Matter over mind - Day 72: Custer Park to Chicago, IL

The trip today was short, but also slow and painful. I woke up drenched in sweat and with angry, rigid knees. I managed to pack up and roll out anyway, squeaking along in a low gear, then stopped on a bridge over the Kankakee to collect myself.

The view was nice, and I considered it a mindfulness challenge to appreciate the sunrise on the water instead of focusing on my old-man aches and pains. The reframing helped me get going again, but it didn't stop me from cursing and complaining to no one in particular. I have a ways to go if I want to be a Zen master. Instead, I found a gas station convenience store and ate half a box of Reese's Puffs with milk. This powered me through some wealthy suburbs, past an alarming amount of Trump signs, and into Orland Park.

My friend Pete gave me the garage code, so I let myself inside. His mother introduced me to the place, repeatedly said I should take whatever I want and that I could stay as long as I want, and then went back to watching reality TV.

I'll describe my time in Chicago in another post. For now, here's sunrise on the Kankakee and a nice little stream that somehow survived in the suburbs. Maybe it'll grow up to be a real river like the Kankakee someday.