Day 38: Somehow I didn't end up taking a single picture today...

I woke up at Tucker's house and felt really good. I can't believe how much better I sleep when I'm indoors. I guess it's not all that surprising, huh? I ate some cereal, packed up and left. I had a number of errands to run, and a growing hunch that I wasn't going to leave Madison today which was fine by me I could use a day off. I swung by the post office and sent a bag full of clothes back to Brooklyn. It felt really good to get rid of the weight, but I knew that I would replace the weight with double that weight in food. Oh I guess I never explained why I decided to send back clothing to make room for food

***Yesterday afternoon, I decided to change a few of my habits in the hopes that it will readjust my way of thinking about this tour. I feel as if I have been 'jetting' from one city to another and just looking at that time in between cities as filler Hurrying along so I can get to the next town Sort of like I am planning on enjoying the memory but rushing through the experience so I can hurry up and enjoy that memory . You follow?

Well after Fargo there's going to be a large gap until I hit Seattle so I reckon I better teach myself to more fully enjoy the total experience, right? So to start . I'm not going to rely on restaurants or fast food anymore; I will cook for myself or prepare meals in advance so that way I won't be driven by hunger to hurry off to the next town with a McDonalds. This causes a dilemma Being a lone cyclist I think I kind of rely on fast food stops for the interaction with the locals So I guess I'll still try and take my breaks in parks and town centers but at least I won't be dependent on those populated places for sustenance.

Also I'm not going to force myself to ride during the hot mid-day hours in order to make a particular destination. I'm going to start and end earlier in the day. This should alleviate any stress in finding a place to stay at night and I can use the evening hours to write.

Basically . The idea is to not force myself into any uncomfortable situations because of a desire to 'get' somewhere quickly. 'LAISSEZ-FAIRE' Is my war cry! Or maybe 'STOP AND SMELL THE ROSES!' Which sounds more intimidating?

After the post office I took my bike into the shop and had them replace the brake pads and take a look at the shifters It was a neat shop and the proprietor seemed a tad eccentric but the bike rides SOOOO much smoother now. I am very happy about that. There was an indexing issue with the gears

I then went and checked into a hostel downtown where it would only cost $20 for the night already cheaper than a campsite Dropped my stuff off and decided to go buy a pair of cheap running shoes so I could start jogging while on the road. I want to get started on some good exercising habits Ive been spending a lot of money Will need to live cheaply from here on out Oh Maybe after Minneapolis I've been wanting to see that town for 7 years.

They shut off a section of STATE STREET for 'Jazz at 5'? It was a bunch of people in folding chairs watching musicians perform jazz on a major city street in celebration of it being 5pm? I bought a pair of running shoes and worked on the ol' blog and sent out a few emails. I'm trying to do some research into finding a temp job for when I get off the bike in late October no luck yet I'll seriously work anything My only stipulation is that I'd need to work some place that could provide housing. It's a tall order I know That's why I've started looking already.

I 'jog' to the store and buy food supplies for the next two days The weather is gorgeous, and the guy in the store is blasting Architecture in Helsinki over the loudspeaker. I buy a headlamp for the ¾ mile tunnel I'll be riding through on Friday... I'm quite excited for that. Lots of college students are hanging out on the steps of the capitol, and it makes for an interesting site. I make Macaroni and Cheese with Tuna and Green peppers put it in Tupperware and save it for tomorrow. Will tuna hold for a day? For two? let's hope so.

My roommates are British and I have a TERRIBLE habit of speaking in a British accent when I'm around British people it's very hard to control, and really very embarrassing. I think they sense it they ask me if I'm Canadian.

OK so I know that it reads as a rather boring day in Madison but I really enjoyed myself today I met some cool people, I got to walk around a cool city and most of all I got some time to plan the next leg of my trip I'm thinking a few more of these break days throughout the trip would do me good My past break days had been spent doing stuff . Sightseeing, hanging with friends, etc I think I need time where absolutely nothing NEEDS to get done. It was a very good day. Hopefully I'll wake up early tomorrow as according to plan. I am excited.

