We got home Tuesday afternoon after eight days out East visiting with my sisters and extended family. Once upon a time I used to drive by myself from Madison to my parents' home in Buffalo — all in one day (approx. 700 miles). These days Mark and I usually stop overnight on the way out to our destination of my sister's place on Chautauqua Lake in NY state. This time we also decided to stop on the say home as well.
We drove almost seven hours before stopping at the Morris Inn in the middle of the Notre Dame University campus. Unlike UW-Madison which is in the midst of the city, Notre Dame is self-contained. You drive in to a spot that is filled with great grassy fields criss-crossed with sidewalks for walking since there are no vehicles allowed. The Inn and campus buildings are mostly pale brick and surround what is virtually an arboretum. I had Mark snap this photo of me next to a gorgeously mature weeping Beech.
This is a London plane tree with pale gray exfoliating bark at the top that reveals an almost white trunk. To really get a good shot of this extremely old and tall tree, I think one really needed to lay flat on the ground.
We both love evergreens so we were very taken with the pines with multiple trunks, twisting branches that swooped up and, in this case, down almost to the ground.
I would not want to stay on campus on a football weekend as I know what those are like after 40+ years living in Madison. But in summer — with as many tourists as students wandering around the campus — it was a lovely place to spend some time.
Seven hundred miles is quite a road trip! Some gorgeous trees at your stopping point. You must be exhausted.
Posted by: Peter/Outlaw | Thursday, July 05, 2018 at 01:01 PM
When my first niece and nephew were born I was making that trip by myself every 6 months. Now Mark and I only do it every few years. Tiring drive and somewhat emotionally exhausting hanging out with 11 adults and three little boys (the children of that original niece and nephew).
Posted by: Linda Brazill | Thursday, July 05, 2018 at 02:19 PM
That's a nice pitstop after a couple hours on the road. Nice that you were able to enjoy some of the ride.
All the trees and shade make it seem kinda cool!
Posted by: Frank | Thursday, July 05, 2018 at 10:41 PM
Having spent virtuallly no time in the part of the country you’re referencing the thought of the road trip sounds delightful. Then again the 6 hour drive to my parents house wears me out...
Posted by: Loree / danger garden | Thursday, July 05, 2018 at 11:22 PM
That is a lot of windshield time. As we get older we don't like to do so much driving in one clip. What a treat to stop where you get to see such wonderful plants. Worth the drive. That beech is magnificent.
Posted by: Lisa at Greenbow | Friday, July 06, 2018 at 05:56 AM
Things are so much easier and so much harder at the same time as we age. Easier because we, or rather I, am more willing to take more time and spend money on overnight lodging. Harder because I am unused to all the hullabaloo that can occur with lots more people around. It's good to see family, though. My sister and I are overdue for the long trip up to Michigan to see my other sister and her extended brood.
Posted by: Barbara H. | Friday, July 06, 2018 at 08:18 AM