Year: 2010

Black River Rapids Float

Two canoes and two kayaks went down the upper Black River, with respectable water levels.  Matt and MikeH in boat 1, MikeM and Tom in boat 2, Guy and Tim in the yaks.   This was a 12 mile float, 50% of which was ripples, to class 1, and even two stretches of class II rapids.

Matt impressed deeply at our lunch stop by pulling out a huge bag of homebrew, and even more astoundingly, serving it out of a real beer pitcher, into real glasses. We’d all spent the morning fighting through boulder fields, so his exhortations of “drink more beer, you slackers!!” contained ominous implications.

boats (Click thumbnail for photos)

Train trip to Chicago

Eileen, Madeline and I took the train to downtown Chicago.  This trip starts with a car drive to Harvard, IL.  The train itself is very inexpensive despite covering a lot of miles.

Once downtown, we walked the mile or so to our hotel, the ultra-luxurious Palmer House.  From there we could easily walk to the lake, the Art Institute, Nave Pier. We stayed just one night, and despite the enormous size of the Palmer House, it was just our luck to find ourselves down at the end of a long hallway with some 20 somethings who’d checked in for the sole purpose of partying all night.

Our first sign of trouble was a thumping disco bass at 1:30am.  I opened our door, and right there at the end of the hall, one door away, the party was on.  They had carried in their own sound system (!) and it was admirably punchy, I had to admit.   We called security,  they came pretty fast.  Pounded on the door.  Much discussion, lots of loud voices.  Eventually it all died down and we went back to sleep.

For a while.  At 4:00am, loud voices.  Lots of them. Loud.  I looked out the peep hole. There’s 8 people, partying in the hall, right outside our door. They brought out food, All Night Party – Phase II: The Munchies was commencing.  Another call to security, another round of really loud voices.

It was the worst night’s sleep ever. We complained, asked for a refund.  Uh – we are very sorry, sir.  We are not allowed to offer refunds. All they would do is give us credit at the extreme-snotty house restaurant, which is over the top, even with a $50 certificate.

Beyond this, we hit the Art Institute, walked in Millenium and Grant parks, and then Navy Pier.

Click thumbnail for photo gallery