Bicycle Touring in Illinois : Wednesday June 11

No real mileage put on the bike today.

Average Speed: ??? mph

Max Speed: ??? mph

Total Riding Time: ?:??:??

Trip Mileage: 1-2 mies at most

Total Mileage to Date: 981

Wake Up Time: 6:30am

Leave Time: 11:00am

 

Wrote 10:30pm...

Went downstairs to have breakfast and also do laundry. While there I overheard a man tell his girlfriend that he wasn't allowed to bring his bicycle into the hotel even though I rolled my loaded bike in. Told you I had the "touch!" Picked up a Chicago transit map and on the back it made mention of Frank Lloyds home in Oak Park as being accessible from the Green Line. Guess where I was going today?!

 

Walked over to the Fullerton Red Line train station and noticed a pretty girl near me on the platform. I wanted to say something, but didn't since I'm a shy guy. Kept on noticing her even after I had transferred to the Green Line. We are both now on the Green Line train going to Oak Park when all the passengers are told to get off the train-two times in a row. Turns out that the draw bridge on the next block was locked. I'm thoroughly confused now because I don't know where I am.

 

Went downstairs to take a shuttle bus when I saw her again on my left. We again made eye contact-or so I like to think :-) I wanted to talk to her and finally said something to the effect of the train situation being crazy. BAM, from there on we spent the whole afternoon together. Turns out that she lives in Oak Park near the Frank Lloyd Wright house.

 

We get off at the Harlem stop and I suggest lunch. As we walk it starts raining and we dash inside a restaurant. We're drenched and she did the most unexpected thing: she took a shirt she had wrapped around her waist and began blotting the water off my face with it. As on the train we had a great time. Her name is "S" and she is a voice major at DePaul University and was telling me that she got out early because she had finals. What a chance meeting.

 

We left and then she showed me FLW's house and several others in the area that I was not aware of. We then exchanged numbers and addresses and agreed to meet again. I went back to Chiago feeling very happy.

 

When I returned to Chicago I found a pay phone and called Doug at work and he was finally back. We met at 5pm at his place. We then left to have some beers and then went out for dinner. He gave me a spare key to his apartment and I'll be there tomorrow. Doug and I used to work at a record shop together back in Jersey and it was good seeing a familiar face. I'm sure we'll have a great time.

 

So far, Chicago has exceeded all my expectations and again I'm flirting with the idea of relocating here at least for a year. That's what this whole trip was about anyway! Discovering new places and people. My old girlfriend and I were going to relocate to Seattle back in 1991 and we never did and I always think about it. Let me pack the bike for tomorrow morning's trek to Doug's place. I gave "S" a quick phone call before I wrote this to give her Doug's telephone number so she'll have a way to reach me instead of the front desk at the Day's Inn. Hope to see her again.