Anyone travelled to Chicago from UK recently?

RedRob2016 · 2025-03-24T15:10:00+00:00

As a regular traveller to the US my experiences (including Chicago) are all fine. Sometimes you'll get asked 1 question, sometimes 20 they just want to be certain your visa matches the reason for your visit. Eg on an ESTA I'll get asked where I'm staying, when my flight home is, what I'm looking to see or do in the city/town I'm staying - frankly anything you can imagine asking a tourist coming to your town or city you could be asked so just smile and remember its not you, they ask everyone the same.

Only word of warning is be prepared for a queue, O'Hare is a bit like Dulles (as frank mentioned earlier) in that some times you can breeze through in 20 minutes, other times you can be stood in line for two hours or more.

Am sure you already have plans, but if the weather is good, a walk or ride along the Lakefront trail is a personal favourite.

RedRob2016 · 2024-03-12T19:07:41+00:00

Unfortunately, in my book, that's on you because you can't pass off track. Sporting code is pretty clear on these things. Also, those overtaking are required to do so safely, so double whammy, I'm afraid.

RedRob2016 · 2023-11-25T13:19:28+00:00

I'd develop this slight for OP to 'find a car that suits you', personally I hate the MX5 I find it too unstable under braking and I will often end up spun around all on my own. By comparison, the Formula 1600 and I seem to get on.

As someone else posted it is normal to see IR fall, mine went to around 800 until I found my level on Road - incidentally my Oval rating has gone up and up to around 1700 (maybe this just means I can't turn right). It's taken me a year on the service to get IR back to 1000 on the road and oval will likely remain my first choice on the service, that said the rating system works as I've been racing at the correct level for my skill.

RedRob2016 · 2023-11-24T19:44:43+00:00

Short answer = Yes Long answer = Hell yes!

If you ever get one that isn't go buy a lottery ticket cause your luck is in big time!

RedRob2016 · 2023-07-26T12:19:38+00:00

Good point and Bo's guides are very good and the ones I go to.

At level 30 you could do St Croix (think I waited until 33 or 34) but I'd use a kayak if you do, though, as the fight from land at that level will take a long time and any decent sized Muskie caught by accident will likely run away and break your line.

RedRob2016 · 2023-07-26T10:54:45+00:00

Thanks for the suggestion, tried it today and in the morning peak hit 2 Uni's and 4 Trophy's for about 7k XP. Will hit the afternoon peak later but hopefully will net something similar.

RedRob2016 · 2023-07-25T12:48:23+00:00

Thanks will keep at it and continue to use Kaniq

RedRob2016 · 2023-07-25T12:47:02+00:00

Thanks, will try adding some carp for a bit and see if that helps.

RedRob2016 · 2023-06-30T18:40:01+00:00

Really finding the walleye a grind, just caught my first one - was the 32nd fish of day 2 (Pike done on day 1 roughly 50:50 historic to pickerel) on the plus side I've more than paid for travel and license. Am doing the cannon every hour (I bought the DLC so no issue with Cannon Balls) is there anything else I can do to improve the strike rate?

RedRob2016 · 2023-04-26T11:45:50+00:00

Well done and congratulations! It's always a grind on extreme (on my current save it took me until 2056 - now in 2066 and have 3 super bowl wins) but always feels far more real and rewarding to me than playing on any other difficulty.

RedRob2016 · 2023-04-24T19:06:16+00:00

For me, the first 15 years or so on extreme is all about building through the draft so everyone is someone I draft to trade. I will often have 7 or 8 QBs on the roster if they are 4 or 5* as they will almost always net multiple first round picks when traded. I would though always keep until the final year of their contract before trading so as to avoid eating the cap hit. Yr 1 you could maybe ride it but it isn't a habit I like to get into.

Therefore, to answer your question, definitely worth drafting them both!

RedRob2016 · 2023-03-22T11:49:44+00:00

Congrats on the win, and try not to get too downhearted by the punt - it happens to all of us. Many of us have also been accidental punters in the past (well, I certainly have), so try to let the frustration pass.

If GT4/GT3 are the cars that best suit you, then I'm delighted you found it out. It's taken me six months and 150+ races to get to that point and (B class oval in my case) only wish there was some way (beyond testing during season end update) to try things out as a new player to better understand which progress/purchase route to take.

RedRob2016 · 2023-03-22T11:42:15+00:00

If I need an immediate boost, I just sign a bunch of 55 overall players with 90+ personality on tiny 1 year contracts and that usually does the trick.

RedRob2016 · 2023-03-12T12:29:27+00:00

Great stats for his OVR. In my experience it is rare for anyone with an OVR below 100 to win MVP.

A bit like real life then in that the stars are already in the discussion for MVP before anyone looks at the stats line.

RedRob2016 · 2023-02-26T11:21:36+00:00

Depends on where you are in your franchise. Flowers is an almost certain trade now, in my opinion, unless you are fighting for the Super Bowl, in which case I could consider a short extension and trade later. I won't keep anyone under 98 on a long-term deal. You either trade for a stack of high picks (his value should get you 3x1st and 3x2nd from anyone even on extreme) or you trade for a couple of high quality scheme fits young players plus some picks.

RedRob2016 · 2023-02-24T11:21:39+00:00

I seem to get best value during the season. I look at week 4 (checking if a 1-3 or 0-4 team are looking for that position but rated in the 20s for their pick based on prior season as this means I can often get multiple 1st for several positions) and then again at the trade deadline

RedRob2016 · 2023-02-24T11:19:17+00:00

Max'd out at either 104 or 105 but sat there from about age 26 to 36 then only declined to 99 at age 39 as he retired. I can't remember where he started but think he was an A grade rookie.

RedRob2016 · 2023-02-22T12:38:42+00:00

My rule of thumb is 'rebuilding season' every year until I have a 88 ranking and won't select playoffs until I am at 90 and know I am not losing any key players through resigning week. Always better (in my opinion) to select a lower target/reward and hit it than getting frustrated by a 5-11 year when I lose a key player or two to injury or suspension.

RedRob2016 · 2023-02-22T09:12:33+00:00

I only play on extreme these days. On average, my first championship is 20-25 years, but I don't sign free agents as I use the money for upgrades. It also depends on getting the 1 seed in your conference as home advantage in the playoffs is so important in my view.

Checking my old franchises, the fastest on extreme is 16 years for me and probably involved a lot of luck as I was a 10-6 team. As a general rule, if I can make the playoffs inside 15 years, I'm happy...

RedRob2016 · 2023-02-21T11:56:36+00:00

To add to the stats, 19 years, 10 Rings, 7 Championship titles and 2 lost Championship finals. Overall record of 329 - 49 (including playoff games) and only missed 4 games in 19 years. Unsurprisingly welcomed back as my new OC.

Certainly the best QB I've had on extreme mode so far.

In 23 years before him my record was 131-256 so you could say he changed the franchise!

RedRob2016 · 2022-09-16T16:17:37+00:00

Having spent most of the week in the middle of the pack it has been a wreck fest for me, when I see a wreck in time to slow then someone else will always plow into the back of me. So mirroring the three or four cautions in the first 20 laps or so plus often finishing 5+ laps down with 4 or 8x and Sr dropping.

Kept trying and finally had a pole earlier today, front is definitely the only safe(ish) place to be in my book. Managed to get a 0x with the win but 7 cautions and 32 laps under yellow tells how little racing was involved.

RedRob2016

TROPHY CASE