Traveling

I've just returned from a couple of trips lately.  One to Savannah, GA and one to Chicago, IL.  Savannah is a very bicycle friendly city, and I was so jealous that I didn't have time to rent a bicycle and see the city via two wheels.  If I ever get to go back, I'll try to schedule a work-free day into the mix and enjoy the scenery.

There were actually a lot of cyclists in Chicago, but it did look a little scary to me.  There were bicycle lanes, but they were narrow.  However, the cars seemed to respect the bicycles, unlike my experiences in our city. 

Seeing the ease with which cyclist and walkers got around in these two cities, each of which are much larger than ours, made me wonder why I feel so unsafe when riding the streets.  I think it comes down to respect; drivers here think that cyclists do not belong on the road; therefore, if there is an accident, then it must be the cyclist's fault - simply for being there.  There's got to be a way to change this...it may be that we have to lobby for bicycle lanes before anything will change.  What do you think?

      

While I was in Chicago, I walked to see the Harold Washington Library Center, the world's largest library building.  Unfortunately, I was there before it opened for the day, so I couldn't go inside, but the building took up an entire city block.  Someday I'll see the inside!