6 Hours in Chicago

We arrived a few minutes early (!) and I was faced with six hours in Chicago. While I had quite a number of thoughts, the weather was a total deterrent. I was in LA for a month...I've got NO clothes for Chicago in December. S'okay. I've traveled enough the past ten years that six hours in a first class lounge isn't a total hardship. Besides, it gave me the opportunity to take a picture of one of the great holiday trees in the U.S.

It's a little hard to see, but what looks like decorative balls and other items are actually blowups of old train lapel pins. Every train line in the U.S. that Amtrak superseded is up there. The New Haven Railroad. NYCentral. PennCentral. etc. Kinda kool in a kitschy sorta way. 

It's currently 6pm Central time and the train is scheduled to depart at 9:30. Another roomette (thank you, again, Paul & Ellen) and LESS THAN 24 HOURS TO HOME. All I gotta say is, "Phew." There's WiFi aboard the Lake Shore Limited, so I'll be posting tomorrow on a regular schedule. Then a wrap-up post on Tuesday and thanks for following.