Day 37: "...Cause You Wanna Sey 'Hey' to Everybody"

So apparently last night was a lunar eclipse the likes of which we won't see again for a while says amateur astronomer Allison I woke up at 5am and quickly glanced up at the moon, but before I could process any possible difference in its appearance, I fall back asleep 'totally not worth it' I think to myself. I wake up again around 8am to the sound of a tractor trailer engine sputtering down the road, and have a hard time blocking out the noise. I guess I had better get up I make myself a breakfast of oatmeal and protein powder, and get ready for the day. Last night there was a cool breeze and no humidity which kept the tent from collecting condensation, and thus kept me from being a cranky wet mess in the morning. It's still almost cool out It's a good morning.

I hit the road around 9:30am and ride back out to HWY 104 which I will take all the way up to Madison. It would be a short day and I would be able to stop for the day before lunch time or at least that was the plan. Instead there was a massive detour which added maybe 2 hours onto my day.

Wisconsin does not have trees or shade, and it gets extremely hot. I pass through some more Amish country, and stop for water under even the slightest tree shadow; anything to keep cool. I can't believe I ever complained about the cold.

The highway I am on turns into a freeway about 10 miles south of Madison and I am forced to exit and take a slew of back roads lined with State Prison Work Programs. As I enter Madison bike lanes start cropping up everywhere, and I see more cyclists than I have ever seen in my life it's like some sort of utopia. Every sign indicating some sort of restriction for automobiles ends with EXCEPT FOR BIKES. Cyclists have their own turn lanes! It's incredible and everyone in this town cycles.

I ride up and down State Street, which is sort of their equivalent to Bedford Ave (for you NYC people) (7th Ave in Ybor for you Tampa people) except it's closed to all cars. I eventually find the perfect spot to park my bike so that I can eat Mexican food, use wifi, and also keep a close watch over my stuff. After lunch I walk down the street and hear Neutral Milk Hotel being blasted out of a storefront. Small cramped stores selling posters, bags (see pic below), drug paraphernalia, beer ... all the markings of a college town. I really miss Tallahassee sometimes. I ride around town for a while and its clearly the first week of school Kids are in guitar and drum circles on their front porches guys are playing football in the street and posturing for the girls that watch from their porch it's all so beautifully obvious; the stuff that college cliché's are made of. So maybe this is where all those media representations of college life were based on? My amazing roommate, Crazy-Sarah went to school here I wonder how she is doing in the Peace Corps?

I ride down to the lake and am approached by Matt Johnson. He's about my age and he did a cross country bike trip last summer. He doesn't have a place of his own to offer me, but we talk for awhile, and he's a really neat guy. Next month he's hitchhiking down to Mexico to study Spanish in Chiapas with the Zapatistas. I can't even imagine. oh yeah... I might go stay with his parents in Minnesota... or maybe just get dinner with them or something... we'll see.

So I went to the campus, took off my shoes and walked in the lake (they have a beach ON campus). It's a really beautiful town, and seeing all the new and returning students running about all excited to be starting a new year it made me lonely for the first time on the trip. In case there was any doubt I am absolutely a city person.

I stop at a YUMMY BUFFET (my way of protesting how healthy this town claims itself to be) and load up on Chinese Food before heading east to meet up with Tucker who has graciously agreed to put me up for the night.

Remember what I said about feeling guilty whenever I walk into a clean house? his apartment was very nice and very clean made me a bit nervous but he was a great guy getting his PHD in Biology at UW Madison has done lots of bike touring all over the world. I do some planning for the route tomorrow and then go to sleep on the couch. I sleep very well; by a window with lightning in the distance, but no thunder.

"It's so hard to go into the city. Cause you wanna say 'hey' to everybody"

Day 36: Oh Yes... There Will Be Blood

I'm recapping a little.... bear with me...

