Springfield, IL and Long Arm Research

09/13/18 - 09/21/18

Riverside Park

Springfield, IL

Site 61

$25/night

Hm, the neighbors are nice.  Lots of full-timers.

The sites are filthy, the bathrooms are never cleaned (I’ve been staring at the same dead beetle on the shower floor for 3 days now, and I saw a guy slip into the women's restroom ONCE with a broom ... he did NOT stay long), all the smokers in IL live here, people do not clean up after their dogs, and the showers are: too low headwise (expect to bonk yours), 5-15 second push button activated, and smell of mildew.

The campground has a long list of rules, two of which were broken by our neighbor within minutes of our arrival.  By the time we pulled out, we’d seen half the rules broken by various neighbors.  Mr SMT asked if we had broken any.  No.  Most of them we could not break.  (Well, I probably broke the profanity rule, but not where neighbors could hear.)  So, in short, the rules don't apply, and are probably just there to have a reason to kick you out if you are highly dislikable.

Now, on the positive side, the shower frogs are a LOT of fun to watch.  I’m sure they come for the insects flying, crawling, and jumping around.

There is a park nearby, an equestrian center, and lovely paths between the two.  The paths are well maintained.

Springfield is oddly laid out, I assume this results from its age (former horse and carriage trails) and how the city grew (former farm land?)  The end result is that: there are no highways, avoiding residential areas is not possible, and traffic speeds are fairly low.

The lights are not timed, so expect to meditate in front of (more than) your share of red lights.  

Mr SMT feels that Springfield, the capital, is far more livable than Chicago, the major metroplex of the state, but it is also much smaller.  (I see some similarities between these two cities and Austin, Texas small capital, and Houston, largest city in TX).  Considering Illinois’ serious money issues, I was surprised by the amount of new building and road construction.  I was NOT surprised by the number of shuttered businesses.

For the most part, the city is highly generic, except, perhaps, for the Lincoln history.

We’ve hit Food Fantasies, StarCrest Laundromat, Three Twigs Bakery, and Meijer.  We recommend them all.  I found unusual flavors of hummus at Meijer, new brands to try at Food Fantasies, and delicious vegan fare at Three Twigs Bakery (Oatmeal Cookies, Bacun Donut, Granola Bite, and Chickpea Salad Sandwich ... yum).  As much as we like to experience new, we do have old standbys.  

Illinois is in the midst of a heatwave during our visit, it makes me miss Michigan!  We hide out for the hours around noon as the temperatures are hitting the mid-90s.  Shopping occurs early morning and exercise occurs either early or late.  Mosquito feeding occurs 24/7.

Riverside Park is in the running for filthiest restroom ever I a campground.  And running neck and neck with McKinney Falls State Park in Austin, TX for the filthiest sites we’ve seen.   

09/19 to 09/20

MQX - Machine Quilting Expo

Attendee, Wednesday preview

Buy Thursday ticket

I had called into the ONLY phone number I could find for MQX, asking how I could obtain a ticket and attend Preview night.  One of the show owners returned my call within 5 minutes, Mary told me all I needed to know to attend on the days and times I wanted.  (I had also emailed twice, but never received a response.

But first, I went shopping to the various quilt shops in Springfield.  At Sew Unique I chatted with owner Bonnie and her guy, they are charmers.  And I met Sarah Evans.

Sarah and I both turned up at Peace & Appliqué shortly thereafter.  Sarah is attending MQX with her friend Robbi Eklow.  I looked at Sarah and said, “Guitar quilt?”  That’s Robbi!  😄

I enjoyed, immensely, chatting with Sarah.

At Peace & Appliqué, I found Sulky 12 wt petites.  I am hoping, fingers crossed, that I like this much better than the floss.

For preview, I chatted with Bill S, one of the expo owner’s (or spouse of) and we discussed the trials and tribulations of running an exposition in such diverse areas: Springfield, IL and Manchester, NH.  They did a show in Portland, OR to test the market, but got very little buy in from the public.

Once inside the venue, I stopped first at Jane and Dave Mullen’s “Quilt Central” booth for the A-1 Long Arm quilting machine.  I liked it, in all ways, except the tablet interface.  I am old enough to prefer simpler electronics in a machine I wish to keep for the rest of my life.  Janie gave me some awesome food for thought.  She and Dave graciously allowed my monopolization for the evening, and Robbi came by a short time later.  

