Don't get me wrong Chicago is an amazing city at all levels, especially the post apocalyptic feeling you get when driving under the city on Wacker. The parking though will kill you deader than a season 3 walker. I've been in the city less than an hour and already got stiffed $73 for parking. Thank you Windy City, thank you very little.

Driving 9 hours and getting shafted for parking is topped by the early closing of the Skydeck at Willis tower. To add insult to injury after being turn asunder at the teeming tower of torture, we get to step out side to a sudden torrential downpour with no rubbers or raincoats.

Chicago, not my kind of town, at least today- we'll see about tomorrow.

I should've known that when I got to Minnesota the weather wouldn't cooperate. It's raining pretty consistently just enough that I'm not able to really do any preparatory work for the trip.

I've got systems to check in the car, things to repair like the blower motor. Im not real happy that the vent system doesn't work, not too worried about the air conditioning but not getting any air blowing through the vents is kind of a problem. II did verify that the car jack works so that's nice, we won't be stranded with flat tire then.

But the stinking rain isn't allowing me to get any under the hood and make small repairs like replacing valve cover gaskets. I guess all I can do is wait and see if tomorrow is any nicer. I should be ready by tomorrow though, I bought duct tape today, fluids for all the parts of the car that take fluids, so all I really need to do is just pack pack up the trunk and check a few last things and get on the road.