… I went for a bike ride after work. Things didn't go as I planned.

I'm White. I Blink!

Just as I've picked up a rear red blinking light for my bike (again, to keep drivers from running me over), I've also added a triple LED front headlight.  It produces a steady light or blinks… and is also required by law in Chicago for riding at night.

As you can see, it also nicely highlights my bike bag bracket, notable for that big grey splotch of epoxy.  I cracked the bracket over 20 years ago, back when I used the same bag on my 10-speed.  Hmm, maybe I should paint that spot black or something! (And if you are wondering how the light works while the bike bag is mounted, yeah, I'm working on that solution as well!)

I'm Red. I Blink!

Continuing our theme of stuff to keep drivers from killing me while cycling, I've now got a rear LED blinking light on my bike. With daylight disappearing rapidly, I've been finding that my post-workday rides are being done in far more dusk-like conditions. Hopefully, this helps a bit!

Can you see me now?

Just doing my part to help Chicago drivers see me while I bike this fall!

On Friday, Amy & I were joined by my parents as we attended a showing of Mary Poppins downtown. The traveling Broadway musical returned to Chicago for a short time, and thanks to some fortuitous circumstances, we got a chance to see it.

Mary Poppins? Yup!

I'm not much of a theater goer, but we really liked this production. The combination of familiar elements from the Disney film (including the Sherman Brothers songs) along with non-familiar pieces from the original books and new music worked really well.

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While Amy & I were doing some reorganizing at our condo over the weekend, I rediscovered this cool magnet I bought at Chicago's DisneyQuest back in 2001.

Explore Zone, Create Zone, Score Zone, and Replay Zone

Even though this image doesn't look very "Disney", it actually reflects the very structured and themed approach that DisneyQuest had upon opening.

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Now that I've got some downtime after being hit by a car while riding my bike (we'll save that story for later), I figured it would be a good time to look at some other things we did over the past few months.  It's another "Summertime Out and About" post!

Ticket to Ride at the Botnaic Gardens!

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The other day I reached a personal goal that I was rather excited about.  So far this summer, I have biked a total of 500 miles around the neighborhood and on various trails in the city.

Mileage tracked by RunKeeper.com

As a recreational cyclist, I know that's not a big deal to those who bike all the time, especially daily commuters.  However, considering that I'm riding a 20-year old mountain bike that I've modified for hybrid street/trail riding, I'm pretty stoked by hitting that number.

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Aside from the massive amount of cycling I've been doing this summer, Amy & I have tried to free up our evenings to do "summer things in the city."

Steve digs Jazz

Last week, the Made in Chicago: World Class Jazz series returned to Millennium Park. From now to the beginning of September, every Thursday night features a great free jazz concert. I like to call it a "Poor Man's Ravinia."

Live from the Jay Pritzker Pavilion

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OK, so maybe it's only one trash can. But I couldn't resist! Don't worry, I won't be launching a MagicalTrash.com spin-off any time soon!

Trash Can at the Chicago Botanic Garden

Anyway, it was another "Date Night" at the Chicago Botanic Garden for Amy & I this week. A swing band by the name of Bopology was performing, so we packed a dinner and enjoyed a cool evening.

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