flashman181

Ok so looks like the clowns changed the feathers in their darts and lucked out an accurate forecast. Cold and wet. Sounds like my PJ bottoms in the morning. Now I had a couple more sites on the wish list – Lincoln park Zoo and another Sports venue. Now this was not zoo weather and the United Centre looked a like a cut lunch and a hip replacement away so settled on Soldier Field in the museum campus – home of the Bears. This was still going to involve a sizable trek but I was not deterred , consider it my little Kokoda track trek. No point packing all weather gear if not prepared to try it out so off I headed all rugged up for what ever Mother Nature could throw at me. Damn she is one bitch! A short bus stop set a false comfort level but I had done a little map night before but of course forgot it when leaving. No sweat I had google maps . Walk for a couple of k and head E on West Roosevelt. No problem. Now I was starting to get into some shady parts of town that I would not come back to at night. Well it is the NFL, they probably have it out in the fans neighbourhood 😄. On a positive note I can now add ” best bridges to sleep under ” to my google maps! It was still raining annoyingly so had another look at map. Odd that it is near Field museum because I saw that from Millenium Park? Hey, let’s turn map up other way. Fuck!.Ok I need to head west on W Roosevelt until I hit E Roosevelt. Is that a bus coming, sweet. So catch the No 12 heading towards E Roosevelt. Now this was a crowded bus and not suprised because I would want to get away from here too. And there were no loose track suits to be found if ya get my drift. It was amusing the way the sistas announced well in advance they were getting off next stop. I wasn’t going to stop them. Hell some of them could have made the Bears defensive line! So off one bus , wait 20 minutes and then hop on another and finally at Soldier Field – and it only took 2 hrs. So maybe not quite Kokoda like but there were plenty of fuzzy wuzzys let me tell ya. The stadium itself is very impressive and looks suitably gladiatorial. Within the museum campus is also Field museum, Shedd Aquarium and Adler planetarium – all well worth a visit I am sure but not today for this little black duck. Especially a duck that hates the wet.

So it was a miserable day but felt I had achieved something. I hadn’t been mugged! May be time for a hot bath methinks. Hope weather improves tomorrow as have Wrigley Field tour booked and maybe that trip to the zoo. Still feel I have not done the Chicago Cuisine trail at all but that may have to wait for next trip.

EDIT : Ok so weather cleared in afternoon and headed out to Cultural Centre, got some souvenirs and even dropped in for a beer or 23 at Michael Jordan’s Steakhouse on way home. Sadly I relied on the one geriatric with Parkinson’s in the establishment to take the once in a lifetime photo.😫 Stumbling along the Magnificent Mile, a rather salubrious area, on way home was surprised to see 3 fully armed cops on every second corner. Has Al Capone reappeared?