slipped into a pew, I was in awe of the morning light that was pouring through a window high above.  Just days after the tragedy in Minneapolis, the priest offered an insightful homily in which he mentioned that God's love overcomes hatred, a line from the Eucharistic Prayer for reconciliation.

Light pouring into the sanctuary

Looking toward the back of the sanctuary

A fellow attendee photographed me inside looking toward the altar.

I asked someone I saw in the nearby Cathedral parking lot, who kindly photographed me in front of the Cathedral.

Alpha and Omega in the rose window.

I got this view of the Cathedral from a gas station about a block away.

I lingered for a while around the Cathedral after Mass.  I was delighted to see a display of relics behind the altar, including one of Carlo Acutis, who was a week away from canonization on that day.

Once I left the Cathedral parking lot, I drove south to a nearby Kroger for a few groceries, including a sandwich for lunch.  After getting gas, I drove north to the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge and left Kentucky and returned to Ohio.  I drove around for a few minutes and found a parking space, and then went to the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center Museum, which had a free admission day for the 5th Sunday of the month.

The main entrance of the museum

First, I went to the 3rd floor terrace, which had great views of the Cincinnati Riverfront looking over to Covington, KY.  There was a flame prominently positioned there, evoking the lights put in windows to indicate safe houses for those following the Underground Railroad to freedom. Signage indicated that it would continue to burn until slavery is ended throughout the world.

Looking toward the southwest

A fellow visitor photographed with the view toward the south over the Ohio River toward Covington.

The flame

Then I went to see the museum's introductory video near the entrance.  It set the context for how Cincinnati was at a crucial crossroads on the Ohio River, which made it a significant location on the Underground Railroad, situated at the border between slaveholding states and free states.  As the video progressed, it turned its focus toward the Civil Rights Movement.  The one issue I had with the video was that it claimed to connect the Civil Rights movement with the LGBTQ movement by showing Jim Obergefell, who, despite being a significant figure in Ohio, should not have been connected with the struggle against racism, nor the museum's mission.

Upstairs on the third floor was the main exhibit that focused on the history of slavery and the abolition movement.

Recalling the Middle Passage

I believe that the press on display resembles what William Lloyd Garrison used.

The Bible of the Rankin family, who were involved in the Abolition movement

Toward the end of the main exhibit is a display about the Sectional War of the 1860s, above, and a display about the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments of the US Constitution.

There was a reconstruction of a house for the enslaved.

I also saw an exhibit specifically on the Underground Railroad, with two different video experiences in small theater-like spaces.

Display showcasing a safe house

Sometimes the runaways hid in a cart like this one.

A display of people who were influential in the Underground Railroad.

A timeline display of US history, slavery and abolition history, and Underground Railroad history

In this display is a quotation of Harriet Tubman reacting to reaching freedom.

Artwork in the exhibit

I finished at the museum by 4:30.  I walked back to my parking spot and drove a few blocks to the Cathedral of St. Peter-in-Chains.  I was eager to see it since Robert Casey transitioned from Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago to Archbishop of Cincinnati earlier this year.  I lingered for first part of Mass.  I was intrigued to see prayer candles available for purchase inside a vending machine.

Interior

This vending machine sells candles that can be lit, like the one I lit in the photo below, appearing to the farthest right.

Side altar

Here's the outside of the Cathedral.  Next door to it is Cincinnati City Hall.

Someone I asked in the parking lot kindly photographed me posing in front of the Cathedral.

Around 5:30, I was on my way back home, picking up I-74 that, within about 30 minutes, brought me back to Indiana. At Indianapolis, I exited the Interstate to drive through the central area and reconnect with the National Eucharistic Congress from the previous summer.  Then I got back on I-65.  Near Lafayette, I stopped for dinner at Bob Evan's, always a highlight of a road trip.

I got a sampler dinner platter with, left to right, turkey, ham, and pot roast with mashed potatoes, gravy, carrots, and biscuits, along with a strawberry lemonade-type drink.

Near Roselawn, I stopped for gas before entering the outskirts of the Chicago Metro Area.  Near Crown Point, I saw fireworks in the distance. 

