A delayed flight, lousy veggie food, a broken entertainment system, a loud group of Dutch ladies, and a chaotic immigration hall later, has us safely on US soil.
While Deborah received a cheery welcome by the immigration official that stamped her passport the chap that I landed went through each page of my passport with the intensity of a ten-year-old trying to find Wally!
US Immigration: ‘There are a lot of Muslim country stamps in your passport sir’
Me: (here we go) ‘I lived in the Middle East for 5 years’
US Immigration: ‘Hmm… What were you doing there sir?’
Me: ‘Working’
US Immigration: ‘Hmm… How long do you intend to stay in my country sir?’
Me: ‘Less than 5 years (immediate realisation I probably should not joke here). 88 days.’
US Immigration: ‘Hmm… That’s a long time. Are you here on business or pleasure sir?’
Me: ‘Pleasure. I am cycling to LA with my wife.’
US Immigration: ‘Hmm… That doesn’t sound like pleasure at all.’
STAMP
The cycle bags looked a little worse for wear from the journey when we eventually found them discarded in a far corner of the baggage reclaim area, but the bikes ‘appeared’ to have made it unscathed. With Deborah pushing a cart loaded with our bags and me with a bagged 20kg bike in each hand, we managed to negotiate our way passed the final customs check, through the throng of bodies waiting for friends, loved ones and the next fare, spilling outside by 8:30pm into a surprisingly warm and humid evening.
While we were informed via email last week that we would not be able to take our bikes on the hotel shuttle bus, preferring not to be forced to rebuild our bikes and cycle to the hotel, we decided to chance our luck. The instructions received from the hotel, the Best Western O’Hare North, in the same email that said we can’t use the shuttle bus, told us to make our way to the Arrivals 5E exit. A couple of minutes after our arrival a large minibus turned up with livery bearing the Best Western logo.
The driver introduced himself as Larry and without prompting, quickly threw the passenger cases that were already piled up in the rear of the bus from the previous terminal stops onto the back seat, making space for our bikes.
We chose the hotel on the basis it was relatively cheap for a Chicago airport hotel and it being less than 2 miles from the airport. It quickly became clear that we would have been taking our lives in our own hands if we had cycled this road at night. It was, therefore, a worry when the bus drove straight past our hotel.
Cutting a moderately long story short, even though the bus livery stated ‘Best Western O’Hare North’ and our hotel booking stated ‘Best Western O’Hare North’, it seems ‘everyone’ knows it is called the Rosemont and the minibus we were on was for Elk Grove. ‘Everyone!’, including the other passengers on the bus, all of whom seemed to take pleasure informing us of this fact… After explaining the situation over a two-way radio attached to the bus dashboard, Larry was instructed by Best Western Shuttle Bus Central High Command (I made that title up) he must take us back to the airport…
Thankfully Larry ignored his instructions and took us back to our hotel, with a running commentary why he hates Trump, but let’s not get into politics on our first day.
Big room, comfy bed and with only a McDonald’s within walking distance, we are looking forward to our first day on the road tomorrow… albeit only 25 miles to a swanky hotel in the centre of Chicago closer to the official start of US Route 66.
PS. Typing this at 3am due to jetlag, a noisy air-conditioning unit and a thunderstorm rumbling away outside.
Sounds like you are in for a fabulous trip with many memories and lots of ups and downs. Oh and serious saddle sores. Good luck.
Cheers mate, I think so too. That said, I’m hoping for a comfy cycle. May be my famous last words, but didn’t have a single day of discomfort on the NC500 and JOGLE last year, but I’ll let you know in graphic detail! 😊
Cheers mate, I think so too. That said, I’m hoping for a comfy cycle. May be my famous last words, but didn’t have a single day of discomfort on the NC500 and JOGLE last year, but I’ll let you know in graphic detail!