For those who have never had the opportunity to tour Sweetwater....

[GilmourD]

If it's a weekend, let me know when you're going through South Bend (Notre Dame golden dome is visible from the highway), or if it's during the week, when you're going through Elkhart or Bristol.

It'll be the long weekend we have before President's Day (I think we're flying in Thursday afternoon and back home Sunday night, but I don't have the itinerary here at work). I'll let ya know!

 

[Peen Simmons]

I've sadly been very limited in my travel.

Clearly. Chicago is February is not exactly a pro move.

 

[GilmourD]

Clearly. Chicago is February is not exactly a pro move.

Well, I did grow up in the with the X-Games being a thing. Why play on easy mode when you can go XTREME!?

 

[jp_nyc]

Clearly. Chicago is February is not exactly a pro move.

The smart deep dish fans go in winter because nobody is willing to line up down the block for a good pizza after dark in February.

 

[Andrew Sak]

I love some of the Sweetwater candy. Getting Smarties, a Bit-o-Honey, a Tootsie Roll, and an Atomic Fireball is like hitting a jackpot on nickel slots. Laffy Taffy isn’t so great. And the weird ones that look like peppermints are gross.

My son hit that jackpot. He ate every piece in the bag.

*maybe not the Atomic Fireball.

 

[Peen Simmons]

The smart deep dish fans go in winter because nobody is willing to line up down the block for a good pizza after dark in February.

What is getting pizza like in Denver?

 

[rhino]

What is getting pizza like in Denver?

It’s pretty cool if you like being around stoned yuppies in Patagonia jackets.

 

[Peen Simmons]

It’s pretty cool if you like being around stoned yuppies in Patagonia jackets.

But do you have to wait in line? Are you prohibited from making a reservation?

 

[jp_nyc]

But do you have to wait in line? Are you prohibited from making a reservation?

Some of the good pizza places get busy enough that you need a reservation on Fridays and Saturdays. Others will put your phone number in the computer and text you when your turn comes.

 

[Dew Knot Humps]

Nope and nope. The wife's been to Indiana but that was before she was playing guitar and... Well... I've sadly been very limited in my travel.

I'm always up for an adventure and I already hate myself, so... LOL

Don’t do it. Trust me. The drive is 8 hours round trip and all you will see is flat, ugly brown farmland and discount tobacco outlets. If you dare get out of the car and interact with the locals you will hate yourself even more.

Stay in Chicago and have an Italian beef and a Polish instead of hot dogs and pizza and go to CME, Rock and Roll Vintage and Midwest Buy And Sell if you want to touch guitars.

 

[Dew Knot Humps]

The most damning thing about Indiana is that it is considered to be the reddest, most conservative state in the Union. It is bursting at the seams with dumbfu€k MAGA trash.

Plus the Mexican food in Indiana is garbage. Chicago on the other hand is known as a culinary epicenter for great Mexican food.

 

[Peen Simmons]

Plus the Mexican food in Indiana is garbage. Chicago on the other hand is known as a culinary epicenter for great Mexican food.

I recently had Mexican food in deepest, darkest Hoosierstan because I was driving around Nowheresville East Central Indiana for work. @Dew Knot Humps is not incorrect.

And round trip between Chicago and Ft. Wayne in February is a slog because its state highway action a good chunk of the drive. I’ve made the trip and just recently did a similar trip to somewhere straight south of Ft. Wayne. It’s a drag and there’s nothing in between. We’re talking yr dinner is likely gonna be a sandwich from a gas station Subway levels of nothing.

Sweetwater is worth the trip if you’re super stoked about Gearfest or whatever or if you’re generally in the area and have time for a detour. But even the Bishop Ford or 80/94 situation to get from Chicago to NW Indiana to hook up with Route 30 is some of America’s shittiest driving.

If you insist, I would recommend just taking 57 south to Lincoln Hwy/Route 30 in Matteson and then riding Route 30 all the way there. At least that way you get to visit historic Ford Heights. There’s a place called Jimmy’s in Chicago Heights that you can stop at for a nice lunch buffet. If you want I can give you tips on a nice detour to the Peen Simmons ancestral manse.

 

[baimun]

The most damning thing about Indiana is that it is considered to be the reddest, most conservative state in the Union. It is bursting at the seams with dumbfu€k MAGA trash.

Plus the Mexican food in Indiana is garbage. Chicago on the other hand is known as a culinary epicenter for great Mexican food.

When you are in the red counties, yes.... once you get to South Bend (very blue Pete Buttigieg country) the quality of Mexican food is top notch. Note the best places in the area have separate "Gringo" menus, so you sometimes have to frequent it a couple times before they let you see the "REAL" menu.

 

[Peen Simmons]

@GilmourD — Humps is also correct that Midwest Buy and Sell and Rock and Roll Vintage are closer and better gear detours in the city. Buy and Sell is definitely a gritty neighborhoody spot, but it’s a great place to find a tube amp. They also have anywhere from a good to amazing selection of used stuff depending on the day—mostly Fender and Gibson stuff for players rather than collectors. They also have North America’s heaviest (by poundage) collection of Norlin-era Les Pauls. It’s also super close to my place, and I recommend hitting up Perkolator Coffee across the street. Also, if you’re into craft beer enough to be willing to drink just okay craft beer in a chill spot, Printers Row Brewing is right in the area—straight up Austin at Lawrence. (Buy and Sell is at Austin and Irving.) And if you go to Printers Row then you’re super close (by car) to Tone Deaf Records and Howling Pages Comics in Jeff Park. For more Far Northwest Side tourism tips…

Rock and Roll Vintage is a mix of high and low. Some boutique stuff. Blend of used and new. Lots of pedals and synths and whatnot. Decent number of cool amps at any given time. It’s in a nice neighborhood with a number of little shops and boutiques if you wanna walk around and get a feel for the neighborhood.

 

[Peen Simmons]

When you are in the red counties, yes.... once you get to South Bend (very blue Pete Buttigieg country) the quality of Mexican food is top notch. Note the best places in the area have separate "Gringo" menus, so you sometimes have to frequent it a couple times before they let you see the "REAL" menu.

And you wonder why, @baimun

 

[Dew Knot Humps]

When you are in the red counties. Note the best places in the area have separate "Gringo" menus, so you sometimes have to frequent it a couple times before they let you see the "REAL" menu.

Okay let’s unpack this shall we?

The ratio of red counties to blue counties in the state of Indiana is 88 to 4. I salute the 5,000 Hoosiers who didn’t vote for what’s his name.

I don’t really know how to unpack the creepy and weird secret Hoosier Northern Indiana Mexican food menu. So I won’t even try.

 

[baimun]

And you wonder why, @baimun

New from Taco Bell... the Doritos Loco Cow Tongue!

 

[Peen Simmons]

New from Taco Bell... the Doritos Loco Cow Tongue!

In Chicago they let you order lengua without a background check. Just saying.

 

[rhino]

In Chicago they let you order lengua without a background check. Just saying.

Why do you hate freedom?

 

[Dew Knot Humps]

New from Taco Bell... the Doritos Loco Cow Tongue!

There is a Taco Bell 10 minutes from my house. On the drive between Taco Bell and my house there are three or four quality Mexican spots plus a really good Cuban joint, a few blocks west there are two more good Mexican joints and a Venezuelan rotisserie chicken restaurant. I haven’t been to a Taco Bell in at least 35 years.