Northwest Chicagoland road meet: November 13, 2021

[Nikolai]

I've prepared a preliminary route and list of attractions for our tour. Printed copies will be provided.

Here's the Facebook event page for the meet. RSVP there so I can estimate how many to expect. Inviting your other roadgeek friends is encouraged.

COVID-19 vaccination will be required for the indoor events such as restaurants. The meet tour itself will not require vaccination.

Lunch will be at 11:30 at Buona in Hoffman Estates, a Chicago restaurant featuring Italian beef sandwiches and other tasty things. We'll move to the Barrington Road Park-n-Ride at 12:30 to start the tour.

I welcome you to also join us for these additional indoor evening events:

• 5:30: Dinner at Lou Malnati's in Schaumburg, for the quintessential Chicago-style deep dish pizza.
• 7:00: A visit to Woodfield Mall, the landmark that set the stage for massive regional shopping centers in the '70s.
• 8:00: A show at Laugh Out Loud Theater, a shining example of the improvised comedy that Chicago is famous for. Advance ticket purchase is currently necessary at this link and the theater requires masks.

This year I'll be hosting a road meet to share what Chicago's northwest suburbs have to offer, from Algonquin to Elk Grove Village. Sights will include:

• The impressive Western Algonquin Bypass on Illinois route 31
• Longmeadow Parkway and its brand new bridge over the Fox River
• The vintage US-20 Elgin Bypass
• Upgrades, widening, and new exits on I-90, the Jane Addams Tollway
• The long-awaited Illinois 390 tollway

[kevinb1994]

This year I'll be hosting a road meet to share what Chicago's northwest suburbs have to offer, from Algonquin to Elk Grove Village. Sights will include:

   
• The impressive Western Algonquin Bypass on Illinois route 31
• Longmeadow Parkway and its brand new bridge over the Fox River
• The vintage US-20 Elgin Bypass
• Upgrades, widening, and new exits on I-90, the Jane Addams Tollway
• The long-awaited Illinois 390 tollway

Use the poll above to nominate your favorite dates, and let me know if you have any road attraction recommendations.

Longmeadow Parkway, I'm in

I mean, I live off of a road with a somewhat similar name, so why not?

[TheHighwayMan3561]

The concept of doing this Thanksgiving weekend sounds a little stressful to me. If it falls then, I may or may not feel up for coming down and it may be a last minute decision (which I know can be a little agitating for getting a head count).

[Alps]

The concept of doing this Thanksgiving weekend sounds a little stressful to me. If it falls then, I may or may not feel up for coming down and it may be a last minute decision (which I know can be a little agitating for getting a head count).

It'd be my only possibility of making it from 800 miles out.

[A.J. Bertin]

I'm very interested!  I voted for November 13 and 20 because I'm not sure what the holidays will look like this year and whether my husband and I will want to spend Thanksgiving with either of our families.

[hbelkins]

Maybe Crash-It can give a defensive driving demonstration...

[kphoger]

Maybe Crash-It can give a defensive driving demonstration...

How many times have I told you not to drop the mic like that?  They're expensive to replace.

[vdeane]

Maybe Crash-It can give a defensive driving demonstration...

Hopefully he won't live up to his name.

[dlsterner]

Or maybe a seminar by Crash-It : "Your car horn is your friend; how to use it effectively"

[kevinb1994]

I just voted for November 26th.

[JREwing78]

Tentative yes, assuming it's the 13th or 20th.

[Brandon]

A yes here, and Nikolai, if you need a bit of recon or assistance, I'm happy to help as I go up to that area a few times a week.

[US71]

Tentative YES.  13, 20th are best for me.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

I should be able to attend, a soft yes unless something comes up later.

[jpi]

I doubt I can make this one, November may be a very busy month for me for my other hobby and November 20 is definetly out as I will be in Charlotte for a concert that night

[dvferyance]

If it's the 13th or 20th I am in. Thanksgiving Weekend then it's only a maybe. Might be tough.

[codyg1985]

Maybe I can come. We will see depending on everyone schedule.

[JoePCool14]

I'm not in any position to go to any road meets for now (I'll be in school and admittedly am not yet comfortable meeting in-person, not anything because of COVID but for other reasons), but I hope for those going, you enjoy driving around the ol' stomping grounds! 

The Randall Road corridor can be an interesting drive as well. It gives you all a nice opportunity to see how the county-maintained road fares compared to IDOT roads.

[kevinb1994]

I have another family gathering before this meet. Depending on when this meet is held, I may have to back down. It seems like most of us are for the earliest date possible.

[Highway63]

The 13th would probably be best for me, if I can come at all. I know Thanksgiving weekend is absolutely out.

[US71]

Interested, but will have to see later on considering I'm in the middle of changing jobs.

[Nikolai]

Saturday, November 13 will be our date!

I've prepared a preliminary route and list of attractions for our tour. Printed copies will be provided.

Here's the Facebook event page for the meet. RSVP there so I can estimate how many to expect. Inviting your other roadgeek friends is encouraged.

We'll meet for lunch at 11:30. I anticipate that will be at a restaurant, but I'll finalize that closer to the meet date. The tour will begin at 12:30.

[Nikolai]

All right, it looks like things are stable enough to expect that we'll meet at a restaurant.

Lunch will be at 11:30 at Buona in Hoffman Estates, a Chicago restaurant featuring Italian beef sandwiches and other tasty things. We'll move to the Barrington Road Park-n-Ride at 12:30 to start the tour.

COVID-19 vaccination will be required to join us for lunch and any other indoor events I might plan. Stay tuned for announcements on potential evening activities.

[hbelkins]

OK, since no one else has asked, and I'm known for asking uncomfortable questions, I'll bite.

Just how, exactly, is this vaccine mandate going to be enforced? Will someone be checking everyone's cards? And what happens if someone who hasn't taken the shot, or prefers to keeps such information as a personal health matter private, shows up? Are they going to be banished to a separate table? Shunned from the group? Complained about to the management and management be asked to evict them? Will they not be allowed to wait outside and follow along in the caravan to sites of interest along the tour? Forbidden from being in the group picture?

[AsphaltPlanet]

One would think that if a person didn't approve of the requirement to disclose their vaccination status in order to attend the meet that they would chose another way to spend their saturday.