Goals

Now arriving.

CHICAGO – I’ve done a lot of travelogues before, and I have a bad habit of stating on the record that I intend to do an entry from somewhere. Most of the time I make myself live up to the promise, but every once in a while I forget, or the circumstances make it not possible.

I basically missed the whole of South Bend. We passed through a developed area a few minutes before arriving at the station, and I didn’t realize at the time that was it.

The route guide that Amtrak publishes (and it is a very detailed, well-written brochure) says that the Golden Dome at Notre Dame is visible from the left side of the train as you leave South Bend going east.

Since I’m on the right side of the train going west, I figured I’d be able to see it in some form. But I didn’t know that the station was so far from the campus, so I wasn’t looking for it at the right time.

So I’m writing this post from Union Station in Chicago, where I’m doing a big batch upload of photos from the ride out here. I’m also downloading a few podcasts to listen to on the way to Wrigley Field and wherever else I go today.

I’m really excited to be going to Wrigley for the first time. I grew up an Orioles fan, but I wasn’t really a baseball nut. But after moving to Philadelphia, I started following the Phillies. Then the Nationals came along, and I was hooked.

I’ve seen games in Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia and San Francisco. I’ve walked around Fenway Park, Yankee Stadium and Shea Stadium. But this is going to be something different. Wrigley isn’t just about the stadium itself, it’s about the fans and the neighborhood and the vibe of blowing off work on a regular basis to go to a day game. The Cubs’ success this year has made the atmosphere even more exciting.

So prepare for lots of pictures from today’s game, with Jason Marquis starting for the home team and Brandon Backe on the hill for the visiting Houston Astros. I’ll be back tonight from the Chicago suburb of Deerfield, Ill., where I’ll be staying the next two nights.