AYCJ Pass Travel - Day 4 - Chicago

Today, Friday, September 10, on the 4th day of my 30 day All You Can Jet Adventure, from the northern suburbs of Chicago, we headed south to the great Museum of Science and Industry, then west, for Italian beef!

Photo: Johnnies for Italian Beef, Elmwood Park, IL

The Museum of Science and Industry is in a building that was built for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. It's a museum where you can play with stuff -- press buttons, turn cranks, make things happen. As a kid, this was always a fun museum, and it's amazing that it's still really good. We spent most of our time in the Storms exhibit. We made tornadoes and vortexes (there's a difference... but right now, I couldn't tell you what it is), caused an avalanche, watched lightning, waves, a tsunami, all sorts of stormy subjects.

We toured the Pioneer Zephyr, a passenger train from 1934 and saw exhibits about the human body (I tried to find which muscle in my shoulder I had likely sprained/strained/torn), computers, transportation, the environment. We didn't have time to see it all, but I ran around at the end of the day to take a look around at everything. For anyone who has been there before, the Whispering Gallery is still there, and the baby chicks are still hatching in their incubator. We missed the "Science Theater Show" called "Poop Happens" and well, maybe that's just as well.

Then we headed out west to the Oak Park area for the best Chicago treat ever -- an Italian Beef sandwich. For people not from Chicago, no, it's not a french dip, and no, it's not a Philly cheese steak. It's different. It's better. We went to Johnnies, a popular little spot. Italian Beef with sweet peppers, dipped in the juices, so the Italian bread is good and soggy with the deliciously seasoned beef juices. French fries. Homemade (at Johnnies) Italian Lemon Ice. Delish.

Another good day with lots of walking. So, even with all the beef and pizza, I should be losing weight..... right?