My job as navigator was to get us into Chicago without getting into the down town area so that is exactly where I took us. Somehow we missed the off ramp and ended up on the road that took us right along the scenic waterfront drive
in down town Chicago. 
While I was busy clicking away on the camera and enjoying the scenery Marty was doing a very good job of battling the traffic which didn’t seem that bad from my seat. One thing we both noticed was the distinct lack of other campers on the road, both moving and stationary. We also discovered a distinct lack of RV parks so when we could we pulled over and got on the internet to see what was available. Luck would have it that there was one not to far from where we were so after a few 
wrong turns we found the address only to discover the park was now commercial buildings. Next stop a motel to have a look in their phone book. There were only a couple listed but again one was in the area so off we went again. Same story it no longer existed.
It was at this point having spent the better part of two hours driving around Chicago that Marty made an SOS call to our friend Hartles in NZ to get the name of a VOC member in Chicago who may have been able to help us in our search. A few more ph calls and txts around the country and we had Glen’s phone number and were soon on our way to his house. We arrived there about 6pm. Glen had made a few phone calls and apparently there are no RV camps anywhere near Chicago city. They are well out in the suburbs.
That night after going to a “local” we went to visit a friend of Glen’s who has a large workshop.
To my delight there was a Vincent Firefly there. Marty was in heaven. Vincents and Royal Enfields everywhere. It was a hard job to drag him out.
After a slow start and having to entice Marty out of Glen’s shed we went into the city on the train. Took a 2hr bus tour to get the lay of the land then spent time wandering around. Chicago is a great city. The skyline is stunning. Every road you look down the effect of the buildings changes the view. The architecture is also amazing. 
Lots of different styles that all seem to blend in. 
We had a wee disagreement when catching the train to come home as I refused to squash into the first train that came. So we caught the next one in silence and each had a seat although not together which was probably a good thing. By the time we reached our stop my inability to “push aboard” had been forgiven. We went out to a VOC meeting that night which was a lot of fun. Met some more really nice people.
We managed to get a parking ticket while at Glen’s as the parking officer never saw the permit in our window. Don’t think he even got out of his car as the ticket was stuffed into the drivers door handle. We have contested it so hopefully it will just go away.
We spent three days in Chicago, not nearly long enough to see and do all that is on offer so it is a place we definitely would like to go back to. And wouldn’t you know it The Moody Blues were 
playing at the Chicago Theatre the following week!!
This picture to the right of a sculpture donated by Pablo Picasso to the city. Kids seem to have the most fun with it as they use the lower portion as a sort of skate board half pipe.
in down town Chicago. 
While I was busy clicking away on the camera and enjoying the scenery Marty was doing a very good job of battling the traffic which didn’t seem that bad from my seat. One thing we both noticed was the distinct lack of other campers on the road, both moving and stationary. We also discovered a distinct lack of RV parks so when we could we pulled over and got on the internet to see what was available. Luck would have it that there was one not to far from where we were so after a few 
wrong turns we found the address only to discover the park was now commercial buildings. Next stop a motel to have a look in their phone book. There were only a couple listed but again one was in the area so off we went again. Same story it no longer existed.It was at this point having spent the better part of two hours driving around Chicago that Marty made an SOS call to our friend Hartles in NZ to get the name of a VOC member in Chicago who may have been able to help us in our search. A few more ph calls and txts around the country and we had Glen’s phone number and were soon on our way to his house. We arrived there about 6pm. Glen had made a few phone calls and apparently there are no RV camps anywhere near Chicago city. They are well out in the suburbs.
That night after going to a “local” we went to visit a friend of Glen’s who has a large workshop.
To my delight there was a Vincent Firefly there. Marty was in heaven. Vincents and Royal Enfields everywhere. It was a hard job to drag him out.
After a slow start and having to entice Marty out of Glen’s shed we went into the city on the train. Took a 2hr bus tour to get the lay of the land then spent time wandering around. Chicago is a great city. The skyline is stunning. Every road you look down the effect of the buildings changes the view. The architecture is also amazing. 
Lots of different styles that all seem to blend in. 
We had a wee disagreement when catching the train to come home as I refused to squash into the first train that came. So we caught the next one in silence and each had a seat although not together which was probably a good thing. By the time we reached our stop my inability to “push aboard” had been forgiven. We went out to a VOC meeting that night which was a lot of fun. Met some more really nice people.We managed to get a parking ticket while at Glen’s as the parking officer never saw the permit in our window. Don’t think he even got out of his car as the ticket was stuffed into the drivers door handle. We have contested it so hopefully it will just go away.
We spent three days in Chicago, not nearly long enough to see and do all that is on offer so it is a place we definitely would like to go back to. And wouldn’t you know it The Moody Blues were 
playing at the Chicago Theatre the following week!!
This picture to the right of a sculpture donated by Pablo Picasso to the city. Kids seem to have the most fun with it as they use the lower portion as a sort of skate board half pipe.
Marty got a bit of shed time in and lots of motorcycle chatter so he should be good till we get to the Ohio Swapmeet in 
a couple of weeks.
Hopefully we will get to repay Glen’s hospitality one day in New Zealand.
a couple of weeks.
Hopefully we will get to repay Glen’s hospitality one day in New Zealand.
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