,
The next day we loaded up the trailer. We ate pizza and drank beer like all folks who move themselves. We put pallets down to lift all the boxes off the bottom and covered the trailer with a large tarp. We were in thunderstorm country after all. For an idea that didn't have much thought, it worked out very well.
 |
| Downtown Chicago makes my hometown of San Diego seem like an immature sibling. Buckingham Fountain is one of the largest fountains in the world. If you've watched Married with Children it probably looks familiar to you. |
 |
| Warning – more automotive content! |
After making such a long trip we convinced ourselves to travel a little more and head east to Chicago. With one full day of excellence as our mission we wanted to check out some sites, eat an authentic Wrigleyville hotdog, sample some deep-dish pizza and drink more beer.
 |
| Willis tower – As a kid this was the Sears tower. The claim of being the world's tallest building have long been put to rest (antennae or not). |
 |
| I didn't think heights bothered me until going out onto the glass balcony up on the skydeck. I broke out into a full flop sweat. Then some show-off's had to-do crap like laydown on the balcony. |
The Willis Tower is an amazing site to behold in person. You'd never think you could lose site of that building but Chicago is a big city full of giant buildings. The scene in Ferris Bueller's Day off where the group presses their face on the glass has nothing on the new observation balcony. My mind couldn't grasp the idea of stepping out onto the glass and not falling through.
 |
| Before heading out on this great adventure I thumbed through an article in Car & Driver about the Gingerman Tavern. See the owner of this place got sort of famous after saying “yes” to Martin Scorsese while filming The Color of Money. Presumably, this popularity enabled the owner to buy his own racetrack that the CD staffers often use. |
The Gingerman Tavern has to be one of the coolest, no excuses, take us for the way we are bars I've been to. After the flop sweat experienced in the Willis Tower I needed a couple of drinks. A couple of Belgian beers calmed me down but the most impressive drink in the building was the Bloody Mary. The bartender was happy to make it from scratch because business was slow. When it gets busy she gets out “the mix.”
 |
| This freshly made drink was a full buzz and meal in a glass. Some people argue hair of the dog or tomato juice helps hangovers. Use whatever excuse you like lushes. |
We also stopped by Goose Island Brewery to sample (wait for it) more beer. I read about this place in Beer Traveler magazine. First beer out was the Pere Jacques a 9.0% abv Belgian style. Some beers improve as they warm up, this one didn't. I also tried a sample of the India Pale Ale. I didn't end up ordering a pint. The waitresses were pretty and friendly but it didn't make up for the dull and boring beer.
 |
| Much like my experience at Pappy's I made another rookie move ordering fries. Frank ordered two dogs. Then as I watched other patrons order, sure enough they were all ordering two dogs and no fries. I manned up and ordered a second! |
