A holiday in Illinois, and a visit to Rivian

As soon as we had our travel dates for our Thanksgiving trip to Chicago, we put out feelers to see if we could tour the factory in Normal. Unfortunately, our contact told us that the plant would be taking a break while we were in state. As a consolation, we made sure to visit the Rivian show room just off Michigan Ave.

It was a cold and drizzly day, but the Rivian showroom was warm and welcoming. We had a great time chatting with the staff about our truck, their trucks, and all things Rivian. And the staff were super curious about the our Camp and Adventure Kitchens.

Back in January of 2020, we attended a Rivian sneak peek event at Proof Lab Beer Garden in Mill Valley, CA. As reservation holders, we were gifted a Rivian branded MiiR mug. It's gotten a bit battered over the years, plus there are two of us. It seemed appropriate that we should leave with a "Keep Chicago adventurous forever" mug.

A Thanksgiving trip to Chicago wouldn't be compete without a few things. This Pecan Pie is out of focus so that you can admire the mug that describes us both. Did you know that the scientific name for the Pecan tree is Carya illinoinensis? That's right, what is thought of as a southern nut is actually a midwestern.

We thought we'd get a little pizza a couple days before Thanksgiving since the kitchen was busy getting ready for the big meal. This is real Chicago pizza, cracker crust cut in squares. Deep dish pizza has it's place, but when we're home, this is what we crave. That and a few beef sandwiches. Mr. Beef's on Orleans has been Matthew's go to for years -- long before it was made famous by The Bear.  We didn't have a family outing to Mr. Beef this year (Matthew went with a friend) but we did manage to get some from a few different local purveyors. All delicious in their own way.

We hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving. It is my favorite holiday because it's all about enjoying a delicious meal with friends and family. That's the same reason we started Thunderbolt Adventure Supply. Being able to share a warm meal for friends and family, where ever you are, is what it's always been about.