We hate Chicago!!!!!

Well, all I can say is thank Christ I went through Chicago on a quiet Sunday morning!!!!

Got on the interstate and put a route into the GPS (aka "the Lady"). Seemed easy enough, follow the Interstate and exit the other side, Ha! Traffic was bloody awful, and this from a man who used to police one of the busiest motorways in Europe. It was hell on wheels. 4,5 and sometimes 6 lanes of solid traffic travelling at 65 mph, tailgating, overtaking and undertaking and lane chopping, I don't think I have ever been so worried about riding in my life (and I've done a few miles I can tell you)

Lady says in 1/2 mile keep right, come over brow and there are 6 lanes, choose a lane in order to keep right, doh! lane I choose goes right then dips down, goes to left and underneath the lane I should be on. This spits me out in the middle of Chicago and the lady saying "Off route recalculating". Well she did well, and after 10 mins of threading myself round the city centre we are back on route, only for me to mess up again 5 mins later and get spat off into the poorest outskirt of Chicago. If I had had car doors I can tell you they would have been locked!!! Lady saves the day again and within a few minutes we are back in the right direction. Thank god for "the lady". (Pity I have not put in the "maps" for Baltimore as I won't be able to use her and will have to rely on paper)

The Interstate through Chicago is also the worst maintained road I have seen on my whole trip. Concrete and tarmac combination, great holes in the concrete and the tarmac ridged up into something similar to narrow speedbumps about 3 inches high across the whole width, certainly had the suspension working, and my legs as I had to keep lifting out of the seat to protect 2 delicate friends!!

Have also found a use for the Monkey fun powder. It encourages you to empty the pannier out and sort everything out, especially when it opens in transit and spreads talc over everything in the case, and I mean everything.

Today (Monday) we are half way up the coast of Lake Erie and ready tomorrow for an assault on Niagara Falls. Chris has suggested that I stay on the American side of the border and do not cross into Canada given the problems I had gelling the bike into the states. I agree with her thinking, do not want to risk failing to get the bike back into the states, so will park on the US side and get myself across the border. The Canadian side is supposed to be so much better.

Jed is looking forward to a trip on the Maid in the Mist but hopes that it is not raining as he does not want to get wet. Thats Jed for you.

Hopefully I will have some photos to post tomorrow, afraid things have been a little slow, there has been nothing to photo of late. I'm also hopeful of a photo of myself and Jed which was taken by Arnie earlier in the trip.

Arnie, if you are reading this, my email address is nickh@manx.net, the photo can be sent via this. Hope yourself and Sharon are both well and I take it you are both back home after your trip.