Lost in Chicago

This past weekend I drove to Chicago to visit Tanner for Homecoming weekend, my parents and Matt, my old roommate, visiting from Charleston!

I was in such a hurry to leave Friday night to make good time getting into Chicago late Friday night.  My drive was nice and event-free until I got a little past the Purdue exit, about halfway to Chicago.  If anyone has drove up I-65 between LaFayette sand Chicago, then you must know the, oh, 10-mile stretch that has been completely overtaken by space martians.  You can't miss it.  This eerie windmill farm stretches as far as you can look you, day or night.  Let me show you because words just can't describe.

Fowler Ridge Wind Farm

Energy is great, but as a little car in the midst of all these humongous, shiny, silver, wooshing blades, I was a little creeped out.  They were right next to the highway... what if one flew off and flung through my windshield!?  Not a good thought.  Night was weird too.  Simultaneous red blinking lights everywhere - strange, Good thing I'm never driving to Chicago again (I'll get to that).

So, I made it, and enjoyed an evening out downtown with my Charleston friends, Matt and Chad, and a couple new friends.  Chicago bars stay open late. Very late.  And parking meters must be paid very early.  So, after getting everyone up super early Saturday morning, we walked a few short blocks down the street and enjoyed a lovely breakfast at The Bongo Room.  They had red velvet pancakes on the menu!!  I'm sure they were delicious, but there too many great seasonal choices on the menu and lovely brunch cocktails.  Thank you, Bob John for the recommendation, and I am happy to pass along the recommendation to brunch goers.

The Loyola Ramblers had their Homecoming game against Detroit at 7pm Saturday night, and the cold, silver bleachers were packed with fans.  Matt and I arrived to watch two quarters of scoreless ball kicking,  but, don't get too excited, the Ramblers pulled through at the end of a second overtime and won the game! And, for a great finale, we finally got a decent long over-due roommate picture.

Senior Night!  Tanner gets his award

 Proud Parents (Camera guy ruins it)

 Matt and I

Tanner and I

Brunch Sunday morning was also fantastic, after we finally got there.  Somehow, a 2 mile drive into downtown Chicago took 45 minutes, and not because of traffic.  I will never, ever again take my car to Chicago.  My Garmin failed, maybe because the battery was dying, maybe because there were way too many tall buildings around to get a good satellite signal, and maybe because of operator error.  Poor Tanner and his darling girlfriend Ashley waited patiently and after our late arrival, we all enjoyed a great, by then, late lunch at Yolk (on Chicago Ave, not North Michigan -- another reason I failed at arriving on time, wrong location).  Another great recommendation!  You should go here too!

I had such a great time visiting friends and family and was sad to leave them, but not sad to leave the city of Chicago.  The city is much more fun without a car, parking and traffic, pretty much anything having to do with my own vehicle.  Next time I will fly, ride the train, take cabs and sleep in.