​Day 1 of the Great Lakes Odyssey:

We hit the road bright and early, leaving Chicago at 5:00 am CT to pick up Dave at the Amtrak station in St. Joseph, MI. He traveled in from Grand Rapids, and after some creative packing to fit his small bag (we might have overpacked), we were off again! Our trusty rental, the Pacifica—affectionately named Al Pacino—is our ride for the next few weeks.

First stop? McDonald’s for breakfast (we promise to do better with healthy choices soon)! Then, after a quick Walmart run for some last-minute essentials, we made it to Miller’s Ferry and cruised across to Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial.

Once we got the keys from the park service, we settled into our VIP apartment and set up all the gear so Steve and Dave could strategize for tomorrow’s filming. We capped off the day with a great dinner, enjoying delicious pizza with Erin, and her daughter Charlotte —checking out some of the great flavors of Put-in-Bay.

It’s been a long day, but the Odyssey is off to a strong start. Time to rest up for tomorrow’s adventures! 🌊🍕 #GreatLakesOdyssey #STEAMinthePARK #PerrysVictory #ExpeditionsInEducation #NationalParks