Day 93: Middlesex, Vermont to Cleveland, Ohio; Day 94: Cleveland to Chicago, Illinois; Day 95-96: Chicago

I'm not gonna to lie -- life on the road has become pretty stressful. As each day breaks the previous record for Covid deaths and the headlines scream about the high level of virus "out there" we find ourselves eyeing maskless strangers at gas stations or in rest-stop bathrooms. Are they positive? Am I far enough away? Will my mask and gloves protect me? 

As the weeks pass, more and more of Greg's colleagues have tested positive. We're thankful that most have recovered, although one recently required hospitalization. We hear stories of the spotty mask enforcement on airplanes and are grateful that we, at least, are in control of our own space.

A few roadside shots from our travel days . . . 

 

When we finally get to our hotel room, we begin our process -- spray and wipe the surfaces, the switches, the doorknobs. We strip the bedspread and substitute our own pillows and blankets. Then we can relax, maybe stream an old Columbo -- comfort food for the traveler.

Columbo (/kəˈlʌmboʊ/) is an American crime drama television series starring Peter Falk as Columbo, a homicide detective with the Los Angeles Police Department. After two pilot episodes in 1968 and 1971, the show originally aired on NBC from 1971 to 1978 as one of the rotating programs of The NBC Mystery Movie. (from Wikipedia)

Despite patchy sunshine and brisk winds, Chicago looked beautiful in her Christmas finery.

    First sight of the windy city                  The view from our room

    Michigan Avenue                              Social distance bubbles for out-door dining

 

                                The Hard Rock Cafe

On the field: NFL Week 13: Detroit Lions @ Chicago Bears. After trailing most of the game, Matthew Stafford's Lions pulled out a victory in the final seconds.

On the map: distance from last week Cincinnati to Middlesex to Chicago -- 1,730 miles.