Quoted from dancadera

I'm gonna be heading up there too.  First time, can't wait!

Are you guys hitting the Stern tour?  I'll be the dude the in the Calgary Flames jersey (figure that's loud enough that some other Canadians will probably notice)

Yup Steve and I are headed out on the tour .. I'll look out for the flames jersey ..

PBL was the highlight of the show for me last year. Free food, free beer, pins on freeplay and a boatload of parts. Can't go wrong. Terry is an excellent and gracious host.

The Stern tour was good for a first time sort of thing. Not sure I'd do that a 2nd time but worth it at least once.  

Quoted from cooke

PBL was the highlight of the show for me last year. Free food, free beer, pins on freeplay and a boatload of parts. Can't go wrong. Terry is an excellent and gracious host.

The Stern tour was good for a first time sort of thing. Not sure I'd do that a 2nd time but worth it at least once.  

I thought the highlight of your trip was having Palmer fall asleep in your bed fully clothed, but ended up in his banana hammock by the morning?  

D

Sounds great.  Looking forward to meeting you guys.  I'll have my girlfriend in tow on the day of the Stern Tour (she's actually pretty stoked for it) but after that I'm on my own, she's got a conference for work.  Free hotel in Chicago the same weekend as Pinball Expo, what were the chances?

Quoted from dancadera

...Free hotel in Chicago the same weekend as Pinball Expo, what were the chances?

Lucky guy!!!!

tartagliag

Yeah, though google tells me we're staying like 13 miles from pinball expo so I'll probably end up coughing up quite a bit in getting back and forth.  Whatever!  

sancadera: this might be your best bet for transportation:

2009 Bus Schedule, Hotel/Airport

      Pinball Expo is running a FREE bus between the O'Hare airport and the Expo hotel. Each bus run will hold 23 passengers with their luggage. The bus will have a sign that says "Pinball Expo" in the bus window.

      Pickup Times from O'Hare Airport to Westin North Shore:
          o Wednesday Oct 14 - 4pm, 7pm, 10pm
          o Thurday Oct 15 - 10am, 2pm, 6pm, 10pm
          o Friday Oct 16 - 10am, 2pm, 6pm, 10pm

      Pick-Ups at O'Hare Airport will be at the central airport Hotel pickup point (not at each Terminal.)

      A bus is also available from the Westin North Shore hotel back to O'Hare airport at these times:
          o Saturday Oct 17 - 6am, 9am, 2pm, 7pm
          o Sunday Oct 18 - 6am, 9am, 2pm, 7pm



I used it to go back to the airport last year...well worth it's price: FREE (well ok, tipping extra)

To the hotel, I picked up a 'suburb taxi' (can't remember the name, google the newsgroup for the show), which was, IIRC, $35-40...compared to a regular cab ($75+)

If you haven't been to the 'new location', the rooms are nice and if you don't have means of transportation, you'll quickly notice that the hotel is in the 'middle of nowhere, USA'.

Thank God there's RAM brewery right across the street. If you're looking for a beer store, it's a few blocks down the road, but the one that the "london/gta krew" found last year had a GREAT selection.

If you've never been in the Chicago area, please treat yourself to a famous Chicago-style pizza (aka a 'pie') Giordano's delivers to the hotel...it's quite a feast!

Have fun guys...and girls...I'm missing this one...maybe next year? err...hmmm...probably not....I'll stick to A-Town in May!

frosken...still alive

I am headed up to Milwaukee on Friday as my family always visits a Canadian friend for a long thanksgiving weekend.  I might try and pop by PBL if possible.

Just read in the news groups that Gene is almost going to Expo-
Thats right ALMOST GOING
Apparently he is setting up shop at a cheap hotel 4km away.
(5 minutes according to map quest)
The address is 1090 S milwaukee ave (same road as the hotel)
This eliminates the need for a road trip to Bloomington.
Hell that's almost walking distance
Tim

My flight takes off tomorrow morning.  Hopefully see you guys around Thursday!

Quoted from Alienagent

Just read in the news groups that Gene is almost going to Expo-
Thats right ALMOST GOING
Apparently he is setting up shop at a cheap hotel 4km away.
(5 minutes according to map quest)
The address is 1090 S milwaukee ave (same road as the hotel)
This eliminates the need for a road trip to Bloomington.
Hell that's almost walking distance
Tim

That's a good move for him...He will have more "visitors" that way...

tartagliag