I woke up to the sound a rooster crowing, which was perfect because I had overslept anyways. After packing up, Keith came out and invited me in for some breakfast that his eldest daughter Rachel had made. The Saris family raises chicken and so the eggs were fresh. The two boys, Tim and Anthony are in the scouting program, and so we talked about Seabase, and Philmont, and I admitted that while I was an Eagle Scout, it took some bribery from my parents to get me to actually finish the requirements. It was a good time... Oh yeah... and it was the first day of school... so I'm a bit surprised that the Saris family were able to take so much time out of what I'm sure was already a hectic day, to play host to a lone touring cyclist. But man was I impressed with their hospitality. I'm not sure why I get so nervous about asking to camp in stranger's yards, when I end up meeting such nice people. Thanks Saris family... If you're ever in NYC and need anything, let me know...

And now that I've had a great morning... it all slowly gets worse as the day goes on.

So I head out about 7:00am and a large wall of black clouds hangs ominously above the Northern horizon. Instead of heading straight into it, I navigate West and then will cut up north later... its a longer route... but should save me from having to ride in the rain. After about 2 hours of riding west, i cut up North and the large wall of horrible weather, is still sitting there; waiting for me. I push forward and eventually into the middle of a rainstorm... I pull off into a driveway where a MASSIVE hollowed out barn sits, and ask a guy if I can hang out til the rain passes. He says: "I Don't Care". We make small talk and he's a cool guy who works the third shift at a retirement home. He would prefer to worsk first shift... but he can't find the work. The rain stops and I thank him, to which he responds.... "I don't care". About 20 minutes later, I have caught up with the rainstorm and so I hang out under the awning of a church eating pop tarts. I wait a good 30 minutes before pushing into Freeport... which is only 10 miles down the road, and large enough to have restaurants and wifi...

A lightning Storm rages, and a strong headwind keeps me traveling slow enough so that the terrible weather passes before I get into town. I am convinced that a Tornado is going to pop out of nowhere and I will be too weighted down to outrun it.

I catch up on my blogging at Higher Grounds Cafe. How many bad puns have been perpetrated in the name of coffee?

I call a couple from Warmshowers about camping out on their lawn. They do not answer, but I am confident they will return my call after 5pm. I decide that once i get into Wisconsin, I will head East a bit and just plan on crashing at their place.

I take the Jane Addams trail out of Freeeport, but to enter it, you must ride down a semi-steep hill that is gravel/dirt. I love control of the bike and go flying over the front, smashing my head and arm into the gravel and sending the bike landing on top of me. Wow... I have such a headache, and the contents of my handlebar bag are scattering. I am still lying on the ground. Luckily no one saw me. I look at my arm... Lotta blood. Nothing terrible though. Some Road Rash... My ribs are killing me.... hope I didn't brake them. Naw... probably just bruised. OK.... so THAT happened.

I had been listening to the new GO TEAM! record which had just leaked a day or two prior (Thanks Greg), but was feeling a bit fragile after the fall... I put on Grandaddy's Sophtware Slump and continues on the trail... Hopefully I'll get a chance to clean the wound tonight at that couple's house.

The trail is gorgeous... Absolutely stunning. Prarie Dogs, Deer, Rabbit all running about. A squirrel jumps out in front of me and almost sends me flying off my bike a second time... I eventually reach Wisconsin... my arm is stinging...but I feel OK...

Within 2 minutes of crossing into Wisconsin... I discover that there are TONS of MASSIVE hills in the section I am crossing. TONS... What I thought would only be an hours worth of peddling, is now looking like it will take 3; which will put me in Brodhead after dark. I am not happy... and my arm is starting to stiffen up. But the landscape is, without question, the prettiest I have yet seen on my entire trip. I wish I was in the right state of mind to enjoy it.

climb an ungodly amount of hills and make it to Brodhead about a half hour after the sun sets... although I never heard back from the couple, and they do not answer my second phone call. I get dinner at McDonalds where I am informed that they do not have a motel in the town... Now Im starting to worry. I eat with a sad/heart of gold expression so as to invite a random act of kindness from some stranger who decides he wants to put me up for the evening. That stranger never comes. I can ask a local to camp on their lawn but I really want to clean off my arm which has acquired nice layer of dirt over the dried blood.... like glitter on Elmer's Glue.