A-1 “Quilt Gallery” computerized system is the EZ Quilt “Butler.”  There's not a great deal of information on the Quilt Gallery System, but Butler does have a semi-useful site.  I think the IntelliQuilter might be a better computerized system.

Thursday found me back at the venue, and testing all the machines: APQS, Bernina, Gammill, and INNOVA.  What rather surprised me was the serious elbow ache I developed after running the APQS, Gammill, and Innova around.  AND, I wasn’t using their largest machines!  This definitely brought home the message Janie had suggested: FMQ with 26” or smaller, Computerized quilt with a larger than 26” machine.  Larger machines are heavier and could have some lag in the hind end.

For myself, I find an 18” machine far too short a harp space.

So, Kira wants a 24-26” LA machine.  Good to know.

Obviously, not everyone who runs the APQS, Gammill, or INNOVA around has body aches after 30 or so minutes of play.  But, it was very obvious to me.  

The Bernina Q24 also made it to my short list of likes.  Perhaps unsurprising, the Bernina and the A-1 have adjustable handles, and are much more ergonomically friendly than the fixed handle machines.

I also found the Bernina smooth and easy to maneuver, much like the A-1 machine.

Severals months back, I attended a quilt show where a vendor had APQS machines.  These are THE most talked about, and likely the highest selling machine.  So I was excited to try them out.  And after running a Millie around for a bit, I left feeling a bit disappointed.  It did not feel wonderful, like I expected it to feel (and how the hype around the “Bliss” system drove my expectations).  It was hard to maneuver.

Now, granted, your body will adapt in some ways.  I’ve borrowed a friend’s machine previously, and where I was jagged in lines, she had smooth curves because she had adapted to her machine eccentricities.  After several hours of play, my curves were smoothing out.  Kinda like having a car that pulls to one side or another.  

I wanted to have Mr SMT take a look at the A-1 machine, but he was not interested.  I cannot decide if he hates the idea of a long arm, or just thinks the only long arm to buy is a Bernina?

The Bernina gives me pause because, 1) you cannot be your own tech, 2) it has a lot of circuit boards inside, and 3) I have been told it simply is not built to industrial quality and longevity (and yes, this is from people who sell them and love them, but this is NOT a lifetime machine).

On the other hand, Bernina information, manuals, and specifications are VERY easy to find online.  I do not want to call in to the manufacturer for every little problem I experience.  Having great resource material is half the battle.

Chicago, early September 2018, IMTS

From here, we head to Chicago.

Now, Chicago was NOT on our itinerary.

We were planning the exact steps of our trip clockwise around Lake Michigan and down into Illinois.

Mr SMT is caught on replay, "As long as we aren't going through Chicago.  I don't wannna go through Chicago."

Kira says, "No worries, we can skip around via this or that path, it will take longer."  Honestly, in the grand scheme of things, a couple extra hours driving on a multi-thousand mile trip is no big deal.

What happened?

Mr SMT found an expo he wants to attend.  The "International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS)," he has been before ('96/'97 time period) and LOVED it!  

Where is it?  Chicago.

So, to Chicago we go.  

Now this TOTALLY screws up my clockwise around Lake Michigan plans.  Shocking, huh?

We might be able to camp on the grounds of the show, or we might camp 30 minutes away.  I vote for the campground.  Mr SMT says, "You can drop me off and pick me up from the show."  Ha, ha, an hour each way?  Nah.  You can drive yourself, honey.

As an aside ...

We've begun discussing dining room seat replacement.  The foam is getting tired after a couple months of use.  Mr SMT switched the cushions, but that is only going to buy us the remainder of the year.

Shall we have the work done?  Or shall I sew the cushions myself?  The latter option opens up a HUGE variety of fabrics and foam types for us.  Since I'll be replacing the carpeting with quilted mats, I might as well do the cushions, too.  As sewn, the cushions are backed in vinyl, both on the bottom and against the wall.  This makes the cushions one way fit only, they cannot be flipped over.  I would NOT make the cushions this way.  It saves on fabric costs (and allows the seat backs to be attached via velcro to the wall), but reduces flexibility in cushion use and longevity.

And, since we just HAD to order the suckers, we'll have to replace the valances, too!  The dining table valance is an easy exchange.  But, I'm not sure how to remove the valance over the bed or shower.  I guess that means a call into Northern Lite or 5 Star RV.

