#10 Weekend getaway in small Midwestern town-CHECK!

I would say that spending a weekend at Starved Rock counts for checking off #10 of my 30 for 30 list, right? 

Not only did we stay within the confines of a historical state park during a recent birthday/babymoon trip, The Fella and I also drove around and explored the surrounding small towns of Utica (population under 1,000!) and Oglesby (population under 4,000). We discovered charming flower-potted, wheelbarrow-lined Main Streets, where Harley bikers rule the road amidst the old-fashioned charm of supper clubs and root beer & burger drive-ins, corn fields for miles, and surprisingly tasty Southern food in the Midwest!

{ Mix's Trading Post––random assortment of Harley gear, leather chaps,
fur rugs, stone carvings, and other stuff }

{ Main Street in Utica + Fruit Kabob!! }

{ Cajun Connection in Utica, a transplanted Southern joint with true Louisiana homecooking––
gator bites, fried corn nibblets, jambalaya, Bubba Gulf shrimp, and strawberry bread pudding.
Stick a fork in me, I'm done! }

{ The Root Beer Shack in Oglesby, IL }

{ drive-in at The Root Beer Shack }

{ frosty root beer float }

{ pulled over for some corn }

{ Oh, Fella }

{ housemade crab cakes and onion blossom }

{ lovely small town scene }

{ stately old mansion in LaSalle, IL }