Chicago

Status Project Route 66: DONE
20 days- 3800 miles 8 states. Another dream fulfilled. The Route 66 ends in Chicago and it was an incredible experience. I saw so many great places along the way, which I am really grateful for. Having a sore butt from riding all those weeks I was rewarded by meeting some really nice people here in Chicago. Now taking some days off from riding I can enjoy the city and plan the rest of my trip towards New York. After all Project “Cross the US on a bike” is still running.






A ticket to ride
I rode almost 4000 miles without getting pulled over by the police. Then I visited Buckingham fountain here in Chicago. The only downer to all that is that you have to pay 25 cent every 8 minutes parking. Even for motorbikes. The meters are obviously high end machines, which need maintenance quite often as some guy is running around checking them all the time. After a little small talk he adjusts the meter to 4 hours free parking, smiles and sais: “Have a save trip to New York.” Great- time to see the fountain, the harbour and navy pier. Arriving back at the bike I find a ticket telling me I had to pay 50 $. But it was not for parking- I have no licence plate. Actually I have the best licence plate ever - it reads “I fix your computer for bed and breakfast .com” The really annoying thing is that they stick the ticket on to your bike with superglue. It took me at least half an hour to scratch the remains of my glorious ticket off my tank.



“Health care in US” or “dying is free”
Since Michael Moore and other documentaries people are mostly aware of the health care situation US citizens life in. But experiencing it first hand gives it much more quality. Staying here with some lovely friends in Chicago gave me a little insight to that. Waking up in the morning I overheard a telephone call between Debbie - my couchsurfing host, and her mother. Debbie is sick since several days. Her sinuses are swollen and blocked and she is coughing all the time:

- Hi mom
- I really don’t feel well.
- I been at the doctors yesterday and he gave me these pills against sinus infection. But he said it could be pneumonia (Lungenentzündung) too he can’t tell.
- Because he would need X-Rays to be sure. (now she is crying)
- No, mom I can’t afford to get X-Rays (coughing) they are incredibly expensive. I am supposed to be at work this evening at 6. I can’t go there. I am too weak. I don’t know what to do. (pure desperation resonates her voice as she cries on the phone)