09/08

This morning is a kickboxing morning.

Walk the dogs.  Empty the dogs.

Shower and make sandwiches for lunch.  

Pack up the camper, hitch up Jeep, dump tanks, and leave.  3 hours from when we drag ourselves out of bed to when we are pulling out of the campsite.  More than an hour of that was exercise.  

The drive east along the lake and south to Green Bay was rather delightful.  We hit a little roadside park with an old water pump, that still works!  I rather enjoyed the state line jumping, we traveled from Michigan to Wisconsin and back several times.

And then we reached the Green Bay WalMart.  Busy and loud, with buses running through regularly.  The traffic was difficult to cross in order to reach green space for the pups.  After a short shopping trip, we moved to a Cabela's down the road.  MUCH less traffic and no green space meandering issues.  

We ate "Sweet Earth" pizza for dinner.  Our first experience.  I enjoyed my veggie vegan pizza - a nice spice and vegetable blend, Mr SMT enjoyed his plant pepperoni ... though he felt it was a bit bland flavor-wise.

09/09/18 - 09/13/18

Chicago

Willow Springs

Camp Bullfrog Lake Campground

Forest Preserve

Site 25

Running on trails

Poison Ivy danger

The trails in actuality do not match the trails on my AllTrails app, and that made navigation difficult the first couple days.  I'm sure one would learn the trails over time.

This is a 4 years new campground, completely cleared during construction, and therefore, not a great deal of shade.  The reflection off the lake in the morning was killer!

Great showers and bathroom, though the timer will kick off and leave you in the dark

Heavily ironed water ... it does stain the facilities and you can smell it, but it does not indicate poor cleanliness.

Great employees, who really care about the site and grounds.

We had to leave early each morning, before they unlock the gate, and they accommodated us without irritation or fuss.  They made it easy to work around their typical schedule.

Illinoisans, for the most part, are not pushy drivers.  They know how to queue.  


Starting to get the camping picture?  Mr SMT goes off to do things, and Kira stays with the camper and/or the dogs.  The dogs cannot be left alone.  (Eye Roll)  Next time, the shoes on the other foot ... for 36 hours.

Mr SMT's IMTS Review

IMTS

INTERNATIONAL MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY SHOW

A Dune quote is apt:

"We have just folded space from Ix...Many machines on Ix. New machines."

"Oh. Yes."

"Better than those on Richese."

- The Third-Stage Guild Navigator to the Emperor Shaddam IV

Two different sections:

IMTS IN GENERAL

HOW TO ATTEND THIS LOW COST WAY

I attended 22 years ago, so it is time to go again.

While on the road, I received an email from one of the exhibitors, informing me about IMTS 2018.  I was able to find one of the IMTS exhibitors/sponsors that offers free registration (saves $65) to attend.  I registered as an attendee.  Additionally, finding the right exhibitor/sponsor results in free "all you can eat" lunch, snacks, and non alcoholic drinks, everyday of the show, which work out well for me.  The more ambitious, can also get invites to cocktail happy hours, evening meals, parties, and "other" entertainment, which is "not my bag, man".

The hard work was next.  How to work out the logistics of attending in Chicago, and getting around once in the area.

IMTS is conducted in the McCormick Place complex.  McCormick Place is big, really big, convention center consisting of four multistory buildings with exhibition and meeting space and all the support functions that are needed. 

IMTS is conducted every two, even-numbered, years and is the largest manufacturing show in the western hemisphere (the largest in the world may be conducted in Japan, odd-numbered years). 

IMTS in McCormick Place has more than 2,000 exhibitors show up to occupy around 1.3 million square feet of exhibit space.  About 100,000 plus people, from over 100 countries, come to exhibit and attend.

Much changed between the 1996 show to the 2018 show.  Many of the machines in IMTS 1996 were still brute force and manual machines.  1996 IMTS had many CNC machines, but those have been vastly surpassed in number and sophistication.  Digital has come a long way.  Now, almost everything represented at IMTS 2018, has a digital analog somewhere else.  Processes are much more streamlined and contiguous now.  Additive 3D manufacturing is really getting going, with polymers well established, and metal in almost any alloy is fixing to change every aspect of making anything with metal.  DMLS, Direct Metal Laser Sintering was well represented.  Additive manufacturing booths were almost overwhelmed with visitors, while conventional manufacturing booths nearby were often devoid of visitors, leaving the exhibitors in those booths as lonely as the Maytag repairman, and looking over at the additive booths.  Soon, the limitations of linear, three axis machining limitations will be history.

