Lots of clouds this morning along the lakefront giving us some early color & drama. Quiet & still as the sun continued to work its way behind the clouds.

SUNRISE DELAYED… but worth the wait.
With one large cloud hovering over the horizon, our sunrise was delayed this morning. But when the sun finally peeked over the top, the color & shimmering reflections were well worth the wait!

A quiet morning along the lakefront… a lot quieter than yesterday! Didn’t have 7,000 athletes crowding the lakefront for the CHICAGO TRIATHLON. Instead, just some low-flying cloud cover… with a little sunrise trying to work itself through. A great start to the day… and a chance to work some of that lactic acid out of my muscles from yesterday’s race!

So today was another day “playing” down on the Chicago lakefront! Another CHICAGO TRIATHLON under my belt. I went once again for the full International distance… basically a one mile swim in Lake Michigan, followed by twenty-five miles of biking on Lake Shore Drive & Lower Wacker Drive & ending with a six mile run along the lakefront south to 31st Street Beach and back through the Museum Campus towards the Finish Line near the Art Institute.

It was a fun day overall. I felt pretty confident & strong… even though the conditions were less than ideal. The second half of the swim was so choppy it felt like a washing machine! Riding south on Lake Shore Drive all directly into the headwind. And the run was very sunny & humid… so excited to make it to the Finish Line!!!

Another clouded morning with some pretty gusty winds blowing in from the north. A dark & gloomy morning with very little chance for a sunrise… but luckily we got some blue skies peeking through at the end of my ride!

Moments before the rain… another dramatic & moody sunrise along the lakefront. Huge dark clouds covering the sky as the rain blew in. Yet with a sliver of sunrise beauty hovering below the ominous clouds.

And yes, I did get rained on as I was pedaling home… mwah, mwah, mwah…

Nice clouds. Sunrise colors. Shimmering ripples. Another beautiful morning along the lakefront… as long as you can ignore all of the sponsor tents, vendor tents & people flocking with their lawn chairs to watch the practice runs for this weekend’s Chicago Air & Water Show.

Mental note to self…
avoid the crowded lakefront this weekend.. pedal north instead!!!

What a difference a day makes. After days of dark & clouded mornings, this morning was bright & clear without a cloud in the sky. Sure, the waves were still crashing in… but it seems like the weather might be calming down a bit, and getting a little back to normal.

A layer of fluffy clouds flying low on the horizon this morning… offering up a beautiful sky show in the early hours. Peaceful & serene, it was great to see the lake so nice & calm again.