MAO => GRU => ORD

Sometimes you have to take 2 hours back to go 8 hours forward

Manaus to Sao Paulo to Chicago. 

A three airport day with a three hour layover in Sao Paulo. 

MAO - We ate at Bob's Burger

MAO

GRU

Hanging in the Sao Paulo lounge during 3 hour layover

ORD - 16 hours total travel time.

SFO => ORD => Wrigley Field

 Wrigley Field Bleachers 5/20/21 

One would think that, during a pandemic, when one is mostly constrained to staying home, one would become more productive on indoor activities like maintaining a blog. One would be wrong. 

It's been a year since I lasted posted on this blog. No excuses. No explanation. However, there is a certain symmetry. My last post documented my annual pilgrimage to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, running the travel gauntlet in the early days of the pandemic. Now, I am getting back on the blogging horse by documenting the same trip while fully vaccinated and in the waning days of the pandemic.  A lot that happened in the intervening months, and maybe someday I'll backfill some intervening notable experiences. Probably not, but it could happen.

In the meantime, let's proceed from this moment and just pretend that last year didn't happen.

As noted, we're vaccinated, the pandemic light at the end of the tunnel is in sight, but we're still in the tunnel and it's prudent to take precautions.  As I did last year, booked a red-eye on a big jet, hoping for fewer passengers, empty seats and planning for an early morning transit through O'Hare. Took Uber to SFO, sailed through security and got on board. As it turns out, the flight was packed. Still,  I was impressed with United's more comfortable improved seats and screens in "Economy Plus" on board this 777.

 

 

Harlan met me at the airport early and armed with day game Wrigley Field bleacher tickets. We got there in time for batting practice. 

When trying to get used to "normal" again, what better place to attend my first large scale public event than a Cubs game at Wrigley?

Hi Harry!

 
Usual fare

 

This was the last game with pandemic restricted attendance...

... which afforded us a unique opportunity in the right field bleachers,

I doubt that I will ever again be able to stretch out like this in the bleachers during a beautiful day game at Wrigley Field. Once in a lifetime. 

Cubs win 5-2:

"CHICAGO -- — Playing without two of their biggest bats, the Chicago Cubs found enough offense once again. Ian Happ led the way. Happ homered twice and drove in three runs, helping Chicago beat the Washington Nationals 5-2 on Thursday."

A great start to the trip. 

Getting There: SFO => MDW => Big Shag Lake

The usual post "getting there" from San Francisco to Big Shag Lake. First Uber to SFO...

... and some SFO killing time posts...

... including a traditional checkpoint on the departure day news of the day.

Another day, another Trump administration outrage. 

Then arriving in Chicago to start the trip reconnecting with relations and traditional Chicago culinary delicacies. Here enjoying a Gold Coast Char Dog with nephew Jonah at MDW, and an Italian Beef with cousin Howie at Irvings, also demonstrating the yin/yang of Wallach hairlines.

Finally prep, pack and drive to the U.P. with Dad ....

... stopping outside of Milwaukee to meet my newest relation, pick up my dog Bowser and ...

Sidney, Sydney and some other people.

... continue through the Wisconsin Heart of Darkness...

There is a bad smell here.

...to arrive at the lake and contemplate the days ahead.

SFO => ORD => WRIGLEYVILLE

I checked the schedule before planning my annual spring trip to Shag Lake. Cubs vs Indians on arrival, Cubs vs Pirates on the back end. Perfect. I even caught a game on Direct TV on the United flight over:

It helped pass the time, but the Cubs lost 10-1. We arrived late, so it was the next day before I could indulge in a Chicago Style Hot Dog. Tried a place near my childhood home, "Biggies." It's been there for years, but I'd never tried it. Recommended: 

That satisfied the Chicago Hot Dog Craving. I had to wait until that evening to complete the cycle and fill the Italian Beef Craving at a classic Wrigleyville landmark:

Then it's two blocks down to the Temple.

