Chicago Convoy

Last October our camping friends made a pact to get together at least once a month until camping season begins again. February's activity was locked in ages ago: a Recreational Vehicle show in Chicago. The Windy City: Remember folks, be safe. Don't carry a ton of money, stay away from dark little crannies, be aware of your surroundings, and watch your drink. Enjoy!

We did just that. 6" of snow was predicted for the morning of, but as luck would have it, no snow! We laughed at the meteorologists all the way up. After breakfast and settling in, we got about checking out some RVs. Here's the inside of one of them:

Hmph. Kind of nicer than my house.

I have to admit that I had wondered aloud to Clint: "Won't one RV begin to look like another after about 8 of them?" Luckily, nothing could have been farther from the truth. Big lie. It was the absolute truth, but I am the Queen of entertaining myself when up against RV Sensory Overload.

For instance, I could pretend like I'm driving. That's fun, except for the pretend jerkwad that was pretend driving in front of me, and pretend just cut me off.

I reallllllly wanted to find out if they'd unhooked the horn or not, but I resisted.

I was more enchanted with these little pod campers than I was with the giant RVs. I especially like this retro-y turquoise one, and asked Clint if I could pull it with my Honda. He said no. So I didn't buy it.

It could handle this one, though. Look how googie!! As I was crawling in to give the thing a spin, a man next to me said "it looks like a casket." Ew. It felt like one too; just below my hips is a wall that you had to slide your feet under in order to squeeze in there. It can be yours for $5,495, but I'd recommend a refrigerator box on wheels. More spacious.



When I was done poking around baby campers, I posed with cardboard people. I couldn't talk Clint into playing along, but at least he was willing to run the camera.

Me & The Duke, podnah.

Free flyswatter v. light saber

Suh-MOKIN!

If all that wasn't entertainment enough, we got to see this guy's weenie.

We RV'd ourselves out, until it was time to make it back to the hotel for free cocktail hour. We are not a group that is going to miss out on free cocktail hour, no sirree. Bloody Mary's were perfect after being on our feet all afternoon.

After that, dinner at Gibson's, and then back to the hotel atrium, where groups from our convention and from a neighboring scuba diving convention grabbed up tables, brought out coolers and socialized for the duration of the evening. Socialized = talking and hooting and hollering and laughing our heads off until midnight.

Sarah takes our iPods for a spin, and falls in love. She's ordered her own since then.



Clint declared himself Jewish for the evening, and wore the glass cover from the hotel room on his head.

Tammy is much more reverent during Art Appreciation than I am.


Here's another party across the way. We don't know these people, why am I putting them on my blog?

As I mentioned at the beginning of the blog, when you're in the big city, be sure to watch your drink. When my friend Melissa and I travel together, we keep our hands on TOP of our drinks in busy places, and we stand guard over one another's beverage if one of us ever has to leave the table. So, if you can't be around your drink, have your friends watch your drink.

Don't

for the love of God,

have OUR friends

watch your drink.

. . .

Laughing with him, not at him. (Click to enlarge)