Tuesday, July 26, 2011

My trip to Chicago guess the mileage contest

Alright, time for a contest! This one is going to last a little over a week. Just to give you a quick run down, I went on vacation with my family (5 kids and my beautiful wife). We went to Chicago, Illinois and Fort Wayne, Indiana for my godson's wedding. I was driving in a Southbank Dodge Grand Caravan SE Stow'N'Go.
The contest is simple: Guess how many kms I did on this trip. The person with the closest answer will have the choice between a full car detailing (worth $150) or $1000 off the Grand Caravan I will be driving (It's a 2010 demo). Again, I will try to give as much details as possible so you can figure out how many KMs I am doing. You give your answer on our facebook page Southbanknation
Alright, let's get going!
Day 1

It's 6PM on a Sunday night and we just finished packing the van and are ready to roll. I am expecting to get to Chicago in one shot so the kids and wife can sleep most of the way and I (thank god) can listen to MY music. (First tip: We live in l’Escarpement Limbour in Gatineau).
The idea was to have diner on the way just so we feel on vacation. The only problems is that as soon as we left home, the kids started inquiring about diner... So we ended up at Swiss Chalet in Barr haven. LOL not even an hour done on the road.

Day 2
OK this time, we are rolling for good. The plan was to take the 402 and cross the border in Sarnia to avoid any possible delays in Detroit. So anyway, around 2-3 AM Olivier and I started talking about hockey and all the cities we have been through that host an OHL team. Guess what, I missed the exit for the 402 and decided to drive through Detroit. Well believe it or not, there was nobody at the border. We were literally the only vehicle in sight. "Passports please! Where are you going? Have a nice trip!" was all this nice Custom Agent asked us and back on the road we were.
I couldn`t dream of such a pleasant drive with 5 kids. They all had their laptops connected to kill some time and then they fell asleep for the rest of the trip. Can you believe that my Southbank 2010 Dodge Grand Caravan could keep 4 laptops running at the same time?
Now it is 7:30 (Central Time) and I am at the Chicago South Loop Hotel, of course our rooms weren`t ready so we decided to have breakfast at the Original Pancake House. It was not so attractive from the outside but since the hotel recommended it we just went. WOW!!! The crepes were phenomenal, the raspberry sauce was home made as was the orange juice. It was an expensive but worthy breakfast.
Ok, now we need to spend the day as our rooms won`t be ready until 3pm. Let`s go see the Museum of Science and Industry... This place is very nice. It is huge and lots to see; A real live tornado, a real opened Boeing 737, a real U-505 submarine and so much more. A must if you are in Chicago.
Now back at the hotel. I haven't slept in 26 hours. A nap before dinner. Again we had a taste for Italian (We are in Chicago...) Mart Anthony was recommended. After believing we were in the Bronx version of Chicago, we saw a corner restaurant where I believe the Great Great GrandSon of Al Capone would own. Again I said, it was recommended so let's go. Ok what is wrong with this city? This has to be one of the best Italian restaurant I ate in.
After a bit of a drive in the city which is beautiful at night btw, we went back to the hotel and fell asleep like babies...

Day 3

Tuesday, what a warm and humid day. Couldn't see much all day because of the fog. Anyway, I did some groceries on 12 street in the morning then went for the Shedd Aquarium. What an Aquarium. One of the best I have seen. Actually, the whole grounds where the Field Museum and Soldier Field (Home of the Chicago Bears)is just breathtaking. Chicago really has some great parks and structures.



Side note: If you ever come to Chicago, I urge you to buy the City Pass to avoid waiting lines, especially for the Shedd Aquarium, the most visited place in Chicago.

After a long visit, we came back to the hotel and ordered the famous Chicago Style Deep Dish pizza from Connie's pizza. This dish really lives up to his name.
Tonight we spend a the Navy Pier, also a major attraction. It is nice but all the restaurant and booths are ripping you off (9$ for a small sunday). The Ferris Wheel was worth it with the view of Chicago all lighted up at night. Now back to the hotel for a well deserved night of sleep.

Day 4
Last full day in Chicago and still a lot to do. We started off the morning by visiting the Chicago Art Institute. Beautiful building, awesome galleries, but definitely not a place for kids (BORING as they would describe it). Then off dropping the family at the Field Museum except me and Olivier. We couldn't come to Chicago without going to one of the oldest Ballpark still functional, the Wrigley Field. What a feeling to sit in this Ballpark. We witnessed the Cubs getting a baseball lesson by the Philadelphia Phillies, but just being there was something in itself. Could you believe that the stadium was almost full and it was 1:30PM? Don't people work in Chicago? Oh and BTW, I personally can confirm that the Wrigley Field has the best hot dogs in the whole world...



Ok, let's get out of here and grab the family. Time for a quick change and back downtown to visit Skydeck in the Willis Tower, the second tallest building in the world. The view is just amazing. You can have a 360 view of Chicago and even step in the glass booth where the floor is... a glass. Takes nerves but pretty cool feeling.

Last drive downtown Chicago, diner at Miller's Pub (Not bad) and back at the Hotel since we have to leave early in the morning.

Day 5
10AM, let’s go let’s go, we need to be in Fort Wayne by 1PM to drop off my youngest, Keliane, for the wedding rehearsal (she is play a big role at the wedding). Ok, traffic, wide convoy, construction, we arrived at 2 and had to drop Keliane directly at Baker Street restaurant as they had a pre-rehearsal lunch. The rest of us went to the Glenbrook Square Mall. After spending a few American dollars on clothing, we went to our hotel, the Marriott Courtyard Downtown and spent the rest of the night there. Lie, we had dinner with a few family members at Applebee’s on Clinton Street. Then back at the hotel again… this time, for the night!
Day 6

The wedding crew picked up Keliane at 8:30 AM, I went back to bed and woke much later (1PM), had lunch at the hotel and prepare for the wedding. We went to Lakeside Park for the Ceremony. What a beautiful place for a wedding ceremony. The grounds are breathtaking, but at 50 Celsius with humidity and in a black suit, we were kind of looking forward to go to the reception at the Masonic Temple.



Bottom line, a beautiful wedding. Everything was just perfect. And I am so proud of my little girl who fulfilled her task perfectly!
Day 7

Every good thing has an end… time to go back home.

We left around noon and took the 69 all the way to Port Huron. We had our first fast food meal in Imlay City (McDonalds). Beware if you come back to Canada through Port Huron, the Duty Free shops are off the highway. If you continue following the directions to Canada you will do as I did, miss it completely (what a shame).

The Custom Agent there was a nice as the other one: “Passports please. Where do you came from? Roll down the rear window please. Welcome back to Canada” and off we go. We stopped at Montana’s in Kingston for diner and arrived home around 2 AM Sunday morning.

Conclusion
It was an amazing trip. I had a lot of worries before we left driving so long with 5 kids. Everybody who saw us said that we were crazy. Well, au contraire, we all had a lot of fun and were all sad to come back home. One of the reason the drive was so pleasant is the fact that we had a Dodge Grand caravan Stow’N’Go. It is amazing how much room this vehicle has for luggage at the back and underneath the benches. I don’t think any other vehicle would have done as great as a job.
Now back to the CONTEST

I think I have given you enough details so you can figure out how many KMs I did on that trip. Be the closest and choose between a full detailing (a value of $150) or $1000 off the dodge caravan I was driving.

You have until Friday July 29 to give me your answers on our facebook page Southbanknation