Final mileage upon arriving back at homebase

Rivers have served as important geographical markers and have shaped history.  I enjoyed the opportunity to go on these two road trips in the Great Lakes/Midwest Region to appreciate the history and the role of rivers.  Herbert Hoover is distinguished as the first US president born west of the Mississippi River. From the fields of Iowa, he rose to prominence and used his visionary thinking to help make an impact through humanitarian work. It was special to be back in the setting from where he came on his birthday weekend.

The Ohio River has also played a significant role in US history, and the Underground Railroad Freedom Center shows how it was a gateway for enslaved poeple to freedom, and how the Underground Railroad was part of a movement to advance freedom more broadly in society.  As the museum showed, Cincinnati, by its geographical location, contributed much to this movement toward freedom.  The terrace was probably my favorite part of the museum, giving me a sense of the geography of the location, and the burning flame was a great symbol for how Cincinnati played an important role.

Cincinnati is clearly a crossroads location, and it was special to visit two different cathedrals in one day, just minutes apart.  These trips were another way to appreciate the geography of the USA and its broader significance.

On the Air and to the World for 25 Years

I constantly listen to Relevant Radio, and so I am delighted to celebrate its 25th anniversary this year.  Today, December 12, marks the 25th anniversary of when the station received its first license. Since it's the Feast of La Señora de Guadalupe, she is a patroness saint of Relevant Radio.

I've listened at least some of all the programs.  The program I tend to listen to the most is Morning Air.  Typically, I download archived programs and listen during my commutes.  As I head to work in the morning, it's uplifting to hear the exuberant Morning Air jingle begin and then "Wake up, America! It's Morning Air..."  John, Glenn, and Sarah all have a good time hosting the show, and I can feel it papably, in the light-hearted and the profound moments.  One of their regular guests is Mary Hallan FioRito, who offers great commentary on the latest pro-life news.  Another frequent guest is the baseball priest, Father Burke Masters, who offers great perspective on the spiritual life.  They also have guests talk about saints on their feast days and special liturgical occasions.  I like hearing Sarah talk about life as a mom with her multiple children.

The Cale Clarke Show was another favorite of mine, and before his show, I liked listening to Sheila Liaugminas.  It's great whenever either of them makes a guest appearance.

The Inner Life has great content focusing on topics in the spiritual life, like evangelization or the current liturgical season like Advent.

Drew Mariani has a great variety of guests who talk about spiritual topics and also current events from a spiritual perspective.  I appreciate how he hosts a live daily Divine Mercy Chaplet prayer time, with an opportunity for people to call in with prayer requests, which I've done a couple of times. Later in the day, there's the Family Rosary Across America.

Timmerie is very bold in addressing big topics in society today, like human sexuality, and she even had a great segment recently on why the Catholic Church doesn't ordain female priests, in response to the news of the first female Archbishop of Canterbury.  On another recent program, on Thanksgiving Eve, she offered thoughtful commentary on Thanksgiving day in the USA, going back to Thanksgiving celebrations that Spanish expedition parties held.

Patrick Madrid is pretty bold in upholding the faith, too, while also speaking in a pastoral way.

Relevant Radio has also expanded beyond radio with wonderful videos on Eucharistic Encounters, Lenten Lessons on the Mass, and Lenten Lessons on the Sacrament.  They also have a great app, which I use weekly to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet on Friday afternoons.

It was an amazing experience to see Relevant Radio at the National Eucharistic Congress in July 2024.

There's so much to celebrate as Relevant Radio marks its 25th anniversary today.  It has been faithful in living out the Great Commission by using media to catechize the faithful and uphold the Truth, especially as it's realized in our society today.

Congratulations Relevant Radio!  And God's blessings!

Relevant Radio Session at the NEC

A fellow NEC pilgrim photographed me at the Relevant Radio signage in the room for the session.

Here's the Relevant Radio broadcasting booth at the NEC, with Timmerie on air.

Keeping in the Loop and in the Public Square

Throughout my life, I've come to recognize the importance of putting faith into action.  That's why the mission of Catholic Vote resonates with me, because they are focused on helping Catholics put faith into action in the public square since they started 20 years ago.

As part of this work, Catholic Vote hosts the Loopcast program, typically on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 11 AM ET/10 AM CT, live on YouTube.  It has quickly become one of my favorite podcasts, and I listen to it all the time.  Generally speaking, listening to it makes me feel so good about life.  The regular hosts, Erika, Tom, and Josh, always have thoughtful conversations about topics about current events in the USA and in the Roman Catholic Church.  The live program has a chat that's fairly active with many regulars consistently participating.

