In Chicago for the Beginning

I arrived by train to Chicago around noon today. It is a gorgeous, sunny day, and more of the same is in the forecast. I walked to Barbara's Bookstore on Roosevelt from Union station. At Barbara's, I met Gail, the manager and we chatted about the Trek and the books she stocked about the Great Lakes.

From there I walked to the Art Institute of Chicago to catch the Edvard Munch exhibit. It was pretty crowded, but the exhibit was quite good.

After checking in at my hotel, I took a cab to the independent bookstore that is furthest away from the lake (of all that I will visit on the Trek): Quimby's in Wicker Park. Quimby's is a fun, radical bookstore which stocks a lot of out-of-the-mainstream books and mags and other stuff. It is a haven for the graphic novel and writing with an edge. They stock some of my favorites: everything published by McSweeny's, Sara Vowell, and David Sedaris. Quimby's probably isn't the place you'd find my Lake Trek book, but that's cool because Quimby's is cool and is keeping a very independent vibe alive in Wicker Park.

I'm going out to dinner soon, then will try to get some sleep tonight before beginning the trek tomorrow. I'm so excited, though, I feel like running down the lakeshore right now.