Mermet Springs, IL

My family has a tradition where our Dad takes each of the kids on a trip anywhere in the U.S. they choose to go at age 15 (I know, dangerous right?). It's been a great opportunity for each kid to really show what they're interested in and get some one on one time with their old man, Chloe and I are already making plans to continue this tradition with our own kids. While my honor student sibilngs chose to go see the capital, the statue of liberty and the smithsonian, I chose to stay within the confines of California dragging my dad up and down the state searching for any possible way to utilize our health and/or life insurance (rock climbing, ATV riding, surfing, spelunking, rappeling, etc.) While on my trip, my dad and I got a chance to go SCUBA diving in Monterey Bay. I fell in love with the concept of spending an hour underwater without ever having to surface for air. Since that time I've always wanted to become a certified SCUBA diver, but it isn't neccessarily easy on the pocket book.

And so, about a month ago I went over to a friends' house one evening and helped him remove a couple pesky trees around his house, in return he offered to get me certified to SCUBA dive as he just so happens to be a SCUBA instructor. I spent the next four weekends in a heavily chlorinated pool at the community college learning all the skills neccessary to successfully give Chloe a heart attack (she thinks it's dangerous). Finally all my hard work in the pool paid off and we took a trip last weekend to Mermet Springs in Illinois www.mermetsprings.com and it was awesome! It's an old rock quarry that has since been allowed to flood over creating a man made lake. In the water the owners have sunk a: school bus, ambulance, motorcycle, three cesna airplanes, helicopter, semi-truck, and the Boeing 727 from the movie "US Marshals". It was really neat to be able to swing inside a school bus and sit down on the old benches 30 feet underwater.

After spending the night in Metropolis, IL (Famous for their superman museum) we headed back home just in time for a halloween themed suprise birthday party. We dressed up and had a great time but were quite ready for bed later that night.



Getting all my gear ready for the first dive.



Yes the hood was neccessary, water is quite cold in October.



Chloe killed time holding Bridget and reading books.



Bridget getting ready early in the morning for her first road trip.



We knew we we're back home when it became cheaper to kill construction workers again.



We dressed as Pumpkin Farmers!



This years crop, the squash that gives our lives meaning.