A Windy Ride along the Lake

It was dark and windy this morning when I hopped on my bike to head to Hyde Park at 7:00 am.  I was counting on a strong tail wind to speed me along, and it was there.   It was not really raining, so that was a plus also.  But the strength and majesty of the Lake was something that I had not considered. 

The sky was several shades of gray, mostly the darker ones, with only a little patch of dirty white far out over the Lake.  The wind stirred the waters into a mighty fury, with waves larger than I have ever seen.  They had to be larger than ten feet, pounding on the beach, bringing with its might pieces of logs, rocks, and, I am guessing, some fish, as the sea gulls were scurrying around looking for breakfast.

It was a beautiful sight as I pedaled past Belmont Harbor and the clanking of the moorings of all of the sailboats still there.  Folks were out with cameras and Iphones taking pictures of this demonstration of power. 

But when I reached Fullerton I found the Lake really didn’t wish me to proceed farther on my way along the bike path.  The waves were crashing in an unending rhythm along the concrete pathway, and they were not just coming and lapping over the edifice, but rising above the path and crashing down across its entire width.  This was occurring for a stretch of about 200 yards.  I thought for a milli-second about riding through this turbulence, but quickly regained my senses as I would have been knocked off of my bike immediately.   

So I followed the other biker out then and a couple of runners up to the grass and gravel just next to Lake Shore Drive and proceeded on at a slower speed.  After the 200 yard water hazard was over I returned to the regular bike path and continued along, with only having to keep my eyes open for the lapping style of waves.  When I got to the Oak Street beach and the large retaining wall that keeps Lake Shore Drive from falling into the Lake, I stayed as close to the wall, and as far from the turbid and turbulent waters as possible.  But the Lake wanted to demonstrate its power again and the waves gained strength and height, and soaked me from my waist down.  Luckily the Lake tired of threatening me and receded before I reached Navy Pier.

During the rest of my ride I was able to keep my distance from the raging Lake and could just admire its beauty and majesty from afar.

I completed my fourteen mile trip in 53 minutes, not as quickly or as dry as I had hoped. 

Now I look forward to the return trip this evening and can only hope that the wind and the Lake calm down.

Take care.

A bike ride

I road to work again yesterday and it was really a tale of two rides.  In the morning I had a tail wind gusting up to thirty mph and it was great.  Made it to work in 49 minutes – the fastest ever for my south bound trip.  In the evening it was raining and the wind was blowing harder and more consistently from the NE again.  It was hellacious.  It was difficult to go ten miles an hour.  I was exhausted by the end of the long trip home.

The waves were spectacular on both rides.  In the evening they were really crashing up on the walkways and spraying or soaking folks, depending on how lucky you were.  Traffic was light both ways, but the weather seemed to effect the bike riders more that the runners.  Not too many smiles on faces either way yesterday.

It still was a great day in Chicago, though.

Take care.

Heat and Humidity

Another ride to work this morning - it was 79 when I left and it just was a difficult ride for some reason.  The Lake was just a little choppy and I could see about a half dozen sailboats out on the water - far enough out that I could just see their white sails and not the boats themselves.  There were still many branches on the ground on the South Side and I saw one crew starting to work on cutting them up and removing them.

The Race to Mackinac put on by the Chicago Yacht Club is this weekend.  It  is the oldest annual freshwater distance race in the US and is over 330 miles in length (if you take a straight course) and I think that there are close to 300 entries.  Always a big deal here.


And finally, a quote for the day:  




Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it.     Russell Baker 




Take care!

Ride along the Lake to work

This morning I finally did it and took my first bike ride to work this year.  The first is always the hardest because it is 14 miles and hard to jump into.  I had been making excuses this spring that it was too hot, too cold, or too rainy, and that worked since Easter.

I checked back and this is a few days earlier than my first ride last year and it was a beautiful morning.  The lake was calm at Belmont Harbor and stayed that way all along the way - an unusual morning.  I left home a little before 7 am so the path was not too crowded yet with bikers and runners, and just a very few roller bladers.  I made it about three miles before my body told me that I hadn't done this for awhile, so I tried to pace myself a little.  Still made the trip to Hyde Park in a little over an hour.  Last year I got my time under 45 minutes and that will be my goal again this year.

The ride gives me a different perspective on the city - really get a good view of the lake and all those using it.  There were no sail boats out this morning but there were several families of ducks and geese paddling along.  There were plenty of spring flowers in bloom along with city workers and contractors sprucing the flowers beds up and mowing grass.  As I rode I noticed the places where the city has fixed the path with asphalt and the many other spots they have not been able to get to.  Luckily the path is relatively flat with some ups and down so it is not the most difficult journey to take.

On the south side there is work being done on a couple of harbors so even the bike path has detours.  I think that the prettiest part of the trip is the Fireman's Memorial Park on the south side.  Some special flowers there and it looks so serene.

Last year I thought I might take a Saturday to leisurely bike the path and take my camera.  There are so many unique views.  I did not get around to it last summer but will have to this year.

So I made it to work and still was able to walk.  I took a shower and now am busy with my daily "grind".  I hope that you are well, enjoying our wonderful city and lake, and keeping active.

Take care.

A bike ride in Chicago

I wrote this last night about my ride yesterday.  I hope that you enjoy reading it and getting a feel for the experience.

I put on my put on a wicking shirt, a pair of shorts, and sandals, grabbed my helmet, gloves, and backpack, and went downstairs to get my Raleigh hybrid out to ride the 14 miles to work this morning.  I rode last Friday for the first time in over a year and want to make it a healthy habit.

Living in Chicago makes this, like many other activities, an adventure.  First is being aware of traffic.  Chicago traffic is not necessarily the worst traffic in the country, but there is a lot of it and, with drivers talking, texting, eating, smoking, and whatever, you better watch for them as they are not looking for you.