Harlan found us seats on-line. Cousin Nancy was also at the game,  she snuck (sneaked?)  into our section.

For some reason, we did not manage to get a picture together at the game. Probably because we were so nervous about what was happening on the field. Plus we were sitting among a bunch of Cleveland fans. Very annoying. 

As far as the game itself, not so good. The Cubbies showed some defensive gems, but were also victimized by a great catch at the wall. Net... net, they got shutout and almost no-hit. Indians 1 - Cubs 0.

I am becoming concerned. Going back to the last game of the 2017 season, and before that in a 2016 NLCS game, I have now attended 3 Cubs losses in a row at Wrigley.  Of course, they did win a World Series during that streak, so there's that. 

The Last Cubs Game

After the Cubs finally won a game in the NLCS against the Dodgers at Wrigley, hope sprung eternal in this Cubs fan. Sure the odds of coming back from a 3-1 deficit was daunting, but I had to get to Wrigley for game 5.  This would either be the Cubs last game of the season, last game at Wrigley, and last game  as defending World Champions, or it would give us momentum and a more realistic hope at 3-2 to fight our way back to the World Series. I mean, after that crazy game 5 against the Nats, anything seems possible.

The commute was a little tough, as noted in my Facebook post:


My brother Harlan found us a great deal on tickets...

 ... and my sister Wendy picked me up at Ohare.

 I needed some basic sustenance and grabbed a Chicago Dog at the airport  to maintain my strength as Wendy fought through traffic.

We got to Wrigley by game time, but Quintana was already pitching as we waited in line to get through the gate.

The seats on row four of the right field line were great ...

...but by the time we sat down, the Cubs were losing. By the time I finished my first beer, Quintana was out of the game. By the time I located the Italian beef stand, the game was out of hand.  On the plus side, we found cousins Daniel and Hannah at the game.

We had a fun time chatting and generally ignoring the on-going disaster on the field. Look,  I spent a lot of years watching terrible Cubs teams lose while still enjoying the ambiance of Wrigley Field, so I cannot say this feeling was unfamiliar to me.  I'd like to say it is more tolerable to watch a very good team like this lose, but I'm not so sure. In the old days, my expectations going into the park were quite a bit lower.

I guess I need to wrap this up with the game itself, and lets give the Dodgers their due with coverage from the LA Times:

"Dodgers crush Cubs in Game 5 to advance to the World Series for first time since 1988

Kershaw looked formidable from the start. He snapped a pair of curveballs to fan Cubs outfielder Albert Almora, Jr. His fastball touched 96 mph. He ended the inning with groundouts from third baseman Kris Bryant and first baseman Anthony Rizzo, the neutralized heart of the opposing lineup. 

When Kershaw retook the mound in the second, his lead had doubled. Hernandez blitzed Quintana for a first-pitch, solo homer. An inning later, the Dodgers forced Quintana off the mound with the bases loaded. Maddon opened up his bullpen, a group of relievers as volatile as nitroglycerine in the sun, and watched Hector Rondon hang a slider to Hernandez, who pumped his fist as the baseball landed in the basket above the ivy 

The slam freed Kershaw to attack the Cubs. A seven-run lead expanded to nine in the fourth, after Logan Forsythe stroked a two-run double. Kershaw’s bid for a no-hitter ended when Bryant hit a solo homer in the fourth. He did not permit another Cub to reach second base."

So it goes. I attended two Cub games this year, one at ATT Park, and this game at Wrigley. I am 0-2 on the season. Still, I can't complain. This was the best 3 year streak of my life as Cubs fan. Three division championships. three National League Championship Series, and a World Series.  I am sure there will be changes to the team before Spring Training but at this point I am happy to #TrustTheo. We'll see a familiar but different team on the field again in 2018. We can expect some of our favorites will be playing in other uniforms, and we'll have some new stars on the field. With this front office, we can also expect to see another contender playing quality baseball. 

Wait'll next year.