Bike to last

In anticipation of an upcoming bike race and a burgeoning hobby, I took an hour and a half ride through West suburban Chicago on Saturday. Armed with a bottle of water, my trusty helmet and the volume turned all the way up on my phone lest I miss a text, I slowly made my way from one suburb to the next.

As I traveled along the sides of several busy streets, I eventually eased into the quiet roads of residential bliss. But not before hitting a crack in the sidewalk and spilling onto the grass. Oops. Streets only from now on, she said.

I passed by El Sierra School, a second home from grades K-6, including the former Butterfly Garden, now affectionately known as Monarch Waystation. The playground area too hadn’t seemed to change much in the past 10 (!) years.

From there I traveled down Parkview Drive, home since always, and did some major creeping on the little blue house that will forever be mine. My final resting stop: McCollum Park, a park Frasier and I walked around many a time.

Cheers to myself for making it back home without fading from hunger.