My accidental 8 Mile Journey
This morning, I woke up tired, with little motivation and a bit of a head cold. But I decided getting outside and going on a walk would be good for me, so I set out on my journey to complete the 2 hour walk previously assigned for us.
9:47 AM: As soon as I step out onto the quad I am hit with a harsh breeze and the cool, crisp fall air brings the sensation of goosebumps to my skin. There are not that many people out right now, I am assuming that the majority of people are in class or perhaps still asleep. The center of campus has an empty feeling to it that it does not usually exhibit. I begin my walk by strolling towards Fullerton Ave, it is full of car and foot traffic. Along with the hustle and bustle of people commuting to school or work, there is construction that was not there before.This morning, I woke up tired, with little motivation and a bit of a head cold. But I decided getting outside and going on a walk would be good for me, so I set out on my journey to complete the 2 hour walk previously assigned for us.
10:00 AM: I made my way down Fullerton and past the L stop, and I approached the large, hectic crosswalk at Fullerton and Halsted. This intersection never fails to confuse me, or make me wonder when it is actually safe to walk. I wait for the sign to turn to go, and I begin crossing the street to head down Halsted and towards Diversey. As I cross, a small white car comes speeding in and turns left on a red light. Luckily I notice and stop right in my tracks. This sort of instance has unfortunately occurred all too often for me since moving to Lincoln Park. It seems as though most drivers here have little regard for the safety of pedestrians.
10:15 AM: Now I have gotten to Diversey, and I turn right on the street to head towards Clark. For some reason, this area feels different than my home base back on campus. I have less of a sense of safety here, and I begin to take more notice of the fact that I am a young woman walking alone. Although I do often go on walks by myself almost daily, this worry that I could suddenly be in imminent danger always crosses my mind. I have grown up being told by everyone around me that it is not safe to go anywhere alone as a girl, and the possibilities of unsafe situations are embedded into my brain. This moment reminds me of a certain quote from the readings by Solnit, “ Women have routinely been punished and intimidated for attempting that most simple of freedoms, taking a walk.” (Solnit, 299). This sentence particularly resonated with me while on this walk, as I have been constantly questioning my safety as a woman alone.
10:45 AM: Making my way down Clark street, I pass shops, cafes, restaurants, and of course people. I am hoping to make my way towards the lakefront or perhaps the Lincoln Park Zoo. I get to the physical Lincoln Park, and walk along the trail by North Pond. The sun is beaming down on me but I am still a bit cold from the strong gusts of wind. I take a pause to look up and see the view. The contrast between the tall skyscrapers of the city and the beautiful naturally occurring parks always amazes me. I think to myself, “How is this really where I live?”, I am grateful that this is my life now.
10:58 AM: Walking through the North Pond area and park, I stumble upon the Lincoln Park Conservatory. It is full of stunning gardens with blooming flowers and bright green grass. I notice a tall statue and walk towards it assuming I can read a plaque to tell me its significance. It turns out to be the Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller monument. A sculpture installed in 1886 to honor a famous German Playwright.
11:10 AM: I have met my goal of walking by the zoo and the lakefront area, so I begin to turn around and head back to Clark street. On my way there earlier in the walk I saw a coffee shop with an eccentric outdoor patio area, and it struck my interest. So as I am trekking towards home I make it a point to stop there for a refreshing break. Just now hitting my fourth mile, I am in need of this rest. I stop in to order a coffee and go to sit outside. While drinking my latte, I see other people walking and cannot help but wonder where they are off too. I finish the drink, and get back up to continue my journey.
11:27 AM: Traffic starts to pick up as I am walking down Clark street again, and the noises are escalating in decibels. I try to ignore the continuous buzz of motors, and focus again on my surroundings. There is a unique mural on the wall of a business which appears to be a pilates studio. I stop for a moment to admire the artwork and then keep going on my way. Nearby, a police siren goes off and the squad car zooms by me on the street. Once again, I feel as if I am in danger simply for existing as a woman alone. Thinking back to our readings, I also remember the Sylvia Plath quote used by Solnit in Walking After Midnight. Plath writes, “Being born a woman is my awful tragedy.”(Solnit,300). Although I’m not upset that I am a woman, I am more so agitated by the fact that I have to instantly question my safety at the first note of something as basic and non harmful as a police siren.
11:45 AM: As I am navigating my way back towards the DePaul campus area of Lincoln Park, I see a light blue Vespa scooter. And I think to myself, “I wonder who drives that here?”. I continue walking past the scooter, and I again come across the Fullerton L stop, but now I am on the other side of the street, nearing Armitage. At this point, I have accomplished 6 miles, and I honestly feel like I could walk forever. The act of walking is clearing my head and I find it to be such a simple way to “get lost”.
12:03 PM: After passing the Armitage stop and nearing the end of Lincoln Park, I decide it is now time to turn back and walk with the intent of going home. Despite it being over 2 hours later than when I departed this morning, the temperature has barely risen and my hands are tired from being exposed to the cold wind. I take my last mile home to really observe the architecture of this neighborhood. The brownstone houses are full of character and beauty in their own historic way. Each house looks to be slightly similar in style, but they are all so different.
https://vimeo.com/754514184 — short video
12:05 PM: Finally, my feet hit the pavement of the quad and I look down at my watch to see how much I have walked. In total, my journey lasted over 2 hours and spanned just over 8 miles. While expecting myself to feel tired after this, I actually felt refreshed and almost relaxed in a way. When you are walking purely with the intent to notice your surroundings and enjoy the landscapes, it is very easy to continue on for hours without getting tired. Although I cannot say that I would gladly walk 8 miles every day, I can attest to the fact that this journey was the highlight of my day and I feel grateful for my new observations and outlook on aspects of life.
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