‘We need to be in Chicago by 5pm’ I said to the waitress as we took our seats to sample our first ever Texas Roadhouse meal.

What an awesome thing to be able to say. Neither of us take for granted this amazing privilege we enjoy. Both of us having the wherewithal to enjoy travel like we do.

But first Milwaukee. We had come back for a reason. To visit the Harley Davidson museum. We aren’t motorcyclists although I used to ride a motorbike and still have my licence. God forbid anyone on the road if I ever used that licence. So we set our alarms for an early start (8.30am😜) and headed off to the museum. It was a toss up between the Wisconsin State Fair and HD Museum. MoD had given me a choice. But I figured we drove past the Fair and that was enough. Actually we drove to the fair when we first arrived back in Milwaukee, pulled up at the gate and tried to get in. Only to be told it didn’t start until the next day. Decision made. HD Museum it was. And we weren’t disappointed. In fact, we spent about 3 hours there and possibly could have spent longer.

Harley Davidson began in 1903 when two friends, William Harley and Arthur Davidson left their respective jobs to take up their joint dream of making a ‘motorised bicycle’. The first home of HD was a one story shed 10×15 feet. The white lines in this picture indicate how big that shed was.

They rapidly grew, surviving through the Great Depression of 1929 and World War II. In 1969 they merged with American Machine and Foundry (AMF) essentially to raise some capital and continue to operate. In June 1981, 13 HD executives bought the company back from AMF. Between the 13 of them, they raised $1m and borrowed $79m. Or thereabouts, MoD and I are a bit unclear on the exact total of that HUGE and very stressful loan. The next year the stock market plummeted and the country went into recession but loyal employees and the Government kept them going. MoD, the man who had Apple shares once, did mention it would have been smart to buy HD shares in the early 80’s…….

I have to say the thing that impressed me most was the innovation and forward thinking these guys had throughout the whole course of their business. They truly knew how to run a business, be proactive in the company’s future direction and just knew what the customers wanted.

I particularly liked the wall of 100 fuel tanks which essentially showed the graphical history of the company over the last 80 years. ‘Each tank is a work of art with logo’s, paint schemes and pinstriping working together to create a visually and resonant design’. My favourite was the purple one which just happened to be my birth year.

In 2002 the Company invited its employees to sign a motor bike and side car for its 100 year anniversary. The vehicle was dismantled and the parts were sent all over the world for signatures. More than 6000 employees signed it. What a special 100 year anniversary model to have in the museum.

After that we headed to Chicago to deliver the hire car back to the airport. The Chevy Equinox served us well.

And of course, on the way. Food. At that Texas Roadhouse I mentioned earlier.

The food was not too bad although we may have been the only patrons enjoying the salads – to make up for all the other bad food choices we may, or may not have been making, while travelling. Mind you, they gave us the most delicious 4 sweet soft hot bread rolls to start the ball rolling. MoD had to save his second roll from my wandering hands, although he would have given it to me if I really had to have it. But here he is eating that last morsel.

Little bit of trivia for those down in the Southern Hemisphere. Entree is actually the main meal here.

Finally got to O’Hare to deliver the car and grabbed an Uber to whisk us off to Downtown Chicago – in peak hour traffic.

One hour, 45 minutes later, we arrived in downtown Chicago just in time to head out and enjoy the evening sights.

Next time we are taking the train.

First item on the agenda was deep dish pizza. Of which Chicago is famous for. Ike Sewell invented deep dish pizza way back in 1943 and opened his little restaurant Pizzeria Uno. It’s a Chicago Institution and a ‘must do’.

So of course we had to have pizza at the birthplace of deep dish pizza. Pizza which we waited over an hour for. Without much else to do a drink or two was called for. Like the large food portions served here, when you ask for a Diet Coke with vodka, you get a double vodka with a side splash of Diet Coke for flavouring -hic🥂🍾

I’ve been here two minutes and I already love this town.

Tomorrow we pick up a Segway tour and after that go watch the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Fields.

Night folks.