ch-ch-ch-changes.....

"Hey, look, you're different."

A friend of mine once said that to his wife after she'd changed clothes mid-conversation, and I today, while thinking of the next leg of the bike trip, my thoughts echoed that sentiment. Rather than riding northwest from Portland and then south down the coast we've decided to skip the coast and ride straight south. From here the coast seems too far. We're in Chicago now.

Last week, while browsing Amtrak fares from Seattle to Olympia I found tickets from Portland to Chicago for almost nothing. Ben and I were excited to make this impulsive change but were a little disappointed to give up the west coast leg of the trip. After hemming and hawing for a few minutes we decided to ask Kayla, without telling her that it was entirely her decision, how she would like to visit Chicago. She was excited to go and so, after a few days in Portland seeing old friends and eating doughnuts, we boarded a train heading east.

Kayla's cousin, Sarah, has been putting us up in Chicago. She has an apartment with two extra bedrooms and has been a super accommodating host and has provided excellent directions around the city. Chicago seems like a really great city. I'd spent some time here before, almost 14 hours, but then I'd spent the entire time walking and appreciating the sights of a real city (sorry Anchorage!) and enjoying it, but not enough to delay my departure. This time, riding my bike around the city, I'm feeling those stomach butterflies and jaw-ache inducing smiles that hint at love. That's right, I said it, I love Chicago. I've never been in a city that so successfully integrates bicycles into traffic as a realistic transportation option. Did you hear that, Portlanders? Chicago is more bike-friendly than Portland and Chicago is more bike-friendly than Seattle and Chicago is a beautiful city on a beautiful lake (but not as beautiful as Lake Ontario). Love is fleeting though, and we'll ride out in day or two.

Wait! "We'll ride out...." means something different now. It used to mean something like "Ben, Kayla, and I....", but now it means "Ben and I....". Kayla is staying in Chicago. I certainly can't blame her. If I weren't so cynical and distrusting of love I would stay here as well. [a joke!] On the upside, now we have a floor to sleep on in Chicago. Kayla, I'll miss you, and I'll be slightly envious of you for a while, buy once my Chicago love-buzz wears off I'll wonder how you could give up life on the road for life in a house.

It's getting to be cold at night and so I've been bundling up. Since we're staying indoors at Sarah/Kayla's apartment this bundling has been mostly for practice and often I'll wake up fully bundled and drenched in sweat. When we're outside though, through the chilly midwestern autumn, I'll be ready.