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Health & Fitness

Lincoln's Logs

A perfect autumn day trip - with cupcakes.

"So... we're in New Salem."

"Great! Do you see the parking lot?"

"No... I don't think the entire town has a parking lot."

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"Oh boy. (map rustling noises in the background) We are in Lincoln's New Salem.  You are in New Salem."

And with this conversation, I ended the love affair with my phone's GPS.  

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Regardless, it was a pleasant enough drive. We took the back roads and had the opportunity to spy the multicolor foliage and corn ready for harvest along the way.

The weather was early-October beautiful, and everyone was in a decent mood. No harm done - we just drove an hour east to finally arrive at Lincoln's New Salem.

I suspect that I had visited this state historic site in my youth, possibly during my short stint as a Boy Scout. However, returning as an adult, I was better able to appreciate the stark comparison between life today and that of merely 150 years ago. It wasn't just the houses made of logs or the mill which was powered by oxen, but the store shelves stocked with candles and the hoppers that collected ash to be made into soap. The site management has done an excellent job of creating a sensation within the town of what it meant to live there. The only anachronisms within the town itself were the paved paths and the water bottles that we, ourselves, carried.

The park is free. There are areas to picnic, gift shops and the usual amenities.  I highly recommend a family visit - my daughter was entertained throughout our visit, and the trip is just long enough to be relaxing, yet not so long as to be exhausting - GPS errors notwithstanding.

While you are there, may I recommend a visit to OMGosh Bakery in Petersburg, Illinois.  The cupcakes rival Jilly's - the only difference is about four bucks. They have free Wi-Fi and iPads for guests, and the owner was a marvelous example of someone who was interested in providing the best possible experience for visitors. Here are directions.

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