# Solo to Chicago.



## Chucktin (Feb 15, 2017)

I am not retired yet but planning to after August this year, probably October.
In the meantime I owe myself one more trip home - Chicago. After Easter while the little cherubs are still incarcerated and I'll probably stay out in Aurora, last surviving uncle is in Napirville. I'm planning on a week stay to visit old (50 years ago!) neighborhood and the cemetery (of course). But the highlight of the trip for me - I'm hoping to take the El tour. Growing up (we were in Cicero) one wish my brother and I had was a long leisurely El ride. Any advice from some's done the El tour?

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## SeaBreeze (Feb 15, 2017)

No advice but have a good trip!


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## Chucktin (Feb 17, 2017)

SeaBreeze said:


> No advice but have a good trip!


Are you a moderator here?
I have subscribed to this forum thru the tapatalk app on my cellphone. And I have not been able to get to the introductions subforum. Puzzling.

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## SeaBreeze (Feb 17, 2017)

I see you made it over there Chucktin, maybe it had something to do with your device?  If you look in the Forum Support and Suggestions section on the main home page here, you'll find some useful info on forum use, etc.


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## Chucktin (Feb 18, 2017)

Took some (more) looking is all. From an Android cellphone using Tapatalk the page structuring is different enough to puzzle me.

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## Ken N Tx (Feb 18, 2017)

Chucktin said:


> I am not retired yet but planning to after August this year, probably October.
> In the meantime I owe myself one more trip home - Chicago. After Easter while the little cherubs are still incarcerated and I'll probably stay out in Aurora, last surviving uncle is in Napirville. I'm planning on a week stay to visit old (50 years ago!) neighborhood and the cemetery (of course). But the highlight of the trip for me - I'm hoping to take the El tour. Growing up (we were in Cicero) one wish my brother and I had was a long leisurely El ride. Any advice from some's done the El tour?
> 
> Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk




A quick ride on CTA's pink Line..
.


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## Chucktin (Feb 18, 2017)

Thanks. Currently pondering staying downtown versus out west, Aurora. Money vs convenience vs travel time. 
Downtown would win 'cept I'm cheap!

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## Chucktin (Feb 18, 2017)

What a treat. That was the El line we'd take to get into downtown. Very little I recognize now.

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## Chucktin (Feb 18, 2017)

Hah. Thanks again. I "rode" the Pink line into the Loop, xfered to the Brown north (terra incognito, never been up there). Then restarted the Brown line going south to the Pink line transfer.
I'll try to see if our Visio TV can't get Utube through its net Apps and view them that way.

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## oldman (Mar 6, 2017)

When I flew for United, I loved flying into O'Hare. Even as busy as the skies are around the airport. It's a real challenge to get the plane on the ground without having to get in line or go around. Getting the plane on the ground at the busiest times is only half the battle. The other half is getting a gate. I have had to sit on the tarmac for an hour a few times just to get a gate. O'Hare is one of United's hubs, so we have a multitude of flights in and out of that airport.


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## debbie in seattle (Mar 8, 2017)

Chucktin said:


> I am not retired yet but planning to after August this year, probably October.
> In the meantime I owe myself one more trip home - Chicago. After Easter while the little cherubs are still incarcerated and I'll probably stay out in Aurora, last surviving uncle is in Napirville. I'm planning on a week stay to visit old (50 years ago!) neighborhood and the cemetery (of course). But the highlight of the trip for me - I'm hoping to take the El tour. Growing up (we were in Cicero) one wish my brother and I had was a long leisurely El ride. Any advice from some's done the El tour?
> 
> Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk



i grew up next to Naperville in a little town called Plainfield.    Small world!    I miss Chicago.   When we moved to Seattle, I couldn't believe there were no museums, thought all big cities had museums like Chicago, but that was eons ago.


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## Chucktin (Mar 9, 2017)

While we still lived in Cicero (till 1957) we had a family summer picnic at Pioneer Park in Naperville. Also we had cousins that (then) lived in Lisle and a last uncle still lives in Naperville. Still diary farms then. One visit there (1980s?) I got out of the car just to lie down in the sweet grass of a former farm field. Subdivision houses there now. Fond memories, probably not very real though.


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## Dennis K (Mar 9, 2017)

http://www.transitchicago.com/riding_cta/how_to_guides/ridingthetrain.aspx

This is a good sight directly from the CTA showing the different  routes and how to use the trains.
I live about 40 miles from Chicago and rarely go, but have reason to start going now. In years past we would take the Shore Shore into Chicago because of being in Indiana.

My daughter and her family live in a Chicago neighborhood and they love it. Constantly going  places. My grandson rides the CTA more in a week than I have my entire life.
Just saw some recent pictures of all of them at the Shedd aquarium.
I have been wanting to go to the Field museum. Haven't seen the mummies in years.

The CTA is the way to go. In a car, you may be looking at someones tail light and not moving for long periods of time. But not all the time.
Just remember if in a car on the expressways, 55 means 80, unless you want to get run over. Unless you are looking at someones tail lights and not moving.

Just thinking, and thinking about going to Pizzaria Unos. Have not been there for years either. A must go when in the downtown area. And in a couple of days the Chicago River will be 
a bright green for a few hours.


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## Chucktin (Mar 14, 2017)

I've got a Southwest flight reservation made and a Rental car (thru SW also) now working on a hotel west of the city. Staying around Lisle/Naperville and looking for a reasonable price hotel/motel. For me "reasonable" is hard to find. Clean and with a good breakfast. I'm not traveling on an exoense account so don't need pool, exercise room/gym or business nexus. Maybe the second tier as Holiday Inn Express (or cheaper)?


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