The Suburbs

Today Baker and I ventured west to an area near Elgin through which runs a very long bike trail.  We parked next to a little park where a shoddy collection of "antiques" and other completely useless junk was being sold at an outdoor flea market type situation.  The morning was damp and cloudy (by now the sun has come out) so we set out on a nearly empty path, me on foot and Baker on wheels. 
 
This week was a "step back week" for me in my marathon training, so I only had to do ten miles today.  Baker's goal was to ride for two and a half hours and see how much mileage he could cover (43 miles today, as it turns out.) 
 
I thought the path was great.  No stopping at crosswalks, with views of the Fox River every so often and verdant foliage lining the trail.  I reached the halfway point in my run smack in front of a gas station, which had a bathroom free for any and all to use.  Thus refreshed, I turned around and headed back.  And ten miles seems short when last week you had to do 15.
 
The airplane hangar that was the Ikea store in Schaumberg was more disappointing.  It was mobbed, prompting me to pronounce it the Costco of cheap Swedish furniture stores.  And the baskets which I was seeking for my wire shelves were not, in fact, nearly as cheap as I hoped they'd be.  So forget that.  We cut our losses and headed back to the city.