I just loved the stroller in this photo.

I expect much more as the show opens Wednesday at Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont and runs through Sunday.

I have high hopes because Jim Sugarman in his second year has put it all in.

He has the big names: Lindner, Winkelman, Petros, Takasaki, Roach.

Click here for my column with Al Lindner, the top name of the top names on the seminar side.

Lindner will do his ``The Most Exciting Strategy to Catch Walleye I Have Discovered in 20 Years'' at 12:15 and 4 p.m. Saturday, and 11:30 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. Sunday

But maybe even more importantly than the big names, Sugarman focused on bringing in local experts and clubs. In the long run, that may be far more important than bringing in the big names.

Today I was going through the list of presenters and realized I had worked with or done stuff with nearly half the presenters, the sort of people who do the stuff that we do outdoors where we do it.

Yeah, the base ticket is high at $15, but there are deals to be had. And parking can be cut to $5.75 if you park at the CTA lot and use the shuttle.

I plan to do Metra/CTA combo myself tomorrow. Saturday I may drive.

Yes, for a change, I am doing multiple days. Part of that is because I will be on the media panel at 7:15 tomorrow night, and both tomorrow and Saturday I will do some time manning the Heartland Outdoors booth.

But there are more options for seminars than I can believe. All kinds of stuff I am interested in seeing.

I have stopped bringing my kids to any outdoor show other than the Chicago Boat Show.

This show has enough kid stuff--free cane pole for first 250 Saturday and Sunday, paddle America's Lake, fly tying, fishing simulator, archery, accuracy casting, build a wood duck house, and more--that I may reconsider and bring my kids Saturday.

I don't know yet.

What I do know is, I am more excited about this show than any in recent memory.