June 17, 2007
To Chicago: Flight to Chicago
We are up at 4am, breakfast and on the road by 5am. There isn't much traffic this time of day until we get closer to the airport. We get the bikes and gear on the carts and head for check in.
We are flying Air Lingus (Irish airline) and directed to the counter for check in that are staffed by KLM staff. At first, we are to be charged for the bikes. Patrick had printed off the policy on Air Lingus webpage which had no charge for the bikes; and we were not charged. After check-in we go for coffee, then back to passport control and immigration. Time to say goodbye. Linda is sad to say goodbye to Patrick.
The first leg of the flight is 1 1/2 hours to Dublin. We de-plane thinking we will be in a transit area to change planes. Instead, we go through passport control and find our way to the gate. We reach US Immigration and get our passports stamped, this is a first for us to go through immigration for the next country before leaving the present one...guess the Ocean is no man's land. When did we invade Ireland? or as Patrick says "liberate" and have their boundary be the US?
At the gate, the plane is starting to board, we want to get our seat assignments changed so we can sit next to each other. We are successful and soon settled into our seats...even better, the exit seat with great leg room, this is a 7 hour flight. We are not impressed with the service though...seems to take a long time for beverage/food service, and not too friendly. The flight passes, we watch a movie. We land ahead of schedule, easily get through immigration and our gear/bikes arrive, always a relief. We only have to go through customs and we are shuttled over to the "agricultural section". Our gear/bikes are x-rayed again, then we are on our way to find where to get the rental car. We find the shuttle to Alamo, get a red jeep, load the boxed bikes and gear in the back and find our way to Rochelle.
Most of the road is a tollroad, paying $.80 every few miles, stopping once at a shopping center and didn't have the $.60 for the toll basket, got the form to send in so we are not fined. When we arrive in Rochelle, we eat a salad at Pizza Hut, shop and Rachel buys blue jeans and two shirts then we go to Rachel's sister Sarah & Marty's house. We visit with them, and with Rachel's nephews, Thomas & Matthew when they come back from a church activity.
We've travelled for about 22 hours and go to bed.
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