Mainly northern Illinois; * at the end means submitted to waypoint.org; # means from waypoint.org, not verified; @ means from www.maporama.com; also see www.travelgis.com. Most in database.
Food
Pete's Famous Hot Dogs - watch out for the pickles, they are
pretty hot):
41.939990, -88.480170 *
(out of business 2005; someone said they're back in 2006?).
Portillo's Hot Dogs in Forest Park: 41.864390, -87.818270. I like Portillo's very much because it's what my mother's fast food joint would look like: efficient, really good food, nice decor, clean bathrooms, beer and smoking for those who want them. It's a "MacDonald's with a human face" and a welcome oasis of originality in the Great Mall Desert of America. This one isn't the best ambience-wise, but the food is just as good as in all the others I've been to. I highly recommend the grilled tuna sandwich. [added 7/11/2005] Well, over the years I've seen some of them deteriorate a bit, plus they banned smoking... But it's still a good place to go to.
Portillo's in Naperville: 41.769700, -88.205000
Portillo's in West Chicago: 41.921170, -88.264310
Intersections
Perry Rd. @ University Rd. (SW of DeKalb): 41.848740, -88.847860
Rte. 23 @ Plank Rd. (to/from Burlington, Elgin): 42.015390, -88.676670
Rte. 38 @ Rte. 47: 41.903010, -88.472030
Rte. 64 @ Annie Glidden Rd. (N of DeKalb): 42.001750, -88.782920
Rte. 64 @ Peace Rd. (NE of DeKalb): 41.992620, -88.709150
Rte. 64 @ Rte. 47: 41.939990, -88.480170 *
Misc. landmarks
Al Capone's speakeasy north of St. Charles; 41.968010, -88.307400
Frank Lloyd Wright's house, 441 Toepfer, Madison, WI: 43.058590, -89.441790 @
Frank Lloyd Wright's Unitarian Meeting Hall, Madison, WI: 43.077890, -89.435990 @
Hemingway's home in Oak Park, IL: 41.892000, -87.794000 @
Nike Park in Addison (radar/control), Cold War relic, radar base and control building still there; enter from Rohlwing north of Fullerton, just past Porter Pipe and Supply: 41.922670, -88.029650
Nike Sports Park in Warrenville (radar/control, no trace of anything left other than the name): 41.799990, -88.151800
Northern Illinois University visitors' parking lot: 41.932860, -88.767230
University of Wisconsin at Madison, Bascom Hall (Math Dept. in nearby Van Vleck): 43.074890, -89.404090 @
University of Wisconsin at Madison Arboretum: 43.046990, -89.402690 @
Yerkes Observatory (Wisconsin): 42.570280, -88.556110 *
WA9CJN repeater on the WDKB tower: 41.949180, -88.895570
Recreation
Afton Forest Preserve - a very large chunk of prairie with wide mowed walking lanes, a stream/bog with geese and an occasional heron, observation tower, picnic tables and grills near the parking. Very pretty when all the grasses and other plants are blooming: 41.829230, -88.734510 * If driving from the north first find the easy to miss intersection of Perry Rd. and Crego Rd. (S of DeKalb) at 41.849300, -88.734270, then go south on Crego.
AJ's Racetrack - radio controlled cars, boats, probably R/C car racing; haven't gone inside; driveway at 41.878460, -88.749350
Fox Valley RC Field - nice place to sit down, relax, and watch the guys sweat flying their contraptions: 41.908470, -88.368270 * (old site). New field is on the south side of Rte. 38, entrance at 41.902820, -88.366740. A flying field, near Lemont, in the Palos Forest Preserve: 41.695140, -87.858630.
There is another one in a forest preserve next to Argonne Nat'l Lab near Bluff Rd. where we saw a big fly-in several years ago, but I haven't found it this time. ANL has tightened security big time, so maybe some roads are closed now.
Garfield Park Conservatory; 2 blocks east of Pulaski, 2 blocks south of Ohio: 41.885470, -87.716800. Large greenhouse/arboretum, many interesting plants, but more monotonous than - say - the Chicago Botanical Gardens. Worth visiting anyway. $2 donation suggested. CTA train right next to it, just over 10 minutes to the Loop.
Lake Geneva (Wisconsin), boat rentals: 42.590100, -88.436030 #
McClure RR crossing next to a B&N switching yard; good place to watch trains, switch engines etc. The California Zephyr goes through here: 41.770070, -88.274050 *
Rochelle Railroad Park, intersection of UP and B&N lines, with a nice observation place: 41.920340, -89.072610 *
RR crossing in Somonauk (B&N), may be a good spot for train nuts: 41.636940, -88.670270 *
University of Wisconsin at Madison Arboretum: 43.046990, -89.402690 @
Shopping and other businesses
Active Electronics, decent selection of components and test equipment; 42.049100, -87.962000
American Science Surplus, a unique and wonderful store for tech tinkerers. Motors, solenoids, switches, bulbs, LEDs, magnets, rubber hands, and many other items which defy description. Their catalog is probably written by Woody Allen when he needs to make some extra cash on the side. This is the smaller branch, in West Chicago, north of Fermilab: 41.883750, -88.269360. The main store is on Northwest Highway, about halfway between the Loop and O'Hare.
Andy's Deli, Polish food (sausages, bread, pierogi etc.), Milwaukee Av., Chicago: 41.935790, -87.726390. Also Kurowski's Deli, nearby: 41.935500, -87.718000. Bobak's Sausage Shop in Naperville, less "ethnic" than the above two and a bit more expensive, but good; 41.748000, -88.164000
Family farm, good selection of fairly cheap plants, vegetables etc. (tomatoes, cucumbers, corn, pumpkins, depending on season). Open till 7. IL Rte. 38, at 41.895480, -88.592370 *
Fry's Electronics, large consumer electronics store (including PC parts, components) on Finlay Rd.; 41.827000, -88.026370
Guitar Center, a large music store with lots of inventory (not just guitars, but drums, recording gear, keyboards) and a small but decent selection of used stuff. On IL Rte. 38 near Lombard, 41.861030, -87.983620
Honey Hill Orchard (U-pick apples, pies, honey, pumpkins, raspberries; open 9-5:30): 41.801980, -88.773760 *
IKEA store in Schaumburg - tricky to get to from I-90 and to get back onto I-90 from it; parking lot: 42.056950, -88.034600 (there is another slightly smaller store in Naperville near Rte. 59).
Kuiper's Family Farm (U-pick apples, bakery, pumpkins a few hundred yards down the road, fun for kids); open Wed. - Sun. in September - December: 41.882020, -88.561220 *
PJ's Photo Shop, Glen Ellyn, above-average selection but not quite Central Camera or Helix league: 41.860170, -88.059680
UPS depot on Harvestore Dr.: 41.898280, -88.768560
Curiosa
Something like a farm, with a small white house, off Compton Hills Rd. Nothing visible from the road, but terraserver shows a weird white shape. Retention pond or water purification plant? 41.915020, -88.398620
Places to visit
Brookfield Power Station - huge reservoir? south of Marseilles State Park near Ottawa, IL
Earlville RR junction