I ask a policewoman if i can camp in the local park... and she says absolutely not. I ask her what I should do, as their town doesnt have a hotel... she tells me there is a campground somewhere around here... I swear... the police have not ONCE been helpful to me on this trip. Not once... Only suspicious and belligerent. I miss the NYPD... they may seem lazy at times... but dammit... they're nice, and are genuinely helpful 75% of the time. I am done with asking permission from the police... at least until I hit Montana. I'll give them a fair shot.

I eventually track down this campground a mile or two outside of town. It is pitch black outside, but I catch the proprietor just as he is locking up for the night... Thank goodness. I overpay for a campsite, but am grateful for the shower and the internet connection. I clean out all my stuff and organize it all for tomorrow. I check my email... and it looks as though I will have a place to stay in Madison tomorrow. I'm gonna sleep in tomorrow... 105 miles is too long.

Steve Buckles Under the Pressure...

OK... So I'm finding it difficult to keep two separate online journals. I think in the end, both journals would suffer as a result of the compartmentalization (events vs thoughts)...
I wanna remain a part of the crazyguy forum... but I like the freedom of having a personal blog where I can upload video, or talk about non cycling subjects.... so i will be maintaining both sites... but here's the key...

This will be the more detailed site, as it is visited primarily by family and friends... For instance if I end up meeting a crazy person through Warmshowers... They will have my crazyguyonabike web address and thus I couldn't tell you exactly how crazy they were, right? Also... since there's nothing off limits content-wise with this site... it's guaranteed that you'll get the more complete version of my travails. So there you have it... You are now free to delete the links to my crazy web address. All updates will be happening primarily through this web address...

The revolution will be televised.. or blogged rather.

Day 35, 36: Madison Dreaming

***FYI... Today marks the first entry where the bulk of the narrative will be carried on my other blog... www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/sloride ***

So... I'm in Freeport, IL at a coffeeshop wondering just how my predictions for the yesterday and today were so off. Should I even bother trying to get to Madison tonight? Yesterday I fell 20 miles short of my target.... and if I plan to stay on traget today, I will be riding non stop until sundown... I need to develop a better system of planning.

Day 35:

I left Chicago and caught the train to Elmhurst where Mr Konrad and I worked out a route to Rockford. But due to a few delays due to flooding in the region, I was unable to get all the way to Rockford, and stopped for the night in Clare, IL... I stayed with the Saris Family, who were cooler than cool. They had recently done a Boy Scout trip to Philmont and I told them about my "Seabase Adventure." It's a pretty good day of riding. The trails were a little crowded, but not terrible.

Sidenote... There's an acoustic Matchbox 20 song on the radio at this coffee shop, and Benedict has always sworn that song is actually good in its acoustic form... I gotta say that its MUCH better than I expected it to be. Not sure it'd make it onto my ipod... but still better than expected.

Day 36:

I had a hard time waking up this morning because of all the condensation that collected under my rain-fly. It drips from above and thoroughly soaks me every time I jostle the tent even slightly. I eventually get packed up and have breakfast with the Saris family. Such a cool family; they have tons of cats and chickens running about, and the eggs we eat are actually fresh. Today was the first day of school for all of the kids and they seemed to be surprisingly OK with it. We talked for a while over breakfast, but I didn't want to overstay my welcome, so took off about 8am.

Heading West, there is a ridiculously black wall of clouds that hang over the horizon, not unlike the thick clouds that sat stationary over Mordor. It is not looking good.... I head straight into the mess, not unlike Frodo with his ring of power. (Why do I remember all of this.... I didn't even like those movies that much).

It rains. And gets very windy.... the sky has the craziest textures to it. I hear a siren and start to worry about Twisters. I take shelter in side a barn with some mechanic for a few minutes, and then 15 minutes later take shelter under a church overhang. Its days like this that make me wish I was back in Brooklyn making music. I'm wet and riding into intense headwinds. Huh... I really miss writing music.

I roll into Freeport, IL and find Higher Ground coffee shop, and that kinda fills you in to where I am at now. I am planning on continuing up north into Wisconsin, but the trail that is supposed to take me all the way into Madison is supposedly closed down due to the rain.... I'm thinking of trying to ride it anyways, and just maybe it will be dry enough to get through.... but I have a hunch this could end in disaster.