To highlight the program's content, this past Monday's episode started with a discussion on the Supreme Court's decision to take up the case about birthright citizenship. There was thoughtful discussion about the origins of birthright citizenship and then putting it in the context of the broader immigration discussion. Catholic Vote issued a great document in how to best approach immigration from a Catholic moral perspective.  Then there was a segment on the change in vaccine schedule, and Erika made it clear that from the birth of her first child nearly 20 years ago to the birth of her youngest, there's been quite a change in required vaccines.   From there, the conversation touched on the broader idea of how to promote family life by empowering parents to provide for their children as the highest good in society.  

It surfaced again when they shared the announcement that Catholic Vote President Kelsey Reinhardt is now expecting a child.  (They did a full Loopcast program talking with her a few months ago after she became the new CV President when the President and Founder Brian Burch became US Ambassador to the Holy See.)  

And empowering the family even surfaced when Tom talked about the likelihood that Kei cars will make a comeback.  Kei cars led to a discussion on the Station Wagon that largely disappeared from society because of fuel efficiency standards, and a lament that families who want to have many children have ceased to have the option of a Station Wagon available due to fuel efficiency standards, leaving them compelled to get SUVs to have sufficient space for child car seats.

Their ideas of how to build a strong society have led them to adamantly support Donald Trump.  They constantly talk about "This is what I voted for", even to the point of acknowledging how great it is that President Trump is bold.  I haven't found myself that enthusiastic about Donald Trump as a whole, but I agree with the hosts about how he had the right ideas on many issues, especially the reality of two genders.

The three hosts also have so much fun on the show, even at times when they have divergent views on a topic, and the anecdotes they share in the Good News segment and the Twilight Zone segment.  Tom actually started the podcast back in 2022, and it's amazing to see what it's become.  Indeed, it's a great tool that encourages me to understand how to put the principles of faith into action in the public square.

This program is something that I wish had been available to me back in middle school when my faith flourished and led me to shape my stance on sociopolitical issues, the point in my life when I started leaning toward the Republican Party.  Sensing that candidates like John Kerry wouldn't uphold the Church's teachings on abortion and marriage, I favored George W. Bush.  It's sometimes jarring when the hosts on the Loopcast criticize George W. Bush, even though their points have merit, especially when they say he was convinced to launch wars in the Middle East that weren't entirely moral and only supported the military-industrial complex.  They also indicate President Bush was actually weak on the issues of life and marriage, making statements on the campaign trail that never resulted in much action when he was in office.  Often they talk about neo-conservatives, especially Josh, which is something I don't understand too much because I was rather young at the time when neoconservatives held sway in politics.

Of course, as much as they favor Donald Trump, they also stand ready to criticize him, especially for his support for IVF.  They also expressed concerns about how he is implementing tariff policies, which led Erika to express deflating enthusiasm for President Trump.

With all that said, generally speaking, the Loopcast makes me feel so much better about life, especially because of the way the hosts adamantly speak about the Church's teachings and how they should apply in life.  Sometimes, they take a step back from the latest headlines and consider broad topics, like on the program the day before Thanksgiving Day, on how to dialogue with those who disagree with these viewpoints.  They also had great conversations back on My 23 with guests attending the Courage on Fire Gala in Nashville--and all three hosts were together, when normally, they're in different locations.

The show has a great sense of community with the hosts and the live chat.  I felt it especially in the wake of Charlie Kirk's assassination.  The episode on September 12 was a good opportunity to commiserate and process the tragedy.  It's also wonderful to experience a sense of community when it comes to religious holidays like the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception.  On September 3, I mentioned the anniversary of the Treaty of Paris 1783, and the three hosts started talking about it when they saw how much it was mentioned in the chat.

I even got a mention from Tom.  I sent an email about when I sat by US Representative Rosa DeLauro on Amtrak Acela First Class.  When Erika mentioned her in the Twilight Zone segment during a June episode, as Erika lives in Representative DeLauro's district based in New Haven, CT, Tom jumped in to share about my email.  (You can go directly to that part of the episode and watch for about 3 minutes, until Erika switches to a topic about New York's government.)

That's one instance of the many good times on the Loopcast.  In fact, whenever I tune in to the Loopcast, I'm so confident that the content will be great that I usually hit the Like button on YouTube before the episode even starts.

