I went on a dinner cruise of Lake Geneva with Jerry, mom, Wendy, and Charlene.

The food, weather, sunset and entertainment was very nice.

The lake itself is rimmed by the summer homes of wealthy people, many from nearby Chicago. There is a relatively small state park near the town of Lake Geneva, but otherwise large homes, boat clubs and condos dominate the long shoreline. The most surprising thing left in the lake are a few steam powered yachts that can be seen as you cruise along the shoreline. This lake has been the hangout for the wealthy citizens of Chicago since the great fire of 1871 forced them to find an alternative place to live while the city was reconstructed.

The shoreline is cluttered with docks, boathouses, vessels of every description, and many other reminders of man’s ability to alter the environment around him. It’s not really the kind of place I would gravitate to, if I had the kind of wealth that was on display there.

The town was also the home of D&D co-creator, Gary Gygax, who introduced me to his newly created game sometime around 1973, but that is a story for another day.