Chicago Day Trip

MSP carpet. The design was commissioned specifically for the Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport. This week, it felt good to be standing on MSP carpet after a long absence: I’d last seen the inside of an airport back in March 2020. It felt even better to be on an early morning flight to Chicago. 1. ‘L’ from…… Continue reading Chicago Day Trip

Trespassing on a Rail Bridge

Walked across the Mississippi from Nicollet Island on this 1893 Burlington Northern Santa Fe bridge, watching for freight trains, Northstar commuter trains, and cops. We then reversed course back across the bridge to avoid getting stuck in a narrow gap in a fence.

Lawlessness

Caught glimpses of the Mississippi below through cracks and gaps as I wheeled my bicycle across the bridge. The railroad company had installed a steel grid walkway for their workers over rotting and missing boards. A sign that once stated “No Trespassing” exuded lawlessness.

An Atlas Obscura Walk in Chicago

Guide books often funnel people to over-loved places. Atlas Obscura, “the definitive guide to the world’s hidden wonders,” is a good resource to locate uncrowded, off-beat places to spice up a walk. The information is crowd-sourced, so it needs to be treated with caution. For example, a “machine gun nest” near our home is simply…… Continue reading An Atlas Obscura Walk in Chicago