Chicago Meet (August 28-30) discussion - Page 17

gdwriter · #**241** (**permalink**) 05-20-09, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Night Wolf

Anyone else coming up from the South? Could follow each other up...

This would be the rough idea of it:

http://www.mapquest.com/maps?1c=Warn...=Chicago&2s=IL

Have you checked with Benzilla? He was originally planning on coming to Des Moines two years ago. It would be nice to meet him (and see the Phaeton).

Only 818 miles? I always forget how much shorter distances between places run east of the Mississippi River. My outbound trip, with detours to see friends in Eastern Washington and Montana, Mt. Rushmore, and up to Minneapolis to caravan down with Chad, Brian and Tanner, is 2,425 miles. The return, a straight shot west on I-80 and I-84 is 2,157 miles.

dirt_cheap_fleetwood · #**242** (**permalink**) 05-20-09, 03:26 PM

Yeah, people who live on the West coast have it so bad off.

gdwriter · #**243** (**permalink**) 05-20-09, 05:18 PM

Trust me, you couldn't pry me out of Oregon with a crowbar. I love it here. Except for one year in New Hampshire when I was five, I've always lived in the West — Texas, Arizona and Oregon — so I'm used to driving long distances. Portland is only an hour away, 90 minutes if I'm going to the airport, and Seattle is four hours from me.

I love to visit Chicago; it's a great city, but I would not want to live there.

nickc50310 · #**244** (**permalink**) 05-20-09, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iowasevillests

I used to do that all the time.....wait that was in a tiny town where traffic jams were caused by tractors, not suburban Chicago!

nickc50310: I might try and remember to look you up closer to the meet, I'll be coming out of SW Iowa and liklely rolling thru Des Moines, probably with my brother and his 96 SLS in addition to my STS, if things work out we could convoy it up on the way there if timing works out for everyone.

Sounds good! I dont know for sure what day Im going but if it works for you you are more than welcome to convoy it if your N*s can keep up!

I had been looking at going early Thursday morning and staying downtown on Thursday night.

Night Wolf · #**245** (**permalink**) 05-20-09, 11:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gdwriter

Have you checked with Benzilla? He was originally planning on coming to Des Moines two years ago. It would be nice to meet him (and see the Phaeton).

Only 818 miles? I always forget how much shorter distances between places run east of the Mississippi River. My outbound trip, with detours to see friends in Eastern Washington and Montana, Mt. Rushmore, and up to Minneapolis to caravan down with Chad, Brian and Tanner, is 2,425 miles. The return, a straight shot west on I-80 and I-84 is 2,157 miles.

lol.... gotta do the 1-up.... are you a competitive person?

I'll message ben and see what he's up to, I know he's been busy lately with college.

I enjoy it here, I like being as close as 5hrs from Florida's gulf beachs. Still though, you've got me beat when it comes to places to wheel. There places here, but nothing like out West. That is the plan one of these years, to take a few weeks off and make a wheeling trip out of it, I see the pictures and it makes me wonder what it'd be like to live out there.

http://www.gatrailriders.com/GTRForu...p?topic=3289.0

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=760806

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=777760

That stuff is probably alot closer to you then I.

and people want to say the world is over populated...

dirt_cheap_fleetwood · #**246** (**permalink**) 05-21-09, 02:41 AM

Would anybody be interested in visiting Fermilab (Dept. of Energy research facility with the 1 mile particle collider)? In the past few years they have relaxed their security since 9/11. I went though there yesterday to see the buffalo, it was nice (and free). The main building is also a great piece of architecture. Anyway, its something to think about if you all arrive early enough and we are bored or waiting for other people. Its only about 6 miles west of Downers Grove.

gdwriter · #**247** (**permalink**) 05-21-09, 03:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Night Wolf

lol.... gotta do the 1-up.... are you a competitive person?

Not really. Sometimes on the golf course with the friend I'm taking a golf class with. We trade low scores back and forth.

In truth, I'm a little jealous that you have only an 800-mile drive. Less to spend on gas and motels and you don't have to take as much vacation time as I do. Between this and my Christmas trip to Hawaii, I've committed all my time off for this year. Still, I've had a great time at the club meets I've attended in the past, or I wouldn't be doing this. I also love road trips.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Night Wolf

I enjoy it here, I like being as close as 5hrs from Florida's gulf beachs

I'm only an hour to 90 minutes from the beach, depending on where I go, but the water is definitely much colder than Florida. Still the Oregon Coast is gorgeous and mostly unspoiled.

