Ride A2B: Chance Visits Chicago

Scheduled Departure

June 1, 2007

About RideA2B

Follow the journey of two friends as each travel by motorcycle in search of people, of adventure, of experience. With no fixed plans or destination, their crusade is a course plotted by wherever the wind may blow. read more...

Along for the Ride...

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Cell Shots

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Chance Visits Chicago

Chance encounter with Chicago

Anyone who knows me knows that my favorite band for over 20 years has been Chicago. They were performing tonight at Denver's Fillmore Auditorium, but I hadn't planned on going to the concert with all my time dedicated to preparing for my upcoming trip to Seattle. But I got off work early and rode by just to see if I could get a sneak peek of the band warming up. I didn't see the band, but I did see two 45-ft. million-dollar Prevost tour busses parked in the back. I gave my friend, Adam, a call and chatted for a bit before giving up hope on spotting the band.

I hopped back on the bike and headed down the coned-off alleyway. On the street corner was a ticket scalper so I asked how much for the tickets. "Forty dollars," he replied. The tickets were $50 at the box office so I was tempted to buy one, but I rarely ever carry cash so I told him I didn't think I had the money. "How much do you have?" he asked. I said, "Well, doubtful I have forty," as I pulled a wad of cash out of my pocket. Certain I didn't have that much money on me, I confidently began to unfold the cash in front of him. As it turned out, I had forty-five dollars on me and he saw that I had that much money on me. There went my bargaining chip. "Well why not?" I thought to myself and handed over the cash.

He recommended that I return in an hour since the venue seats on a first come first serve basis. Because I hadn't planned on attending, I was in the middle of running errands. I now had to go home and pick up my camera, buy batteries, and stop at the bank to deposit a check that I had been sitting on for about 3 weeks. I ended up cashing the check so that I'd have money to park. I returned at 5 to see about 20 people already in line even though the doors weren't opening for another 2 hours. I snapped a quick shot of Chance in front of the Fillmore and then quickly parked her.

Kool 105 Backstage Pass Giveaway

In line I befriended lifelong Chicago fan, Gaylan Kindschy (his first Chicago concert was in 1973), and his wife Suzanna. As 7 pm approached, Kool 105's DJ announced that one of the backstage passes to meet the members of Chicago hadn't been claimed and would be given out to someone in line with "105" on the serial number of a bill.

The Winning "105" Twenty-Dollar Bill

Remember, I rarely carry cash, but now I had $150 in cash in my pocket! And as luck would have it, I actually had a twenty dollar bill with the numbers "105" in the serial number and so I won the unclaimed backstage pass! How crazy is that?! Not only do I never carry cash, but I never, ever win anything...ever! I just don't have that kind of luck. It turns out that the pass was good for two and since I came alone, I naturally selected my new friend Gaylan to join me. Don't believe me? Watch the video above!

Gaylan and I backstage with Chicago.

(L to R: Jimmy Pankow (trombone) stand-in, Tris Imboden (drums), Lee Loughnane (trumpet, flugelhorn, acoustic guitar, vocals), Gaylan Kindschy, Robert Lamm (keyboard, acoustic guitar, vocals), me, Jason Scheff (bass, vocals), Keith Howland (guitars, vocals), Bill Champlin (organ) stand-in, Walter Parazaider (saxophone, flute) stand-in.)