Riding Day 55 - August 8th, 2019
Start: Oak Park, IL
End: Chicago, IL
Miles: 24.3
Feet climbing per mile: 12
Record of today’s ride: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/38343701
I wrote yesterday that I’ve stayed several times at The Write Inn with Lori when she has been hired by Stephanie Clemens to teach at The Academy of Music and Movement. This morning I met Stephanie’s husband, Mike Dutka, at Mulata, a Brazilian cafe on the corner of Lake Street and Oak Park Avenue. Two employees working there explained that the owner of the cafe didn’t know the term “mulata” had a negative connotation in the U.S., in contrast to Brazil where the connotation is positive. Having learned of the negative connotation she decided to go ahead with the name anyway.
After Mike and I left the cafe, he showed me the church he maintains, including the workshop he built for himself in the basement. Mike explained that taking care of this old large church there’s always something to do.
I checked out of my room at 11:00, used the hotel’s slow ancient computer to create two routes from Fallingwater to Shawnee State Park Campground, and then began my 24-mile ride down memory lane. With a duration of five and one quarter hours, this was the laziest ride I’ve done in a long time.
My first stop was Riis Park at Narragansett and Fullerton, where I would sometimes come with friends to swim in the large outdoor pool. I wonder when it became the home of the Chicago Blackhawks.
I then headed to Koscuiszko Park (we pronounced it kah-zee-ES-ko, but usually called it Koz), where my friends and I spent many days during grade school playing softball, baseball, football, and hockey. The park is in much better shape than it was back then, with grass in the outfields and sand in the infields.
I then rode south on Springfield to the home in which I grew up. The awning, front stairs, and handrails are those my parents installed. The black fence was added after we moved. I recognized, or at least I thought I recognized, irregularities in the lawn due to the removal of a tree when my family lived there.
I consider the monument at Kedzie and Wrightwood to be the icon of Logan Square, and I think others do, too. The area near the monument is booming, with small, interesting shops. I had a crepe at La Boulangerie, the sort of place that did not exist there in the 60s.
When I attended Lane Technical High School there were 4000 students, 1000 of them in my class. The building and grounds look just as big today as they did back then. I was glad to see the clock in the tower told the correct time.
The Chicago lakefront is more beautiful than ever, especially since the Lincoln Park Pirates no longer tow boats from Belmont Harbor to the Lincoln Park Lagoo-in (to understand the unusual spelling, click the link above for the Lincoln Park Pirates).
I waited at least five minutes for the light to change so I could cross Lake Shore Drive to get to the east side of Buckingham Fountain so the light would be right for my video.
Having completed my tour of places I remember, I rode to University Village, which I understand is an up-and-coming neighborhood, where my niece Kelly lives with her boyfriend Chris. Chris was playing softball tonight, so he did not join us for dinner. I was glad to be able to spend time with Kelly and get to know her. Kelly gave me and my bike a ride back to the home of Larry and Carole Krucoff, where I’ll spend the night before heading to Indiana.
There are places I remember
All my life though some have changed
Some forever not for better
Some have gone and some remain
All these places had their moments
With lovers and friends I still can recall
Some are dead and some are living
In my life I’ve loved them all
-John Lennon
End: Chicago, IL
Miles: 24.3
Feet climbing per mile: 12
Record of today’s ride: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/38343701
I wrote yesterday that I’ve stayed several times at The Write Inn with Lori when she has been hired by Stephanie Clemens to teach at The Academy of Music and Movement. This morning I met Stephanie’s husband, Mike Dutka, at Mulata, a Brazilian cafe on the corner of Lake Street and Oak Park Avenue. Two employees working there explained that the owner of the cafe didn’t know the term “mulata” had a negative connotation in the U.S., in contrast to Brazil where the connotation is positive. Having learned of the negative connotation she decided to go ahead with the name anyway.
After Mike and I left the cafe, he showed me the church he maintains, including the workshop he built for himself in the basement. Mike explained that taking care of this old large church there’s always something to do.
I checked out of my room at 11:00, used the hotel’s slow ancient computer to create two routes from Fallingwater to Shawnee State Park Campground, and then began my 24-mile ride down memory lane. With a duration of five and one quarter hours, this was the laziest ride I’ve done in a long time.
My first stop was Riis Park at Narragansett and Fullerton, where I would sometimes come with friends to swim in the large outdoor pool. I wonder when it became the home of the Chicago Blackhawks.
I then headed to Koscuiszko Park (we pronounced it kah-zee-ES-ko, but usually called it Koz), where my friends and I spent many days during grade school playing softball, baseball, football, and hockey. The park is in much better shape than it was back then, with grass in the outfields and sand in the infields.
I then rode south on Springfield to the home in which I grew up. The awning, front stairs, and handrails are those my parents installed. The black fence was added after we moved. I recognized, or at least I thought I recognized, irregularities in the lawn due to the removal of a tree when my family lived there.
 |
| 2454 North Springfield Avenue |
 |
| The alley behind our house |
I consider the monument at Kedzie and Wrightwood to be the icon of Logan Square, and I think others do, too. The area near the monument is booming, with small, interesting shops. I had a crepe at La Boulangerie, the sort of place that did not exist there in the 60s.
When I attended Lane Technical High School there were 4000 students, 1000 of them in my class. The building and grounds look just as big today as they did back then. I was glad to see the clock in the tower told the correct time.
The Chicago lakefront is more beautiful than ever, especially since the Lincoln Park Pirates no longer tow boats from Belmont Harbor to the Lincoln Park Lagoo-in (to understand the unusual spelling, click the link above for the Lincoln Park Pirates).
 |
| Lincoln Park Lagoon seen from Fullerton Avenue |
I waited at least five minutes for the light to change so I could cross Lake Shore Drive to get to the east side of Buckingham Fountain so the light would be right for my video.
Having completed my tour of places I remember, I rode to University Village, which I understand is an up-and-coming neighborhood, where my niece Kelly lives with her boyfriend Chris. Chris was playing softball tonight, so he did not join us for dinner. I was glad to be able to spend time with Kelly and get to know her. Kelly gave me and my bike a ride back to the home of Larry and Carole Krucoff, where I’ll spend the night before heading to Indiana.
There are places I remember
All my life though some have changed
Some forever not for better
Some have gone and some remain
All these places had their moments
With lovers and friends I still can recall
Some are dead and some are living
In my life I’ve loved them all
-John Lennon
When I was born my parents lived in an apartment on Wellington and Whipple not far from Diversey and Kedzie. I also went to Lane Techeven after we had moved out to Diversey and Harlem. I enjoyed seeing your pictures and hearing your story. What a fun bike ride adventure!
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