I roll down Aldine, taking its jog at Broadway, cross Sheridan and take the underpass to join the others already on the path (actually mostly an asphalt mini-road with fine gravel on each side) that runs the length of Lake Shore Drive.  The underpass had recently been hosed out so there were no homeless sleeping there this morning.  Not too much traffic although there are several commuters with their biking shirts on that zoom past me. 

I try to keep on a 14 mph pace – enough to be aerobic but not going to win any races.  A serious rider from work told me a couple of years ago that the key to riding is to keep pedaling at the same number of rotations per minute and shift to match the terrain, so that is what I try to do.

Immediately I am at Belmont Harbor, which is sleepy this morning at 7:15 am.  No sign of life there.  The boats in Chicago harbors rarely leave their slips as they are more for parties and watching whatever “the game” is on Saturdays and Sundays on satellite TV.   I see various types of bikes and clothing along the way.  Recumbents, and those with windshields, collapsible bikes, and then new and old, most with many gears – no three speeds anymore, like my Schwinn from childhood.  Some with milk crates tied on the back, other with commercial baskets.  Most with no fenders.  However, I added them on mine since I don’t like the feeling of the wet stripe up my back.

As I ride south the Parks Dept folks are out and busy.  Mayor Daley likes spiffy parks, you know.  The sand is being groomed for the afternoon volley ball leagues, swimmers, and sun bathers, and some parts of the path are actually being swept by hand.  Most riders wear sun glasses to avoid eye contact, much like walkers on city streets, but I avoid them as I like eye contact and can put up with a little sun.

The temp is about 73 – not too bad, but I will be soaked by the time I get to work in Hyde Park.  I continue along at my pace passing the Theater by the Lake, the Lincoln Park Marina, only for motor boats, the Lincoln Park Zoo, and then get to the North Avenue and Ohio Street beaches.  No one there yet except the beach groomers.  A few walkers are out, one being the first nun in full habit that I have seen for years.  They will be full this evening when I return.

The Lake is brilliant, looking like a sea of diamonds sparkling in the bright sun.  It is a wonderful natural resource that we take for granted in Chi town.  It presents a different look every morning, and today looks almost like a fishing lake in Wisconsin – very smooth with just little rills and no waves.  It is mesmerizing and I could just watch it all day, if I had the time….

I pass by Navy Pier next, the biggest tourist attraction in the City – almost 9 million visitors per year.  Although many boat and ship rides leave from the pier to the Lake and Chicago River, the majority of the folks who visit just walk up and down and get a beer and a hot dog.  Take in the day and the sun and the spectacle of the people there.  Sure there is a Shakespeare Theater, an IMAX, and a Children’s Museum (soon to be put underground in Grant Park), but with today’s economy and unemployment rate, those activities are rare treats at inflated prices.

This part of the trip takes me on the road level under Lakeshore Drive that takes cars to lower Wacker Drive and the sidewalk, although about twelve feet wide, gets very crowded later in the day.  Now I share it with just a few riders and joggers and can ride above walking speed.  My return trip this afternoon will test how slow I can ride.

Now I am around by Monroe Harbor (I don’t know how many harbors we have here, but I know that some people keep their boats in Waukegan or Kenosha, WI.)  Activity picks up a little now as many riders peal off for downtown.  There is a bike garage in Millennium Park that holds about 300 bikes and there are many other racks for those who commute this way.  Daley is trying to encourage bike riding as one of his efforts to be green.

Next is a long straight and flat stretch along Grant Park where I can get my speed up a little and look over into the park to see the Taste of Chicago set up to draw folks downtown for the next week.  Then the path takes me down and around the Aquarium and under the road that goes out to the Planetarium.   The boats of Burnham Harbor now appear on my left and more Park workers doing their trimming.  The traffic drops off drastically now as there are fewer riders to and from the South Side than the North Side (a basic matter of economics, my friend).

I ride through the Police Memorial Park and then the Fire Fighters and Medics Memorial Park with McCormick Place and its lovely waterfall sandwiched in between.  One thing we do well here is honor our fallen.  Next comes the Burnham Centennial Wildlife Area, under construction.

The path moves a little farther away from the Lake on this side of town and there are many more trees.  It is a relief to be out of the sun for a moment of time occasionally.  There are still many limbs and branches on the ground from recent storms but by my return trip this afternoon most of them will be picked up.  The path drops a little which makes this morning ride a little easier but the pedaling harder this afternoon.  Also the wind has not been much of a factor but it will pick up significantly on my return ride.

This stretch is longer and it feels like it because there are fewer distractions besides the Lake.  A beach here and there, some park workers out, the traffic on nearby Lakeshore Drive, a lady deep in prayer on a bench, a few of the public housing high rises that remain to be torn down, and then the tall buildings of Hyde Park still in the distance.

The north half of the trip will have city approved vendors selling water, popsicles, and snow cones this afternoon, but here individuals will be selling water out of their own coolers for one half of the price of the vendors. 

So I continue on my trip as my muscles tell me that I have not taken this trip frequently enough to build them up and my butt starts hurting.  I wonder if a pillow duct taped to my seat would help without increasing wind resistance too much.  The cost of those riding shorts is way up there!

So I finally reach my building at Kenwood and 61^st Street and get my bike into the basement where secure storage is provided as part of the facility being green.  Up to the shower that I purposefully put into the design and build out of our space for occasions like this (we do have several biker riders who ride much more regularly than I do).  I beat my time of Friday morning by five minutes.

The return trip in the afternoon is slower and much more crowded, with more wind and hotter temps.  But I see more, hurt a little more, and keep on my goal of fitness.  I will ride again on Thursday.

Take care.