We encountered two more toll roads and they were very bumpy and not well paved. Also John insisted on riding on the slow lane which was the worst as the big trucks barreled in the center lane like hungry monsters. I put the computer down and found some good music from the album, "On The Road." Listening to and singing along to Miss American Pie we approached the last toll road station that sucked out our last six dollars in cash. Add to driving the bad road with no money, it started to rain. It was still hot and humid outside and the light rain actually was a welcome change to the hot weather we were having, so it wasn't all that bad.
We headed for O'Hare Airport where we got a room for two nights at the Hilton. We were able to get the room through the Frequent Flyer Miles program from John's Citi-Master Card so it didn't cost us a penny. We got to the airport and had to rive around twice before we got the proper entrance to the hotel.
John parked the car and went in to check on our room while I finished working on my blog. It was noon and sometimes they won't let you check in until 2 in the afternoon. About half an hour later John came back with a bell man to take our luggage. We were able to get a room on the fifth floor no problem but, he had to pay $45 for valet parking! He also mentioned that when he asked about the workout center, he would have to pay $20 per person per day...unless he joined the Hilton Awards Club which he could join for free! Well, that was a no "brainer!" We went up stairs and got settled in.
It was a lovely suite just, what you would expect from the Hilton. We overlooked the four layer parking garage and looked down to see our car parked right below us on the street. The valet said it would not fit in the parking garage because of our Rocket Box. That was fine with us; we liked looking at our trusty Moby Dick sitting down there getting a rest after riding the toll roads. We decided to lounge in our lovely room and then go down to do a workout.
The workout room was in the lower level off the main corridor where people are headed to the subway or the other direction where they are headed to the airport towing their suit cases. We saw the workout room through the large window and it looked pretty impressive with several treadmills, elliptical machines and stationary bikes. There were several Cybex machines for muscle toning and free weights. Behind this room there was an indoor lap pool which looked inviting. We went in and showed our killer Hilton Awards Club Card and went in to choose our aerobic equipment. John stepped on the treadmill and I climbed on the elliptical machine. We moved to our own IPOD music as we watched the people rushing to their destination. "How can we dance when the world is turning?" My song kept me instep with the rushing people, and it all seemed like a bazaar dream: me - going nowhere fast, and they- going fast to stand in line.
I went on the the Cybex machines, and my body was enjoying lifting weights in cadence as it used to do so long ago it seemed. I knew I was going to be sore the next day, but what the heck, it felt good pumping iron again. Then we headed for the locker room to change our clothes for our swim. The swimming pool was about a 25 meter pool and we were the only ones there, which was great! In fact the only other person in the workout room was a small young Japanese man who tried every type of aerobic equipment, jumping for about fifteen minutes on the treadmill, elliptical and bike. We dove into the pool and swam our laps for about fifteen minutes when the Japanese dynamo waked in the door. He dove in and did laps as fast as if he were being chased by a shark! We called him a Kamikaze Swimmer. We were still lapping along with our easy swim when he got out, shook himself like a dog, and headed out. We climbed out got a fluffy towels from the attendant and went back to the locker room for a luxurious showers.
We went up to our room and looked out to see Moby Dick and found that it had started to rain again. We were glad that we had put the cover over our bikes not only for theft protection but because of the weather. We ordered room service and had a lovely dinner in our suite and settled in to watch a good movie. In the middle of the night there was tremendous rain and thunder and lighting. We felt glad that we had chosen to stay in a hotel instead of a tent. We had been lucky this whole trip so far in that we got just a bit of rain in Deadwood and little else. Now the storm was really showing its power as the room lit up as the lightning hit close to the hotel. We snuggled in our "comfty" bed and went back to sleep.
The next morning we looked out and the rain had stopped, but the streets were still wet. John opened the door and picked up the U.S.A. Today newspaper outside the door and read about the ten best cycling cities in the U.S. The one at the top of the list was Chicago! We checked the forcast and found that it was going to be a lovely day. So we had a light breakfast, got dressed in our biking outfits and went down to check on our bikes. We had planned to put our bikes on the subway car and ride out to Navy Pier, but the valet told us that we would have to put our bikes on a bus and go the the next pick-up station because the subway was flooded from the heavy rain. So the buses were added to take subway people to the next station. We were instructed to put our bikes in the front of the bus. Lucky that we were the only ones with bikes as there were only spots for two bikes on the front rack.
We got off at the next station and stood in line next to a group of ladies with bright pink T-shirts that read, "L.I.N.D.A. Convention 2011" Bikes were only allowed on the last cab of the subway train and when the door opened we rushed in along side of several Lindas. The train ride to downtown near the Navy Pier was the last stop and it would take about 45 minutes. We stood holding on to our bikes and had plenty of time to talk to the jolly group of Lindas around us. We found that their organization was opened to anyone with the name sounding like LINDA. We thought about our Lynda and wondered if she would like to be involved with this group. We asked if they did triathlons or any other type of exercise event. They just laughed at us and said the most exercise they plan for is walking from one sightseeing event to another and then to the nearest restaurant. From the looks of most of their hefty figures, I surmised they loved to eat at lots of restaurants. Mmmmm...somehow we didn't think that our Lynda would fit in with this group.
