Comments Related To: Midwest travel destination adds a stomach-dropping new dimension

Up, up and away...You know, I am a pilot. Have had a license for 40 years or more. Flying is one thing, but standing on glass is something I'd probably have to think about. I feel in control in a plane, but no so much when I'm trusting someone else to correctly assess whether 1/2 inch glass can hold a lot of weight. Guess this won't be on my list of destinations any time soon.

That's cool you're a pilot, Vernon. The miracles of engineering have opened up so many opportunities!

Well, I'd probably be willing to stand on The Ledge, but it costs almost $15.00--so that's where they'd lose me. I'm too frugal to "waste" money (in my values system) on that, so I won't be headed there either.

Nevertheless, I thought this was interesting Midwest news.

Fascinating, it provides another reason for me to make it to downtown Chicago in the nearer future. Yet, as vernoncrumrine pointed out, when anyone flies, a relatively thin plate of metal relative to the air space around a plane keeps us in motion...Craziness.

Well said! While we take flight for granted, when you really think about it, it is absolutely remarkable.

I have to go there soon. Just an observation from an outside perspective: It seems (and I'm no sociologist or anything) that Chicago is fast becoming the archetype for the modern US city. In recent years the city has grown in size, fame and importance - it now has the tallest building in the world. The modern archetype used to be (in the image conveyed to outsiders at least) New York. It was the quintessential American city, and it had an element of grittiness, vivacity and voraciousness about it that perhaps defined America. Chicago, with its cleaner streets and broad horizons, spread out planning, is obviously different; as a city it has a more placid nature, in keeping with the mid-west. I just wonder if the archetype that used to define America is moving from the ideal of New York and Broadway/Wall street, to Chicago and Michigan Ave.

These are very interesting observations and musings, Changez. As a Midwesterner by birth and upbringing, I personally identify with Chicago, not New York, as my own archetype of the US. As far as the rest of the nation, I'm not sure. The U.S. is so huge and diverse, it'd be hard to suggest that either NY or Chicago are "the quintessential American city." But I'd enjoy hearing what other people think about that. Thanks much for another excellent comment!

Wow! A balcony with a whew!!

:-)

Thanks, my Vox! Cool pic!

I've been there. Long, long ago.

Nice to see you here, Nick! I love Chicago. Hope you enjoyed your visit.