I'm a little stressed today... Although i was thinking about it, and I feel as if I am starting to loosen up around other people (strangers). Instead of just saying the generic, and pleasant response, I am actually starting to let my personality out to people I don't know. It doesn't sound like a big change, but you gotta trust me... it is kinda monumental. I think it represents a seismic shift in how I relate to others. I'm no longer keeping everyone at arms length, but rather... I am actually interacting with people, rather than just meeting them. I think it also represents that i'm becoming more comfortable with myself... Maybe?

I am sooo looking forward to Madison, WI... There's no way it could be as nice as I am picturing... but i bet its cool nonetheless... I just need to find a place to stay... Warmshowers.org, don't fail me now.

I'm taking a day off in Madison, hopefully.... so I'll write a GREAT entry tomorrow maybe. Today I need to get back on the road.

- Steve

Day 34: All Things Go.... All Things Go...

OK... so I just wanted to post one more time before leaving town. I'm feeling very conflicted about starting back up. I'm eager to ride again, but I'm never quite as happy as when I'm in the city. I'm hesitant to leave, considering that within the next week or so... I will be leaving behind all major cities until I reach Seattle. A little scary. The upsides... I'm in great shape... I'm listening to a lot of music I haven't listened to in years... I'm seeing the country and meeting great people...

But it can be really hard at times; and leaving behind comfortable surroundings for heat and primitive camping is a hard thing to do. I know that once I get started, I will have no hesitation... but for tonight I'm enjoying walking the streets of Lincoln Park and watching the Saturday night crowds go about their business. Have I mentioned enough already that I love this town? It wouldn't be completely ridiculous to assume that I might look into living here when I get back from Europe in the spring. Not too likely, but possible.

***Is it just me, or am I the least confident, most apprehensive cross country blogger ever. I feel kinda bad every time I ready other people's more confident, exciting blogs full of picaresque adventure and good times. Maybe I just need to turn my brain off for the next few months?***

SO I bid you all adieu... tomorrow I have a difficult day... I will take a train to Elmhurst and pick up my bike from the Konrad house around 1:30pm. Then I will follow a series of convoluted/disconnected trails to Sycamore, IL... at which point I will make my way to Rockford, IL on county roads. Hopefully I might have a place to stay when I get there.... if not.... I will probably try and pass through town and ask a local if I can camp in his/her yard... So tonight I will shower one last time, and make a mental note of how it feels to sleep on a mattress in Air conditioning. I will wake up and grab a bagel and a cup of coffee... before riding out of town on the 12:40pm train. I like making rituals of simple events and imbuing them with more meaning than they deserve.

I want to thank the Konrad's again for their hospitality. Also... Thomas Butkovich, the South Chicago guy who picked me up and gave me a ride to Hyde Park... I can't imagine how that day would have gone without them. I'm learning to relax more as a result of these random encounters with strangers, friends, acquaintances, and amazing people who are always ready and willing to help. I'm still not going to put myself into a perilous situation by not planning the trip... but it helps to know that if things don't go according to plan... it will be OK. All is full of love.

Oh, PS... Due to a strange set of circumstances, I might need a place to stay for two nights in Minneapolis. Any takers? Armed only with a bag of laundry and a killer Muffaletta recipe... I've come cross country to buy you a beer.

And away we go...

The Adventurist.

As strange as it may seem for me to be profiled in any sort of positive light...
I recently was took part in an interview for the online publication:

The Adventurist

If any of you are interested...

The Adventurist Interview with Steve and Matt

Day 34: All Things No... All Things No...

So... I'll be leaving Chicago tomorrow, and so decided to take today to get myself ready for life on the road. I really like Chicago... Carl Sandberg's quote about having never seen a city so excited to be alive, is definitely accurate. This morning there was a major world event called City Chase, and teams of 2 were running around the city trying to complete obstacles and challenges not unlike the Amazing Race. And despite it being a rare occurrence... it seems to sum up this city pretty well... Pairs of Perfect Strangers were swapping stories on th EL Train, of having to eat Mealworms, and having to scale massive walls to fulfill the game requirements.
I have a hard time understanding it except in terms of NYC... so here goes...

