FROM JESS: HILARY DUFF, WICKED, & 2PAC

It's been a great few days of traveling, resting and clean clothes! I am looking forward to seeing people I know soon--I have been in nun-like silence for most of the trip and am looking forward to talking non-stop for 20 or 30 hours straight.

Carrie, Steve, Leland--I'll see you soon!

From the kid with the porn request in Sioux Falls, I headed off for Madison.
1) I stopped at the SPAM museum. It was awesome. Seriously. I love SPAM. There are over 20 varieties of SPAM. A can of SPAM is eaten every 3 seconds. However, no free samples at the museum, cheapskates.

2) I hit the first incident of real traffic getting into Madison. I waited in line to exit off the highway for about half an hour. Then this jerk (Ford F150 license plate BL 55-908) cut right in front of me.

After checking in to the hotel, I found out that the traffic was for the Hilary Duff concert at the coliseum. What the hell is a 30-year male Republican in a Ford truck doing at a Hilary Duff concert?

3) As I was panting away on the hotel treadmill, a sweet Northern Wisconsin high school teacher boosted my ego and energy. She stopped by twice to tell me how great I was doing and to ask "How does it feel when your body does what you tell it to do?".

I laughed and told her that I was trying, trying, trying to complete a marathon at some point in my life. I will remember her when I eventually cross that marathon finish line.

4) I had to pay toll FIVE TIMES within a 30 mile stretch for a total of $4.20. It's not the cost, but the numerous stops. People. Be more efficient. Get the $4.20 all in one shot.

5) I took a picture for a couple, the man in a "California" t-shirt. I asked if he was from California. In horror, the woman said, "No, no, no! Germany!" I declined to announce that I was a Californian.


From Madison, Gertrude and I stopped in Chicago for a much need 2-day layover.
1) The McCormick Hyatt was a godsend. The staff could not be more helpful and what other 4-star hotel has a LAUNDROMAT?

Gertrude got to rest and I got to have clean clothes again. While I do shower daily, my clean clothes supply was dwindling.

2) In one my full day in Chicago, I managed to take 3 city tours and see "Wicked". It is my opinion that you cannot take enough tours.

Tour 1: Awesome architectural cruise. I took the one with the Chicago Architecture Foundation and boy, do they know their stuff. You'll have to wait for the pictures. Words don't do it justice.

Tour 2: Double-decker bus tour. A fast way to see a lot of the city. Favorite moment on the tour--a man turns to his wife and says excitedly, "Remember that's where we protested Ford, that nincompoop?"

Also, I feel asleep on the tour and got a sunburn on my nose. The 90-degree heat and convertible-feel of the bus just did me in.

Tour 3: Drunken Ike. I was his last and only customer on the "Ethnic Neighborhoods" tour. He helped himself to coffee doctored up with something STRONG and a few cigarettes. I got a chance to see how a trolley could weave in/out of rush hour traffic as nimbly as any behind-schedule bike messenger in SF.

3) "Wicked" was great. Not too great of a story line but this production starred Ana Gasteyer from Saturday Night Live. She is an extremely talented singer. I was awed by her. The Oriental Theater was also gorgeous with its ornate carvings of dragons, Buddhas, etc. Well worth the splurge!

4) I have fallen in love with Chicago. The Stain Glass Museum. The Ferris wheel ride over the city at Sunset (I did have a death grip on the safety bars). The amazing amount of open space. The fact that the mayor has re-appropriated another 100 acres for public use. Oh, and PEOPLE OF COLOR. Lots of us.


Last night, I drove into Cleveland:
1) The hotel parking valet lived on Irving and 34th in SF a few years ago. We're at Noriega and 34th! Almost neighbors. What a small world it is.

2) The only reason I stopped here was the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It was such a worthwhile stop! I only got to spend two hours there before they closed up.

Highlights of the museum:
- You can listen to the 500 songs that shaped rock and roll. In the 90's decade, they had Dr. Dre, LL Cool J and Queen Latifah. NO 2PAC! I am going to be mounting a campaign to correct this oversight.
- A collection of ~100 Duran Duran pins! They were cool. Ah, the memories. Nick was my favorite. Simon was a stage-hogger.
- The hour-long music presentation of all the Hall of Fame inductees. I think I was the only person singing along. I didn't care; I was having so much fun I almost started dancing!

3) Clay Aiken was in town last night. Needless to say, I am glad I hit the museum instead.


Misc. road notes:
- Cool city names: Welcome, MN and Blue Earth, MN (where the 60' Green Giant resides)
- Astronaut and Bike Museum at exit 15 in WI off of 90E. Who know that the two modes of travel shared any similarities?
- 2-hour emergency parking limits on the highways here. Why? It's an emergency, right? Like your car won't move?
- A semi-truck with the hand-painted sign "Ivan storm relife". I wonder if the spelling was intentional.
- A man had on his Jewish skullcap. Nothing unusual until he turned around and I saw the word "Joker" embroidered on it. :-)

Hasta, mis amigos.
J