Friday, October 8, 2010

A Bike Ride to the City

Friday is Jason's day off.  It has become an unofficial Date Day.  With temperatures climbing to the upper seventies,  crisp fall color, and bright blue skies, the day seemed full of possibility.  We decided to make that possibility become a reality in a 26 mile (roundtrip) bike ride down to the city and back home again in time to pick up the girls at school.  


Bike Trails snake down the shoreline of Lake Michigan all the way from Rogers Park (just south of Evanston) to Downtown

Mama on the Move

A homeless woman enjoying the day by communing with the pigeons.

A view from Navy Pier

Mac & Cheese Anyone?

A View from the Art Museum




After riding 13 miles we needed a little treat.  We stopped at a place to make a homesick-for-Portland girl smile...Intelligentsia Coffee.  Ahhhh...coffee the way it was meant to be.  I guess Starbucks hasn't taken over the entire city.  Thank God.
 "The Pour Over"  
Each cup of coffee is individually brewed by literally pouring over each serving of freshly ground bean.

A Happy Girl.

Next stop. Lunch at a local place recommended by the folks at Intelligentsia.  
Hey, why not be Cheese Savvy?

Jason wearing the smile of a man about to bite into...

 THIS.


The 'El' rumbled by while we enjoyed our sandwich and people watched.  This train is the brown line which winds in a narrow circle on elevated tracks through the heart of downtown.  I've heard it is fun just to ride it to peer into office windows and see the skyscrapers up close and personal.  

Jason thought another title for this post could be WHEN A DAY OFF FEELS LIKE A VACATION.  Amen.

5 comments:

  1. What an amazing day!! I've never spent time in Chicago, and all your pictures and descriptions make me really want to go there.

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  2. Wow - looks like you guys had a great day. Thanks for sharing some of your pictures!

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  3. You are really making me want to come visit! I have ridden the brown line and peered into office buildings! It's fun and a little weird :) Miss you guys so much!

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  4. I just looked at the picture again of your friends from school. I recognize Susan. She look great--has not changed a bit accept for the tummy.

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  5. Okay - I just read that and feel like I took a vacation. What a perfect day!

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