Starts with a 'C', ends with an 'O', and in the middle is 'hicag'

This has nothing to do with bicycling, but I'll put it up to defend my out-of-training status.

I received an email to do an on-campus interview for the WIU Peace Corps fellowship, I had to be there in 7 days. I checked the airline prices, 400 bones one-way, and then I checked Amtrak, 240 bones, it sounded affordable to me and I've never been on a train before, booked it. I headed up to San Antonio where my Mexican buddy Titus gave me a place to sleep and drove me to the station.

My bud Titus, viva Mexico cabron!

I wish I had more pictures of San Antonio and the train, but they were erased.



I spent 35 hours on the train, I had my own room the size of a restuarant booth, the dining car close by and freedom to roam the other passenger and tourist cars. I took pictures of all this as well, but they too were erased.


I got off the train with 20 minutes to spare to catch my next train. As I started my awkward traveler's sprint, I'm stopped by Billy D Williams.


He whips out a badge and says, "FBI, we have a few questions". I told him, "Look Lando, you can ask me all the questions you want but I have a train to make in 20 mins". He told me not to worry, but I know this guy, he turned is best friend in to the dark side to be carbon frozen. They apprehend me and a cool guy of saudi arabian descent, and took us to the back for questioning. Apparently, taking pictures on and near a train scared the undercover train marshal, so after the interrogation he made me erase my pictures, all but one, Titus and his flag, only after I explained to him twice that the photo had no hidden signifigance. Needless to stay I missed the train, and I stayed a night in Chicago with my good college bud Anthony.

Scene of the government abuse of powers...

I was able to reschedule 80% of the interviews in Macomb the next day (I arrived the next morning 2 hours later than planned), they were really cool about that. I had a good time there, the people that interviewed me were passionate about the program and committed to it, I'm hopeing I'll get to study there in the future. All interviews came to an end and due to the exhausting day before and the 7 o'clock train I hit the sack after my last one.

Back to Chitown....

Arrived at 11:30 and my very good friends Jen and Anthony picked me up and took me on the Michigan Ave. tour.

On the left is the Sears tower, don't let the name fool you, it is not a 100 story department store.

We criss-crossed the Chicago River....

Then we saw a Great Lake....

And then we went on to doooooo, what we doooo, best.

First Stop Goose Island Brewery, we tried 5 delicious beers, some of them twice, we were even provided with a Price is Right girl, Sarah, to present each tasty beverage before it was served.

From here we went back to the house, watched our good friend Borat tell us about his American adventure then hit the infamous Emit's pub with my buds Anthony and Jon ...

Early morning the next day I caught a flight to San Anton, was picked up my buddy Eddy Saenz, and headed off to say my good-byes to the fine Austin people who had taken me in for my month of training. That took all night and a couple of beverages. Now I'm back in Alice and getting ready to head off to McAllen in a few hours to start the trip, next blog will be from a Mexican internet cafe. Thanks for the support fellas.

This is my crazy but supportive father, he is lending me his walk-around helmet for the trip...