We also made friends with a couple that was going to visit the Naval Pier and they would be happy to let us tag along in getting there which was a bit of a walk from the train station. Jason was a lawyer and his fiance, Susan were to be married in next year after she finished her senior year in college majoring in Public Relations. Jason loved Chicago and pointed out buildings and interesting points of interest. As we walked he pointed out the Sears Tower, the Monadnock Building which was the tallest building now, the Marina City Building with its white circular design resembling fish scales and the Tribune Tower. It was like having our own tour guide. We walked between buildings very much like New York. We came to the Tribune building that had 120 stones stuck to it from other sites and structures. Some samples are form Bunker Hill, the Parthenon, Taj Mahal and the Arizona Memorial. We spent some time reading these as we headed toward Naval Pier.
As we turned the corner a large group gathered around the statue of Marilyn Monroe standing over the subway railing as her skirt flies up. Everyone including John wanted their picture under her skirt. We had to be satisfied taking a picture from across the street as it was too complicated to cross with our bikes.
At the Naval Pier we said good-bye to our friends and got on out bikes and rode along the path that took us by the lake. It went on forever as Lake Michigan is a big lake even as far as the city boundary. We rode close to the water's edge and in some places over sand that had been brushed onto the trail. At one point, we heard a a huge cheer from a crowd. So we stopped to watch what was going on. There was an arena with players wearing different color uniforms. They were playing dodgeball which was a game we used to play at recess in elementary school. These focused players however, were adults. The object of the game was to hit opposing team members. If they were hit, they would go to "Jail." At this point the Jail for the green team was pretty full if Red Team members. The Red team managed to hit the "strong man" in the center, and at that signal all the Red jailbirds went out of jail and returned to the game. Then a bell rang and the team with the most players was declared the winner. You could see everyone having a great time in the game and people outside of the arena were enjoying it as well. We decided to go back from there and returned to the bike track and head back to the hotel.
We walked our bikes back to the train station trying to remember the route. At one point we saw all the Lindas on top of the open air sight seeing bus and we waved to them and they yelled back at us. They were all together occupying the whole top part of the bus like pink flamingos in their magenta pink shirts. We finally walked to the station having gone up stairs and through little alleys. We got on the last car with our bikes and found seats to sit and still be able to hold on to our bikes. By the time we reached the end of the line, we were happy that the subway got clear of water so we wouldn't have to take the bus back to the hotel. We disembarked right at the airport, rode to our car and put away our bikes.
We headed up stairs exhausted and climbed into the shower. John got the phone that was ringing and it was my brother Larry whom we had been in touch with earlier hoping we could get together. He said he and his wife, Katie with the two foster kids were heading to the train station and would be at the Navy Pier in about 45 minutes. They were coming from Joliet, south of Chicago. John said great and that we would do the same and meet them at Forrest Gumps Restaurant at the entrance of the Pier. We quickly got dressed and headed down to the subway station to make the trip back to the Pier. We got to Chicago and phoned them and they were there waiting for us. We almost ran the fifteen blocks to the Pier so we wouldn't be too late.
They spotted us as we approached the archer to the Pier and had a nice hug all talking at once trying to get caught up with all the news. Katie had just gotten her master's degree and was teaching special ed. when she got laid off and was waiting to see other prospects. This was the case with many districts laying teachers off as a means of cutting expenses. We were happy that we were retired from teaching and spared all the problems that were going on. We were let go back in 1980 when our districts in California were shrinking and districts faced proposition 13. That's when we went into private business and found a way to make ends meet. Now Katie had to do the same as many teachers scramble to find jobs and make ends meet.
Since Larry had extra rooms in his house, he decided to help take care of two foster children from the same family. Matt was thirteen and Makaya was almost 12. They were quite enjoyable, and we all had a good time walking and talking as we toured the Pier. We went by Margaritaville Restaurant where we had hoped to see our nephew who was the new manager of the new restaurant. Apparently, Jimmy Buffet had been there just that weekend for the big opening of the restaurant. Afterwards he had invited Kevin and his family to attend his big gig. So Kevin wasn't there. The hostess, Amy, asked that we wait and she would set us up with a table. Soon we were all sitting eating great burgers, nachos, and drinking Naked Margaritas and Beer. When the dining was over, we wrote a note to Kevin and gave it to the waiter. The hostess thanked us for coming and told us the meal was on the house. Thanks Amy!
It was getting late, and we still had to go to the rail station. So we said our good-byes and headed to the rail station trying to find our way in the evening light. We knew that we were in the right path when we saw Marilyn and took another picture of her lovely sculpture all lit up. Eventually, we arrived at the rail station and got in for the long ride next to people that closed up shops and restaurants heading for home. It had been a wonderful day, and we were sad that we couldn't stay a whole week in this great city. For now though, we were happy to have seen great sights, rode the best bike trail in the U.S., and got a chance to connect with my brother, Larry. A perfect visit!
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