It POURED today in the city, and luckily it started right before I was supposed to leave so I was able to hide out until the rain slowed a bit. Then I was off to visit a friend in the south part of Chicago.

First I stopped off at the Vespa dealer, which had just closed but Derek, one of the mechanics, stayed later and sewed my saddle bag that completely dissolved the second day I used it. I talked with him and the owner for a while, and they offered me both a beer and a joint. I declined both for lots of reasons, but it made me laugh nonetheless. They have been such great guys, and have helped me with so many things. They invited me to Race Day in South Haven, where they'd teach me the mechanics of, well, racing, and then we'd take a go at the track. They thought it'd be hilarious; I think so too; but if I am not quite sure I'll have an entire day to devote to that. We'll see.

The traffic was miserable, and I haven't yet gotten the courage (or stupidity) to zip around cars in order to beat the traffic. So I sat on Halsted (which had a festival today) FOR-EV-ER before I made it out of Wrigleyville. Glad to be stopped for the night, and am praying that my Vespa is safe on the street where I've had to leave it.

Night, all!