I can always tell when it’s a bit cold outside
when my dining room windows freeze over.
Yep, that would be today!!!

And just for the record, the ice is forming on the exterior storm window.
NOT my interior window to the dining room. Still toasty warm inside!!!

After finishing de-Christmasing the Pier a bit early today, I decided it was the perfect afternoon to do my first official bike ride of the New Year! The lakefront path is still a bit treacherous in parts, but the frozen lakefront was beautiful. Especially the crashing waves, the icebergs & rainbows. Yes… rainbows!!!

Most of the bike trail was pass-able. Okay, some parts were pretty dicey. I did have to get off and walk over some icy patches… and actually portage my bike across some piles of icy snow & muddy puddles.

An iceberg “sink hole.” It would fill up every time the waves came in, and then empty out as the waves receded. In this photo, the water is “draining” down.

And sure, the crashing waves & broken icebergs are pretty cool… but dirty! Actually it’s the sand being churned up from the waves and mixing in with the water as it is freezing onshore!

And to think I actually use these stairs to climb out of the lake when swimming in the summer?! Looks like I’ve got a couple months before the water will be warm enough to swim in again?!!!

Love how the ice has “draped” the boulders along the water’s edge.

And the “fringe” if ice draping down the sides of the breakwaters…

And did I mention “rainbows”???…
Look close for the rainbow towards the left side of the photo. When the waves were crashing in, they were somehow getting “trapped” under the layer of iceberg. And then a bit of mist was bursting through as the sun was hitting it in just the right way. Creating a rainbow with every crashing wave!

Clouds rolling in… and temperatures dropping… time to pedal home!

Another day down at Navy Pier.
And another beautiful skyline view.
Yep, it never gets old.

It was a beautiful sky show this morning.
Very moody with dark clouds in the sky & floating icebergs breaking up in the lake.
Let the “de-Christmasing” continue… another couple days & another forty trees or so!!!

For those who can’t quite put it together in your head,
I’ve done the tough work for you… with two panoramic shots!

And how the colors changed… about ten minutes later…

This morning’s sunrise was tough to capture in one photo,
so here’s four for you to put together in your mind.

Left.

Center.

Right.

More Right…

Another fun morning with more clouds than yesterday.
The sun never quite made it out, but it was fun to watch as it continued to try.

Then, as I pedaled home, you could actually feel the temperature dropping as the next cold wave began to move in.
Sure, my sweaty jersey didn’t help any either!

Double-whammy…
My bike wheels are in the shop being realigned.
And I’m working everyday this week at Navy Pier setting up Winter WonderFest
so I don’t have as much time in the morning for my sunrise bike ride.
Doesn’t mean I need to miss the sunrise though…

Sunrise today over Lake Michigan on my way to Navy Pier on Lake Shore Drive.

Sunset today looking back at the Chicago skyline as I was leaving Navy Pier.

Beautiful… both coming AND going!

When we walked onto Navy Pier’s Festival Hall this morning, this is what we saw.
A blank slate waiting for us to transform it into Winter WonderFest.
We have about nine days for a complete the over-the-top transformation. Here we go…

Freezing cold. Dark clouds. No chance of sun.
Summer is definitely over. Dang!