Weekend trip to Chicago

Packing up a backpack and taking a Red Eye to Chicago.
Just for the weekend. Quick trip. Meeting some folks I know from the internet. Last minute decision to buy the ticket. Seems like a lot of money just for a weekend trip - but I'd probably just spend it at a local casino this weekend anyway. Might as well visit the Museum of Science & Industry, and Lincoln Park Zoo.

Wait, I'm traveling halfway across the US to meet people from the internet? Am I crazy? Isn't that what MySpace teenagers and predators do?

Except I know many of these folks. Some for over three years. And I met many of them over another weekend trip last year - a hot July weekend in New York City.

So next week there will be pictures of a summer weekend in Chicago with a bunch of computer geeks who usually spend the day solving ciphers and puzzles (and spend the night drinking and, uh, drinking).