A beautiful Sunny day, perfect for a ride to Elmhurst, IL. (photos from a crappy $29 toy digital camera)

We stopped at the gas station, filled the tank, added a quart of oil, just to be safe. Stop at the office for last minute notes on my want list, so I wouldn't buy a bunch of dupes.

On the road, 97 miles to the Holiday Inn. Stop at Wendy's for a snack, before the show.

I stopped at every table and looked for what might be available. (poor Valerie was already just watching) Second round, view the tables that had been busy the first time around. "Any Wisconsin chips?" Meanwhile, I noticed a very full selection of very collectible older chips, very nice.

Round three, go back and start buying/trading. Stop and chat, always good conversation and too much information for my brain to absorb. I found my Mole Lake Grand Royale $5 that was missing from the collection.

Moving down the line for the forth time I stop to admire a Sahara plaque and end up dealing for it. My only plaque in the collection, a dandy, and now I can join the registry. Bought a bunch of slight variations of WI chips.

Next stop, go back, dig through the $2 buckets for Fantasy chips. I found 32 that I "needed", well maybe, since I was going from memory. About this time, sporting my Winter fur and a mad scientist hair style, I went through just about every bargain bin. I even got Valerie to help me dig and match.

It's time to head back to Milwaukee.

On the road, first toll gate I suddenly see a cloud coming out from under the hood. OK maybe I just spilled a little oil on the engine when I was topping off in the morning? About two miles and the oil light comes on. We just make it off the tollway and get to a gas station. Two quarts of oil and head for a Service station.

Looks like a seal blew. Buy it's still 70 miles to Milwaukee, so I decide to go backroad. Top off with four quarts of oil and a bottle of STP. (buy 2 quarts spare for when the oil light comes on again) Hopefully it's leaking out slow enough, so I can get back to town for repairs Monday.

Four smokey miles later (by now, I have the fire extinguisher between the front seats just in case) oil light is on again. Four quarts, four miles... this isn't going to work.

That cell phone, that I only keep for emergencies, is going to get some use. Call AAA and they say, 75 minutes for a tow. The truck shows and the driverS say there's only room for one person in the cab, "we are not required to take any more people) So I tell Valerie to have a nice walk. Finally we convince the guy that we could all squeeze in, since we are going to Milwaukee. It works, we ride four wide, and get the car to the gas station across the street.

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So let me review. Gas $20, oil $20, tow $270, TIP $10, chips sold, $55, chips purchased $100+, new car or new engine $??? going to the Windy City Chip Show Priceless

I'm already looking forward to the next IL chip show. I'll know to bring more money, since I got home with $2 in my pocket, and charged all that gas and oil. I saw more chips that shouted for a place in my collection.

More when I get to the scanner and get the names right. But EVERYONE at the show was wonderful and a couple of people beyond that.