In my opinion, any company that makes things at any level, whether it is prototypes and singular projects, or massive mass production, that does not embrace additive polymer and metal 3D printing of parts, in some aspects, will be out of business in 25 years.

There are many more foreign folks, in all aspects, at the show now.  The exhibits and the products they represent and display have advanced a great deal in 20+ years.  It really is and "international" show.

Robotics where limited in 1996, and robots were few, and somewhat rudimentary by today's standards.  Now they are all over the place and many are doing extremely complicated multi step functions with high precision.   Many large metal working machines have one or more dedicated robots to assist their function. The robots come in desktop size and on up in size to versions that would rival a Tyrannosaurus rex.

Sleeping Arrangements

The cost of a hotel alone, in Chicago, per night, would have been about $250.00.  We are looking at four nights minimum.

One possible accommodation option was to overnight semi-boondock, for $35/day-night, in the truck camper, in Lot B (surface parking) which is the truck marshaling yard for McCormick Place.  The online parking website for doing this was insufficient in information, and the reservation system for setting up this type of parking was convoluted and vague.  It was not apparent whether or not parking of this type would be available for IMTS. It also appeared that money could be paid to reserve parking, but end up in a black hole, parking would be denied, and the funds paid would never be recovered.  The online parking system in my opinion, a total fail. 

The next option to attempt was to try and find a campground where we could securely stay in the truck camper.  This was no easy task as most campgrounds were too far to consider and driving to and from McCormick Place, and parking, in south Chicago was not going to be easy.

We finally found Camp Bullfrog Lake campground, just southwest of Willow Springs, IL.  There is a Metra train station in Willow Springs.  Willow Springs is about 20 miles from McCormick Place.  This was viable.  Next, figure out how to commute to and from McCormick Place.  I found enough information online to determine:

> Metra train schedules and routes map.

> CTA L train routes map and bus routes and times.

Payment methods of cash and paper tickets were possible, but I wanted to do it like the locals do it.

I down loaded the Ventra app for Metra, and it shows real-time information for trains and the CTA bus system and L train status.  Ventra App is also a ticket buy and use system, used for Metra digital train tickets.   Ventra card is obtained from a CTA station machine, along with a 3 day CTA pass in my case.  The Ventra app also stores and protects your Ventra card information and credit values.

Metra ticket each way: Willow Springs/Union Station, $6.25

CTA 3 day pass:  $25.00

~$21/day commute cost

Metra runs trains in a regional sense into and through Chicago.  CTA, Chicago Transit Authority, runs the L trains and bus system in Chicago. These both, along with other transportation, fall under the RTA, Regional Transit Authority.   If one can figure it out, then one can just about get anywhere in a huge area in and around Chicago.

Camp Bullfrog Lake was $45/night.  Sort of high dollar for an electrical hookup only site, but compared to a hotel room in Chicago, it was pert near ridiculously cheap.  The campground is just in its fourth year in a beautiful place, of lakes and forested hills, with many trails bordered with plenty of poison ivy.  Operated by Cook County.  It is very clean and well maintained with 24 hour security.   The inner loop road is secured by a gate from 10:00pm to 07:00am.  If you need access/egress at other times, just make arrangements with the campground staff.  The well water in the campground has very high iron content.  They are working on a filtration system.  Until then, bring your own.  

The campground was much better than staying in a parking lot. Kira and the dogs had these things to do while I was away at IMTS each day:

Walk

Hail other campers

Hail Preserve Employees

Run

Kickbox

Sniff

Hail other dogs

Read

Embroider

Talk with Family

Await, with baited breath, the Apple Event where the extra small or excess plus was unveiled

Each morning, at about 05:30am, I got up and got ready and then:

Kira and the pups took me in the Jeep, about 8 minutes, to the Willow Springs Metra train station.

I Boarded.

Travel to Union Station in Chicago 

Eat breakfast while observing Chicagoites in their morning transit routine.