Tom, Erika, and Josh have done well in shaping such a great tool of Catholic Vote.  

A Big Congratulations to Catholic Vote on your 20th Anniversary.

I look forward to going forward alongside you to uphold the Truths of faith and the teachings of Holy Mother Church in our society.

21 for Illinois at 207: Pope Leo XIV

Happy Birthday Illinois!

As we party like it's 1818 all over again, I shine the spotlight on one of the most prominent native sons of Illinois who has now wound up at the Vatican: Pope Leo XIV (#1).

He was born Robert Prevost at Mercy Hospital (#2) in Chicago.  He grew up in Dolton (#3) at a home (#4) on 141st Place.  He attended St. Mary of the Assumption Church (#5) in nearby Riverdale (#6), which is now part of Christ our Savior Parish (#7) in South Holland (#8).

He had teaching roles at Mendel Catholic Prep High School (#9) and St. Rita of Cascia High School (#10).

For a time, he served in leadership roles in the Augustinian Province of "Mother of Good Counsel" in Olympia Fields, IL (#11).

He greatly enjoys Aurelio's Pizza (#12).  In the two years before his election as Pope, he went to the Homewood Aurelio's (#13) with a group.  The room where he ate now has a special display for him, including a Pope's chair, (#14) and the restaurant serves Poperoni pizza (#15), featuring his favorite topping, pepperoni.

By the way, as an aside, I have to note the wonderful viewing platform (#16) near Aurelio's in Homewood, which is a great place to watch the trains pass.

The Archdiocese of Chicago hosted a special celebration for Pope Leo XIV (#17) at Guaranteed Rate Field on Saturday, June 14, 2025.  Among the performers was the Leo High School Choir (#18), who made it to the finals of America's Got Talent.  On June 14, they sang, "Every Praise is to Our God".

Also present was a group of students from Our Lady of Mount Carmel Academy who did a mock conclave (#19).

The emcee of the event was Chuck Swirsky (#20), an announcer for the Chicago Bulls and a Holy Name Cathedral parishioner.

At the event, Pope Leo XIV gave his first address to a US audience (#21), which was an incredible experience to witness, and say, "I was there".  (You can read more about my attendance at the June 14, my visit to the sites of his life in the South Suburbs, and some of my thoughts on Pope Leo XIV in general in this post I made on his birthday.)

Here's Pope Leo XIV as his address is broadcast in Guaranteed Rate Field.

Yes, celebrating Illinois's Statehood on its birthday touch has extra exuberance as we celebrate Robert Prevost's journey to the Chair of St. Peter as Pope Leo XIV, and marvel at the places that shaped him that are here in Illinois.

Follow-up: Oak Park Farmers' Market

As I celebrate 33 years in Oak Park during this Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend, I know that the Oak Park Farmers' Market is one of many reasons for me to celebrate.  Since it concluded its 50th Season on October 25, it's fitting to follow-up from my previous post from September.

I enjoyed more of the bake sales, including the OPRFHS Female Cross-Country Team, since I've had former students on that team over the years, including this year.  The bake sales were a great way to support many organizations in the community, all the way up to the final day, when it was the Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory.

Each week, I continued to see at least one person I know at the Market.  I'm not sure if I've noticed that in previous seasons, so I was glad it happened this year, and I could appreciate the community dimension of the market.

For many years, I liked going to the market to buy a pumpkin that I carved for All Saints Eve.

As we headed deep into autumn, it was delightful to buy from an abundant variety of apples, especially at Walter Skibbe's stand.

Other produce I enjoyed from the market included zucchini, cucumbers, and tomatoes.

I cut up and cooked a zucchini in the crockpot with a roast.

Toward the end of the season, I made sure to stock up on microwaveable popcorn.

One week, Mom and I went, and I made a point to linger for at least a couple of minutes to enjoy the folk band's music.

For the final day, I got in line to enjoy stone soup, a representation of the abundance at the market.

Indeed, throughout the weeks of the market, there was a bounty of farm goods and savoring of community connections.

Well done, Farmers' Market.  Congratulations on, and thanks for, this wonderful 50th Season.  I look forward to shopping again in May.

Besides my lunch, here on the table is a snapshot of what Mom and I bought at the Oak Park Farmers' Market one week.