Week 2 Saturday

May 6, 2006
Activities/Actions:

• Biked the 18-mile lakefront Bike trail (total of around 35 mile for today ride)
• Grant Park tour
• Frisbee with the kids and P' Lek

Stat:

30 mins biked to downtown before the tour; tour for 2 hours; biked for another 1 1/2 hrs or so.

Course condition: Nice, but a bit chilly. The sky is clear; the lake is emerald green/dark navy blue.

How I felt:
(the 5-point scale)

• Physically 5
• Mentally 3
• About my nutrition 4
• About my sleep 3

How hard did I work? 7
(the 10-point scale)

Note and reflections:
Today 35 mile bike refreshes and energizes me to gain a new momentum power. Since awaked at 9 pm I have been out in the sun most of the day. Biking to downtown to catch a Grant Park tour at 10 hurries me off for out-door activities. Though sunshine gives plenty of lights, it cannot warm the chilly wind up much. I wish I brought my windbreaker with me. The tour starts at North garden of the Art Institute of Chicago, walking south to Major Logan Monument. Then we take the North path along Columbus Drive to the stop at President Court (where Lincoln sits). More on the tour to come.

To the east a cloudless sky meets a dark navy blue current of Lake Michigan. Unsurprisingly, this invites Chicagoans and visitors alike to experience this wonderful day. Passing through dog-walkers, rollerbladers and parents pushing a baby stroller, I am cruising along this busy lakefront path, leaving the parade of Polish Constitution Day behind. The north section of lakefront path seems to be busier than the south one, which makes it more welcome to bike, at least to me, because more people make atmosphere livelier (at least for this case). Most yuppies leave in this area of the city; girls are nicer looking here than beaches around Hyde Park. Though, a few people are playing on beaches due to this chilly wind (and probably the beach has not opened yet). I see Geoff biking south near Ohio St. Beach; he is probably coming for a weekend bike too.

Along the way to the end of lakefront trail, all parks are filled with kids and adults enjoying their sport activities. Kids are completing in their soccer match surrounded by a crowd of cheering parents. All baseball parks are also filled with groups of boys and men. I traverse my way back after I reach the end of the trail at Kathy Osterman Beach. Many pairs of couples are laying down; some're hugging; some're reading.

On the way back, I stop at Argyle Street to get Vietnamese sandwiches and some groceries. This is a quick stop since I don't want to park my bike outside for too long. I had a bad experience when I lost my friend's nice bike two summers ago. Biking back south faces stronger gusts of wind than that due north this morning. I am hoping that the way back would be a nice ride since the wind created some friction ealier. I should have known better not to hope like this since it is just a slim chance to get such a luck. Similarly, for running you hope for the wind to die down on the way back, but right after you turn back wind hits you in the fact again.

In the evening I take the kids to play Frisbee. We walk to the Point and meet P' Lek there. Though the decreasing temperature blows chilly wind hitting our body, running to catch Frisbee warms ourselves up to enjoy Frisbee. We throw back and forth for ~ 40 minutes, when we have to go back because of the poor shivering Kimmy who has not run much.

Today has been a very good day for me. It seems a good way to reward myself.

Photos:

A view of downtown from 40th St.