It's cleaner, friendlier, less crowded, less cynical, and just generally a city with a sunnier disposition. And it achieves all this without throwing aside its intelligence and ambition, unlike other "friendly cities" like Los Angeles or San Diego. BUT.... without the overcrowding, and the dirt, and the manic pace, you definitely have a less interesting and less exciting city. It's not under the same intense pressure that seems to define NYC; Like a stepping stone between NYC and Los Angeles (The second step down is a doozey) it enjoys life the way NYC seems incapable of doing, but will probably never be as important or as Awe-inspiring as Gotham... but I'm not sure it really wants to be. But then again... I've only been here a week, so what the hell do I know.

I could absolutely live here.

1. Sears Tower
2. Lincoln Park
3. Rode Bicycle Through the City
4. Sorta found The Dark Knight set
5. Kumail Nanjiani's "Unpronounceable" (brother of Zain... ex Holedigger compatriot)
6. Chili's
7. All you can Eat Sushi buffet
8. Hyde Park
9. King of Kong
10. Wrigley Field
11. Grant Park
12. Tried Deep Dish Pizza
13. Lakeshore Drive
14. Greektown
15. Wicker Park
16. Boy's Town
17. Superbad

NOTE: Crazyguyonabike Blog is UP!

The CrazyguyBlog is finally up... There isnt anything on it yet that you absolutely need to read... but there will be once I leave Chicago... right now its simply a second, though very similar account to what has already happened....

http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/sloride

Why a second Blog? Well... It'll be a bit more conservative so I can send the web address out to potential hosts without them worrying that I will be killing squirrels whilst in their home. Thats Slovacek Promise #1... I will NOT kill Squirrels inside your home!

Day 29: All Things Grow, All Things Grow

So we woke up and right away tried to book space in the hostel downtown, but they had no openings until Thursday.... so we called up a few other hostels further uptown and found one with lots of open beds.

We grabbed lunch at the Downtown Chili's after wandering around "The Loop" for a while. We took the train to Lincoln Park and secured space at the hostel, and then erroneously set up our stuff in the girl's dormitory... before realizing our mistake and relocating. We wandered through Lincoln Park... which seems to be a pretty cool part of town. On the marquee of a comedy club, I see an ad for M. Nanjiani.... and it just so happens that my friend Zain Nanjiani has a brother in Chicago who is a stand up comedian... so we're definitely gonna check that out on Friday.
Greg got us tickets to see a free screening of the documentary King of Kong... and it was really good; very entertaining. I had a couple reservations about the ethics of it... but still reccomend it enthusiastically. It's like the nerd documentary equivalent to Rocky... very engrossing.

We walk up to Wrigley Field and then grab some sushi. My feet are killing me, and I'm kinda tired. Tomorrow we see Superbad and hang out in Wicker Park.... I am excited... and excitement "can make you do crazy things" (for those of you who don't catch it.... Wicker Park was the name of a Josh Hartnett/Rachel Leigh Cook movie from a few years back; and it's ad campaign prominently featured the line.... "Love Can Make you do crazy things". For years I have been waiting to visit Wicker Park to deliver this line.... Tomorrow I finally get my chance.

Chicago is fun.

Days 26, 27, 28: All Things go, All Things Go

Day 26 Contd:

I go to Patty and Chris' house where they are nice enough to let me shower. It is supposed to rain that evening, and since their son is going to be home, they say its cool for me to hang out indoors for the evening. I am planning my water-logged route for tomorrow (supposed to rain all day) when for no discernible reason I start to panic about the next 2 days of riding before Chicago. I seriously consider renting a car and driving into the city because I want a break so badly... All evening I was really anxious about everything, and I have no idea why. Maybe its because I will be traveling busy roads, or maybe its the weather?

Day 27:

The next morning I get up and leave by 7am so I can make a stop at McDonalds before I get going... About 8 people in the McDonalds advise me not to ride today... Usually I like the attention.... but It gets old...

