We traveled to Chicago in August to see friends and for our 50th College Reunion ( I will spare you photos of that event). We visited friends near Earlville, IL – about an hour west of Chicago. The flat corn and soybean farms provided a dramatic backdrop for a rain storm moving in. We toured some of the country south of their farm as far south as Streator, IL An enjoyable hour or two was spent on a tour of the storybook Weber house and garden. A trip to Chicago would not be complete without a trip to downtown Chicago and Navy Pier. From the suburb of Villa Park, we travelled by the Metro train downtown and then took a water taxi on the Chicago River to Navy Pier. The river and lake were full of tourist boats. After lunch we took a two hour sail on the Windy sail boat out in Lake Michigan.
Click on a photo to see a larger view in a slide show.
-
- Storm Clouds near Hinckly, IL
-
- Clouds looked more ominous than they were.
-
- U.S. Silica Company in LaSalle, IL
-
- Old time tractor days and old grain storage building
-
- Weber House in Streator, IL
-
- Weber House Garden – Egret sculptures and shadows
-
- Bridge House on Chicago River
-
- Chicago Ferris Wheel
-
- New Ferris Wheel at Chicago’s Navy Pier
-
- Sailing the Windy in Lake Michigan
-
- Different perspective of the Chicago Skyline.
-
- Ferris Wheel Reflection
Ophardt Photos 
Nice, when do you have time for all the photography? I am going to L.A. next week and hope to do a lot of photography over there.
Del
Thanks
As always, spectacular photos of Chicago and surrounding areas. You visited quite a few interesting sites. The storm that was brewing looked pretty ominous. Good thing it didn’t turn into anything awful. Again, thanks for sharing.
Great pictures!