Walk a few blocks to CTA station 

Travel to Ceromak-McCormick Place station

Hop aboard CTA bus 21

Arrive at west building at McCormick Place

Do IMTS

Reverse all of the above and get Kira some vegan cupcakes as a thank you.

A bit complicated, but still better than driving, parking, and then driving again while tired in some of the worst traffic on earth.

I learnethed much in this commuting scenario. 

Walking takes longer than one thinks it will.  

Add 30 minutes to any Goggle Maps estimate involving public transportation. 

Rush hours make all time predictions go awry.  

Hoofing it in the big city with the rush crowd is challenging.

Just processing it all is exhausting. 

Hurry up and wait.  

Know where to turn and what side of the moving hoard to be on to execute that turn smoothly and avoid collisions.

Do not get ran over.

Just ask the train conductor how to use the ticket app.

Have your ticket app ready for the conductor.

Overall cost/day estimated at 21 + 45 + 7 = $73

Copper Harbor, early September 2018

Two WalMart parking nights and a soupy, foggy mess in Minnesota to reach Copper Harbor, MI on the Keweenaw Pennisula in Upper Michigan.  

The drive up reveals these shorter days kicking off leaf peeper season.  The plants begin breaking down the green pigment (chlorophyll) in their leaves, allowing other pigments to step forward.  

I've seen a couple trees with red canopies and green skirts.

Quite lovely.

We stay at Lake Fanny Hooe Campground (LFHC), site 36.  Before we arrive, the Garmin unit sends us to the wrong location, and Copper Harbor (being proud of their refusal to allow a cell tower) has no cellular data, so we are stuck trying to find our campground in this little town with no map.  I almost get us stuck, but we just happen to have enough room to squeak out a u-turn without having to unhook the Jeep, Yay!

The campground bathroom is well laid out, but getting into it is a minor nightmare.  Expect to spend 5 minutes figuring out the code and 3 tries to enter each successive trial.  Do not wait until your eyeballs are floating to seek the facilities!

The showers are deep, and I believe the campground has a heater that kicks on with the lights.  The shower curtains, however, are not wide enough for the doorways, they are, eh, 5 inches too narrow.  This lets a lot of air through after your shower and before you are dried.  Chilly!

Our first morning, I kickbox and then we wander town with the pups.  We find the grocery/general store.  Not quite enough produce supplies to keep me happy, but it will do in a pinch.

There are 2000 residents in the county according to the 2000 census.  Mr SMT asks if this is too far away from a real grocery store to make me happy.  Considering the winter weather, yes.  Too far.  Not to mention too crazy during summer (it is a tourist trap) and too lightly populated the rest of the year.  How do you make friends in such a low population?

I ask Mr SMT what he likes about the area.  Its remoteness.  It certainly is that.

LFHC has extraordinarily tight, close in spaces, with the water and electric hookups right along the road.  Making sure you have enough hose and cord must be high on camper desires to camp here.  Their full hookup area is more open.  As we are one of a handful of fall campers, we have much of the water and electric spaces to ourselves.

Mr SMT reads LFHC reviews to me, consisting mostly of "... and the owner screamed at ... ."  So far, we have not had any negative interactions with the owner.  The campground is for sale ... $1.5m.

The wi-fi is soooo slow.  Even in a lightly populated campground, it is practically worthless.  It takes hours to update one app in the "clubhouse."  We call it the Lubhouse, as paperwork is missing the "C."

The trash cans are in a heavily fortified wooden box with lock.  We go to toss trash, and when Mr SMT raises the lid, our boy puts his paws on the edge to peer in and sniff.  And gets his paw caught near the hinge when the door closes.  "Yelp!"  Dumba$$ dog!  Dumba$$ Humans!  We check for damage, and we do not feel any.  The boy is a drama queen, and we would know if he was really hurt.

We wander further down the roads of Copper Harbor, and find a lot of little parks on the roadside.  I am pleased to find public access to waterways.

09/07

Our last day in Copper Harbor

We've been walking multiple times a day.

Early afternoon was a short hike to Manganese Falls.

This evening was a walk around town to the little micro park to watch the sunset.

On the way back ... 

Me "It FEELS like it is in the 40s, but it is probably in the 50s."

Him "49."

Dogs "Whine, whine (shiver)!"

Upon our return we catch a short blip of WiFi, and each check weather.  My phone says 59, his says 55.  It STILL feels colder!  (74% humidity)