Day 98
Chicago and I go way back. I grew up in St. Louis, five hours drive from Chicago. Sometimes we would go to sleep in the car and my dad would start driving in the middle of the night. We would wake up in the Field Museum’s parking lot, ready for the doors to open. Some of my fondest childhood museum memories are from Chicago.
Then, when I was older I went to college in Northern Indiana, a few hours from Chicago. When we wanted to go to a concert, we would take the South Shore train in. Again, Chicago was our big city getaway place. In my third year in college I did a month long course about Art History while living in the South Side of Chicago.
Paul has a similar fondness for the Windy City. He loves the shopping on Michigan Ave in particular. So on our roadtrip tour, we both wanted to spend a few days here. Even though we have no family in Chicago, the city feels like family.
The downtown hotels were full, with three major events and conferences taking place. We stayed at a great two bedroom apartment through AirBnB. The flat came with two bicycles, an added bonus hotels don’t offer. Paul spent one day riding a new trail on the Westside called the Bloomingdale Trail or the 606. If you’re into cycling, that’s a trail you’ll want to check out.
A few blocks away we ate at a burger place that had the most heavily tattooed waitstaff I’ve ever seen, and the nicest.
The patrons were an eclectic combination of bikers, neighborhood families, and business people. Chicago’s awesome at mixing it up that way.
