Chicago Segway Tour – 9/2/2016 – http://fulltimetimeshare.com/blog

September 2, 2016 (Friday)

Decided to leave after a late breakfast (around 11:00 AM). We did stop along the way to get some cash. The weather today was perfect – mid 70’s and beautiful, no humidity. Traffic flowed nicely until the last 2 miles when we got onto the ramp we needed to take and it was under construction.

I had gone on line and made arrangements for a parking facility near the Absolutely Chicago Segway Tours – or at least I thought it was. Come to find out I had put in South Monroe instead of East Monroe and it made about a mile’s difference. I thought it was 250 feet from the segway tour office – NOT. Oh well, live and learn. We both were quite frustrated with the GPS system because it didn’t seem to work well for walking and we couldn’t figure out which way we were headed, so we finally got a taxi and he took us to near the Maggie Daley Park ($10.00 with tip).

For the segway tour, we had to get fitted for our helmets, listen to a little video about how to use the segway and safety warnings, then we went out to get experience on the segway from our tour guide, Kym. She was great, fun, and informative.

One of the people in our group (a young woman) was having a hard time figuring it out and wanted to quit but Kym took the time to make her feel comfortable and called out other employees to help the rest in our group (a total of 8 in our group). When I talked to the young woman later, she said she was quite proud of herself for overcoming her fears.

The segway tour was so spectacular in that we got up close and personal with Millennium Park, Buckingham Fountain, and many other places.

Edie snapped this one handed as we went over the skate park. (She wasn’t supposed to.)

Grumpy in front of the back of the Field Museum.

About three quarters of the way through the tour, Skyline for a billion photos a year.

Kym just gave the assignment to slalom along the curves to the end, Pretty woman lead the way and beat everybody. — Kym just gave the assignment to slalom along the curves to the end, Pretty woman led the way and beat everybody.

Logan, memorial day, one foot up on horse represents an injury in battle, two feet up reflect death. — Logan, memorial day, one foot up on horse represents an injury in battle, two feet up reflects death.

Meant to rust away in about eighty years.

So very... I run out of words. — So very… I run out of words.

Aaron Montgomery Ward. A traveling salesman that realized he could sell things through a catalog and beat the prices of all the mom and pop stores. His wealth was fabulous. Progenitor of Amazon. He fought, mostly in the courts, to keep the lands by the water open to the people and not enclaves for the wealthy.

Segway pros at this point, holding hands it is so easy.

Based on a fountain at the Palace of Vercie and enlarged. — Based on a fountain at the Palace of Versailles and enlarged.

I loved these. Solar panel on top and windmill inside and they were twirling very fast. I think the ran a light below. — I loved these. Solar panel on top and windmill inside and they were twirling very fast. I think they ran a light below.

Circadia in Kyms hand. — Cicada in Kym’s hand.

I brought up the rear and enjoyed watching everyone's progress. — I brought up the rear and enjoyed watching everyone’s progress.

This is a grand scale in anybodies book.

We went about 8-10 miles. What fun. At one point I asked what all the noise was in Millennium Park. Kym (tour guide) said it was cicadas. Later on she was able to “catch” one and show us up close what they looked like. Very big and pretty bugs. The tour started at 2:45 PM and ended at around 5:30 PM. Loved it. Michael and I both thoroughly enjoyed it but were kinda glad when it was over as our feet were hurting and we were ready for solid ground.

After the tour, we didn’t want to leave the city during rush hour so we decided to just walk around and have a light dinner in the city before heading over to the garage to leave town. We walked up to Millennium Park and, as it would happen, the Chicago Jazz Festival, was playing in the Pritzker Pavilion and there were several hundred people listening to the music. We stopped and listened for awhile and then headed out. It was neat to see some of the elaborate setups some of the people had with wine, cheese, crackers, apple slices, etc.

Pritzker Pavilion, so cool. The speakers are dispersed through the overhead lattice, great sound inside. — Pritzker Pavilion, so cool. The speakers are dispersed through the overhead lattice. Great sound inside.

This fellow attended the Jazz concert and brought his own piano plate, cool.

We walked for awhile.

Chicago has laws about flowers and they appear to us to be strictly enforced. It has a very clean feel about it as well.

Some of the grasses are just so beautigful. — Some of the grasses are just so beautiful.

Exact copy of "Winged Victory - Nike" from the Louvre. One of our absolute favorites. — Exact copy of “Winged Victory – Nike” from the Louvre. One of our absolute favorites.

How much delight for the eyes can there be?

Target saved the old building and the great iron work.

The iron facade is so incredible to look at and be mesmerized by.

Pretty woman and Grumpy at the Flamingo.

Then found a lovely little restaurant called “The Marq.” The food was rather unusual but we both enjoyed it. We had onion rings; Michael had a Waldorf salad; and I had a watermelon ferro salad. Like I said, unusual but good. I would have liked a little more watermelon in the salad but…

The Marq, a small restaurant in the Marquette building.

Last little bit of tempura battered onion rings.

Edie's watermelon Farina salad. — Edie’s watermelon farro salad.

After we left the restaurant, we walked out the back door into the lobby area of the Marquette Building. Lovely glass tiled works of art, along with bronze statues of famous people from Chicago’s past. Really glad we happened into it. Love it when that happens.

Had no idea the MacArthur foundation was based out of Chicago, out of the Marquette Building and I would leave my restaurant and stumbled upon the lobby of the Foundation. Have watched the shows they have sponsored for years. — Had no idea the MacArthur foundation was based out of Chicago, out of the Marquette Building, or that I would leave my restaurant and stumble upon the lobby of the Foundation. Have watched the shows they have sponsored for years.

Made his money in insurance and just before his death declared, "I made it, you figure out how to spend it." — Made his money in insurance and just before his death declared, “I made it, you figure out how to spend it.”

The entire lobby of the Marquette Building is a piece of art onto itself.

Inlayed work so fine and detailed, portraying history. — Inlaid work so fine and detailed, portraying history.

Marquette building has so much beauty and history combined.

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We got to our car around 7:00 PM. The traffic was a little heavy for awhile but cleared up and we got to our “home” at around 8:30 PM.

That was our wonderful day. Hope yours was great!