When Liz asked me what I wanted to do to celebrate my 50th birthday, I told her that I wanted to go to a Cubs game in Wrigley. I hadn’t been to Wrigley since 1988 when we moved back to South Carolina. Liz and I decided to make it happen, albeit a week before my birthday. Instead of dropping one image at a time, I figured I’d take more of a photo essay approach.

We dropped our kids off at Lutheridge in Arden, North Carolina. Our oldest is a counselor there and the kids have always been Christmas week campers. Once they were settled, Liz and I hit the road.

My three kids ready for camp Bob and Liz ready to start the roadtrip

On the way up, we visited Buc-ee’s for the first time and eventually stopped for the night in Indiana. Liz had never seen Batavia, Illinois where I grew up, so that was our first stop. The next day, we got to Batavia around lunchtime and ate in a pub where the grocery store used to be. Spent some time driving around town and got to see our old house and the church that my dad was pastor. Crazy to see how much has changed and how much is still the same.

The sanctuary of Bethany Lutheran Church

In retrospect, this workroom in the church was a great influence for me, filled with copiers, paper, folding machines. Everything a someday graphic designer might love. The door was exactly the same as I remember it.

Workroom sign on a wooden door.

We found the old windmill by the Fox River where we used to go sledding…

Old windmill at the top of a grassy hill.

…and even paid a visit to the coolest school field trip location in the world, Fermilab.

Fermilab's Wilson Hall

Once we got to Chicago, we walked over to Lake Michigan and Navy Pier.

Liz looks out over Lake Michigan. Liz sits in a giant baseball glove.

We walked along the Chicago River. And the John Hancock building was a couple of blocks from our hotel. We tried to walk as much as possible, but the heat was pretty bad the last day we were there.

The Chicago River with a bridge over it and buildings surrounding it. Looking up at the second tallest building in Chicago

We met a few dinosaurs at the Field Museum. I wanted to visit Sue, the T-Rex. But Liz loved Maximo, the Titanosaurus.

Sue, the T-rex Maximo, the Titanosaurus. Liz poses by the leg of a dinosaur fossil.

We made it to Wrigley for the Cubs game. I got to see the Cubs beat the Royals 6-0 in a game that included a little bit of everything including Suzuki stealing home.

Marque at Wrigley Bob and Liz with the Cubs' World Series trophy. A daytime view of Wrigley behind home plate. A mighttime view of Wrigley behind home plate. Cubs Win on an LED sign

To break up the trip on the way back, we stopped in Lexington, Kentucky and had an amazing dinner at Dudley’s on Short. I’ve never been to Lexington before and it was great.

Liz annoyed that I'm taking a picture of her while we are at dinner.

We had a wonderful time, even if road construction threw us a couple of curveballs. Really thankful for Apple Maps, which made some time-saving route recommendations. The kids had a great time at camp. And we’re finally back home.

Next week, we celebrate my 50th birthday for real, but this experience was exactly what I wanted.

Bob Wertz is a type designer, Ph.D. student and researcher living in Columbia, South Carolina. He’s been blogging since 2008.