Surprisingly, I have a great day! I ride through the first rain storm. and get thoroughly soaked...
It's Freshman Year of College day on my ipod, and so I rock out to The Get Up Kids, Jimmy Eat World and REM all day. I don't think people give REM credit for how GREAT of a band they once were. One of the all-time greats.

I am making great time when it starts to rain again, so I hide under an abandoned Bank Drive Thru structure.... It gets very cold... but after an hour of jogging in place to stay warm, the rain stops and I start back up.

I make it to within 5 miles of my destination and I am marveling at what great time I am making, when I realize that I passed through the time zone change.... so thats why it seems as if I am some sort of super-human cyclist. The rain starts back up and I hide under a Girl Scouts of America Campground pavilion. It lasts a long time so I make a bunch of phone calls since its Sunday and I have free weekends. Around 4pm, I decide to just ride in the rain anyways because I am so close to Hobart, where I will be staying with Jahsun for the evening. On a backroad leaidng into Hobart... I spot a Strip Mall in the distant haze.... Like a maniac I re-route myself and head North just as fast as my legs will peddle.... I am rewarded with a Chinese Buffet, and the option of any fast food restaurant I could veer hope for. Strangely.... No Chilis.

I head into Hobart and take pictures around town.... Its a quiet sleepy little town that is on the Periphery of Chicagoland. I am riding around when some guy calls out to me from behind... It is Jahsun.... he leads me back to his place where he makes dinner and we talk about music recording. He's a genuinely really nice guy and he plays me a little of his music. Later in the evening, we go to the oub down the street and he goes off on kind of a libertarian rant against the corporate/governmental entities that are enslaving humans into a system of forced labor... I don't disagree with his sentiments "per say"... but i find it to be a losing battle to get worked up over that sorta stuff... but I'm glad to be staying with someone interesting all the same. He sets me up with a couch for the evening... really cool guy.

***It's at this point that Steve must vacate the hotel he is blogging from.... so even though he hates to do it.... he will simply copy Day 28 from his CRAZYGUYONABIKE Blog into this entry.... sorry.

Day 28:

I wake up on Jahsun’s couch from the deafening sound of thunder. The rain is intense, and weather.com gave me the impression that I would be riding through a series of intense thunderstorms all day if I wanted to get into Chicago. I took my time in getting ready, until the rain was only a Seattle-Drizzle… and then set off…

Here’s the plan….

I take the Oak-Savannah Trail to the Erie-Lackawanna Trail to the Burnham Trail to South Chicago and eventually onto the Lakefront Trail, which runs the length of Chicago! Once I am in the city, I am to head back out West through the center of the city and out into the suburbs to drop my bike off for the week at Dani’s parents house in Elmhurst. Then I will take the train back to Chicago and meet up with Greg around 7pm for dinner.

Here’s what happened…

There were huge felled trees blocking the Savannah Oak path causing huge delays while i maneuvered my way around them, or lifted my bike over them. Also… there were more than a few spots where the trail was buried under 1 – 2 feet of water. The roads connecting the trails were pretty confusing…. But I overcome all of these obstacles and find myself near the Indiana-Illinois border. It’s here that I hear a strange sound coming from my back tire… the wheel is ridiculously and suddenly out of true (bent out of shape), and the brake pad is scraping against the tire and has worn it down considerably. How did this happen so suddenly? WTF?

It’s a pretty terrible neighborhood… so I find the least secluded spot, and try to put the wheel back in true… but the tire is worn and bulging out the sides… to keep any further friction, I disengage the back brakes, and will have to just hope I can make it to a bike shop before it blows out.

I did NOT make it to a bike shop before it blew out. I was on the Burnham Path heading into South Chicago… The tire was shredded, and the tube exploded with a loud bang. Unfortunately… according to my friend Mike… the nearest Bike shop was about 6 miles away. I find myself at a Burger King trying to brainstorm through my options… luckily Mike and Allison help me get numbers for Cab companies… but no cab company has both A) a van in their fleet, and B) a Van in their fleet that wants to go so far south t pick me up. I try asking people for a ride… but everyone says no. Eventually… I just decide that no matter how bad South Chicago might get, and regardless of how long a walk it is to the nearest shop, or train station…. I had better just start heading north before the sun starts to set.