The Cascades are 1-2 hours east. More like 2.5-3 hours to the closest ski area. Also very beautiful and fun roads for driving through the mountain passes.

dirt_cheap_fleetwood · #**248** (**permalink**) 05-21-09, 03:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gdwriter

The Cascades are 1-2 hours east. More like 2.5-3 hours to the closest ski area. Also very beautiful and fun roads for driving through the mountain passes.

I wish I was that close to mountain skiing. I haven't been skiing in 2 years. Last year I was in the hospital with appendicitis, so that season went down the drain and this year I simply did not have time between college and work. My skis are just sitting up in the rafters collecting dust. Here you have to go about 4 hours north to Wisconsin Dells area and even then the ski hills are nothing spectacular. There are several good ones up in Michigan's northern peninsula but that is a long drive.

gdwriter · #**249** (**permalink**) 05-21-09, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dirt_cheap_fleetwood

I wish I was that close to mountain skiing. I haven't been skiing in 2 years. Last year I was in the hospital with appendicitis, so that season went down the drain and this year I simply did not have time between college and work. My skis are just sitting up in the rafters collecting dust. Here you have to go about 4 hours north to Wisconsin Dells area and even then the ski hills are nothing spectacular. There are several good ones up in Michigan's northern peninsula but that is a long drive.

I wish I were younger. I used to ski more often in my 20s and even got decent enough to do the occasional black diamond without breaking my neck.

I can still ski pretty well — enough to enjoy myself — but I pretty much stick to the blues because I can't move fast enough to handle the bumps and turns without losing control and falling. Also, I'm often stiff and sore for days and sometimes a couple of weeks afterward. This last year, I must have hurt my shoulder twisting and turning because it hurt like hell for days and I could hardly move my right arm (I had reach over with my left hand to put the car in gear). Took several sessions with the massage therapist at my chiropractor's office before it went away. So even though I would have liked to have gone skiing a couple more times last winter, I didn't want to risk it.

dirt_cheap_fleetwood · #**250** (**permalink**) 05-21-09, 03:35 PM

My whole family has been skiing since they were 5, including me. My uncle almost made the 1984 US Olympic ski team but got disqualified because he did his qualifying runs in the wrong class (he had never raced before and did not know what class to race in).

I have two pairs of skis. I have a new pair that I got for Christmas a few years ago and I have a pair of race skis that used to belong to my grandfather. The race skis are longer than I am tall and are close to 7 ft. I can haul ass on those.

90Brougham350 · #**251** (**permalink**) 05-21-09, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dirt_cheap_fleetwood

Would anybody be interested in visiting Fermilab (Dept. of Energy research facility with the 1 mile particle collider)? In the past few years they have relaxed their security since 9/11. I went though there yesterday to see the buffalo, it was nice (and free). The main building is also a great piece of architecture. Anyway, its something to think about if you all arrive early enough and we are bored or waiting for other people. Its only about 6 miles west of Downers Grove.

I'd be very interested, but I think that puts you and I into the category of mega-nerdom.

Brian

gdwriter · #**252** (**permalink**) 05-21-09, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 90Brougham350

I'd be very interested, but I think that puts you and I into the category of mega-nerdom.

My current plan has me arriving in Minneapolis Wednesday, and if Brian, Chad and Tanner can get the two-days off, we'd caravan to Chicago Thursday morning. The Fermilab would be cool to see; I'd also like to get over to the Museum of Science and Industry, maybe on Friday morning. I haven't been there in 12 years, but it was absolutely fascinating.

**I~LUV~Caddys8792** · #**253** (**permalink**) 05-21-09, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 90Brougham350

I'd be very interested, but I think that puts you and I into the category of mega-nerdom.

Brian

A particle collider? That sounds interesting. That building looks neat, kinda like the Government Center in Minneapolis, except ours isn't slanted like that.

iowasevillests · #**254** (**permalink**) 05-21-09, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dirt_cheap_fleetwood

Would anybody be interested in visiting Fermilab (Dept. of Energy research facility with the 1 mile particle collider)? In the past few years they have relaxed their security since 9/11. I went though there yesterday to see the buffalo, it was nice (and free). The main building is also a great piece of architecture. Anyway, its something to think about if you all arrive early enough and we are bored or waiting for other people. Its only about 6 miles west of Downers Grove.

Would definitely be up for seeing the home of the largest currently WORKING particle smasher in the world.....I'm ok with the title of nerd, I'm at peace with it.

dirt_cheap_fleetwood · #**255** (**permalink**) 05-22-09, 02:55 AM

Fermi lab is much more visitor friendly than Argonne labs. Argonne is another government research facility that is located near Lemont. It has armed guards at all entrances and the entire place is hidden in a forest. I have an uncle-in-law who is a computer programmer there. It even has its own power generating station, which is the only thing you can see from the road.