I’m so tired from trying to learn to sleep without sleeping pills that my brain is in a deep freeze. Talking and writing is like bobbing for apples must think of word stick head in tub of water and try to find the word grab the word with my mouth now what was I saying how do I finish a sentence help. help. help. help.
The only thing that feels good right now is walking. You know those dogs that grab their leash and stand by the door? That’s me. I keep asking HOB to take me for a walk and he’s always willing. Lately I’ve been looking for new walking destinations to add to our standard repertoire and have had great success. So grab your sunblock and floppy hat and spray on some mosquito repellent and come along on two super Chicago walks (no pooper scooper required).
The 606
The 606 opened in Chicago a few years ago but, because it’s so far from where we live, we only visited for the first time this summer. Named after Chicago’s zip codes (which all start with 606) the 606 is an elevated trail built on an abandoned railway line on the west side of Chicago. The park is almost 3 miles long and nothing about it is scrappy: we are talking some seriously A+ urban planning here.
The trail can be accessed at many points and is exceptionally well signposted.
The 606 is popular with bikers and the trail access points link up with Divvy stations (Divvy is Chicago’s bike share program). We even saw a free bike repair station about half-way through our walk.
Every elevated trail should have public art, don’t you think? And you know what else every elevated trail should have? Bathrooms. Nope, the 606 doesn’t have those, other than a couple of porta johns near the entryways. As much as I love the trail this is a serious bummer.
There are plenty of benches—even some bleachers—on the 606, but we still preferred to get out of the sun and eat our picnic in a nearby park.
North Park Village Nature Center
The North Park Village Nature Center was built on the grounds of a former tuberculosis sanitarium on the north side of Chicago. (Let’s take a moment to remember that before antibiotics and vaccines 10% of deaths in the US were caused by tuberculosis). The Nature Center is peaceful and gorgeous but really what you need to know if that it has a bathroom.
After using the aforementioned bathroom, we started out with a picnic, nearby a fire pit and some beehives.
Beehives
HOB and I were in love with the wetland area of the park which was noisy with frogs.
When you’re living the plot of Flowers for Algernon, only backwards, staring at a bullfrog is worth an afternoon’s mental energy.
Not only does the Nature Center have a miniature wetland, it even has an oak savanna. Oak savannas were once common in the Midwest–they are like forests but not as dense.
While enjoying the blissful dappled light of the oak savanna we spotted a…..dappled fawn.
On the count of three, everyone together now: awwwwwwwwwwww.
I can’t finish my post about Chicago walks without a plug for my favorite Chicago walk of all: the beach. This view is a ten minute walk from our apartment building. I recommend an early morning or sunset visit. You might even see me there, looking sleepy.
How we get around Chicago: on foot and with Chicago Transit Authority.
Where we slept: at home. Price: mortgage, assessments and utilities. Recommended: highly.
Picnic at the Cathedral 
The 606 looks like the green belt in Paris (Coulée Verte aka Promenade Plantée), which was also built on a disused railway line.
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I didn’t know about that—looks like it was built in 1993 so perhaps Chicago’s trail is based on it.
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Here’s my post on the one in Paris: https://operasandcycling.com/a-paris-green-belt/
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Super outfits!
Nomatter how great the trail…it needs loos!
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All of you who only know me through this blog probably think I just own two outfits—those same ones you keep seeing over and over in various countries. 🙂
I can imagine the neighbors of the trail catch a lot of stealth peeing in their alleys….
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none of my business but the sleeping probbies?? Hope you can come through it with a healthy and happy outcome. I too love the shorts all-in-one ensemble. And you make me want to visit Chicago 🙂
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Thanks for your kind words. I have sleep problems for about 6 years. The frustrating thing is a lot of people think if you have sleep problems you are depressed and anxious. I’m really quite happy with life and mostly only anxious when flying.
Got the outfit at the Salvation Army–I think it’s rather Forever 21 meets 40’s movie star. 🙂
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That’s not a frog. It is an alien Jedi master from Dantooine. I’m sure that mental energy is being used against the Dark Side; you should get it back after a few posts.
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Help me O Jedi master: I cannot spell and my grammar sucks and I don’t understand the oxford comma..
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Do I see the bog of bad grammar in the map of Dantooine?
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Love the outfits and the pictures on the 606! Need to visit the 606 next time I go to Chicago to visit the grands… Well, maybe not next time – I’m running the Chicago Marathon the next time I visit! Come out and cheer me on!
About your sleeping issues… I use Holy Basil drops and tryptophan capsules to help me sleep some nights. Natural and non habit forming. Google them…
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I’m so impressed with your marathon running abilities! The marathon goes right under my brother and sister in laws apartment so my nieces can cheer you on too.
Thanks for the tips about the Holy Basil and tryptophan—I strongly prefer the all natural solution.
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Lovely walks! Excellent signage! Good information about the bathrooms! I wish you success with your sleep efforts. It sounds rough.
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Thanks! Your empathy means a lot. This week is going well so far—I’m feeling rather human.
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