The neighborhood gets progressively worse as I head further into Chicago… but after about 20 minutes of walking, a stranger appears on the side of the road, with a Mini-van offering me a ride to Hyde Park where there’s a good bike shop. I load up my bike in his van and we make a quick stop to his house…. (What part of Chicago was John Wayne Gacey from?) His wife had just found 2 puppies in the road and she was feeding them and caring for them. They already own 5 dogs and could not take in another 2. They have a really cool house that reminds me of Michael Cain’s from Children of Men. We swing over to Hyde Park and it is indeed a pretty great Bike Shop: “Arts Cycles”. They fix up my tire right away and within 30 minutes, I am back on the road… Apparently that tire I was riding was faulty… I’m becoming less and less impressed with Bicycle Habitat in NYC

I ride up the coastline and it’s gorgeous albeit it obscured by a thick layer of clouds. I am on the phone with my sister Kira when about 15 people on “segways” pass me and I surreptitiously try to get a picture. It is a tour group apparently and their guide notices me, and decides to make me one of their “attractions”. He tells everyone “Look over here” and soon I am flanked by about 20 very happy tourists on segways… and he pretends to be David Letterman and “interviews” me for the group. I tell them my story and they all have lots of questions. One tourist is a firefighter from Coney Island… I tell him that I took the Fire Test last year, and we talk about how terrible last year’s test was and how it’s still being fought over in the courts between disputing parties.

I call Dani’s mom and let her know I am coming. I love riding through downtown Chicago… it reminds me so much of NYC that it is surreal. Greg made a good observation that it doesn’t feel like a different city, as much as it just disorients you because it just feels like you’re in downtown NYC but are so hopelessly lost that you don’t recognize any street names. Although it is a strange ultra-clean version of NYC… I never realize how dirty NYC is until I visit other cities.

Heading further west I pass through about 10 miles of VERY POOR neighborhoods; the likes of which I haven’t really seen in NYC, on account of never going up to the Bronx. I ride quickly, and eventually make it out into the suburbs where I find the Prairie Path trail which leads me directly to Elmhurst.

I drop by Dani’s (College Friend who now lives in LA) house and her mother is waiting for me. She gives me a diet coke and we talk for a while about the film business, and life in general… she seems genuinely concerned over my safety on this trip… I met her a couple of times in college, but had forgotten just how sweet she was. We go out to get some Italian food, and spend a good portion of the time discussing post film school life: expectations vs realities. She has a really good perspective on what it’s like from taking with Dani. After dinner she drops me off at the train station to o into NYC… I check my phone and I have missed 3 calls from Greg who has been waiting for me for a while. Whoops… I guess I got carried away at dinner. I don’t mind though, I had a really fun time at dinner. I need to remember to thank Dani tomorrow.

At the train station, a fat guy asks me for a dollar. He goes and buys two soda’s… one with his dollar and one with mine… then he offers me the soda he bought… strange… I soon find out that he is absolutely crazy. Just plain nuts. He keeps talking to me about people he has killed, and how he breaks out of prisons because he’s “tough like that”. I try to keep conversation to a minimum, but he decides that he wants to go camping with me, if I’ll pay him to. I politely decline and our train pulls up.

I get into the city and meet up with Greg for a drink. We walk around looking for a hostel, and I set my laptop bag (Conents: Laptop, ipod, phone, camera, wallet, all pertinent power cords) down on a bench while looking through a map. It was only 11pm and this city had completely shut down for the evening. It’s really strange to me. We continue on to the hostel which is about 15 minutes away on foot. They are full, so send us to a Travelodge down the street. It’s at this point I realize that I left my laptop bag at the bench about 30 - 45 minutes ago. We run outside and hail a cab back to where we were…. I get so nervous walking up the bench…. Trying to look from afar as to whether it is there…..

It IS there! Thank goodness this city goes to bed at 9pm…. There’s no way this would have happened in NYC. Wow… I hate how forgetful I am. So grateful to have this back. We hit up the Travelodge and I pass out pretty quickly after watching some TV.

Slo-Ride