Location:
United States

Biking, summer, picnic

By Jennifer Newon

I’m not the first to say it: the summers in Chicago are magic. When the air finally sheds its last bits of chill after eight months, the locals and the plants throw riotous color toward the heavens in gratitude and, definitely, relief. Revelers gather by Lake Michigan whose waters sparkle gold just after sunrise, sapphire-streaked indigo on clear afternoons, and settle a milky gray when mist sits upon the horizon. The infamous winds hold a whiff of charcoal and the suggestion of spring melts on the humid breath of grass blades.

This is a trip meant for locals; our ability to impose charm on our own nooks, and relearn to love what is taken for granted are necessary ingredients. When gas prices are high and the link between jet setting and emissions more notorious, this trip is what we have left. A local market provides exotic picnic fare and a bike ride with your sweetheart becomes a romantic excursion down a rabbit hole.

Riding side by side on our bikes, Lucy and Pedro, we cruise to the city’s northern gateway: a curving blind road with the lake on one side and a cemetery on the other where inhabitants have a view so good that their ghosts behave for fear of exorcism. The south Evanston coastline is bordered by a snaking rock configuration that contained the lake in times of higher water. Now beaches have accumulated opposite those rocks. People gather with dogs unfettered by the admission costs and beach regulations just up the road. As we veer away and back from the waterline, houses like castles gaze towards our Midwestern ocean, possessing such age and detail as to render them impossible in my native California. Our path sneaks through fully-fledged parks, and trees shade the glare of sand. Sails of catamarans and windsurfers toss about the indigo canvas nestled below a faint skyline as we approach the island created by Northwestern University. Stopping, we picnic atop a rock painted with a pink heart before resuming our ride.

We glimpse the Evanston lighthouse at the end of the path and continue through the university’s campus. A stone-paved path appears out of trees and hostas. Leaving our bikes and walking hand in hand through the maze, we find the secluded Shakespeare Garden in an unexpected clearing. The rows of roses and herbs seem specifically created to be discovered by wanderers on a midsummer’s day. A sundial shows us daylight wanes and western skies threaten rain.

On our return trip through town we stumble upon a hallmark of Chicago summer: the street festival. Crafts, food and live music peek between holes of people on a street that normally boasts artistic boutiques and fair trade merchandise. Beyond the festival, we peddle though scores of yard sales. Fat cold drops of rain assault us, cutting the humidity and driving us homeward. As we approach our own neighborhood beaches, the rain ceases; we wade to meet our trip’s companion— the sun shines over the Lake Michigan.

Further Information

Travel tips: Make plenty of time, have a comfortable bike seat, extra water and sunblock. Stop at local ethnic markets for an exotic summer picnic.

Must see/do at this place: Climb a tree or two on the island. Go through Northwestern's campus and enjoy the hidden garden.

You should avoid here: Steer clear of traffic and pedestrians by staying as close to the lake as possible. Avoid paying high admission prices at the northern beaches.