Apparently layers make all the difference.
The sunrise was nicely layered… and so was I.

With a few added layers this morning, I was toasty warm and ready to tackle the brisk
morning air… in comfort.

After yesterday’s “20-degrees warmer than normal” day, I wasn’t quite ready for today’s
“20-degrees colder than normal” day! BRRRRR… should have added MORE layers!!!

Empty skies.

Empty harbors.

Winter can’t be far behind…

And let me just say… I’m pretty darn excited about the time change this weekend.
It means that my sunrise bike ride will be an hour earlier. But it also means I won’t
be riding quite so much in the pitch black darkness… and might actually have time
in the mornings again to share some photos before I rush off to work!

This morning started out much like yesterday. With a sliver of color. Not quite as dark
as yesterday. But still great potential. After seeing how yesterday’s morning turned out…
similar clouds might in fact mean a similar sky show, right?!

So as the morning went on, the sliver of color got a little wider, a little redder & more layered.

And it kept going… and going.. and going… wider & wider… spreading across the sky!

And then the sun finally popped through!!!

My morning ride started out very dark again, with a sliver of light low on the horizon.
I love how the tress are gone… but the stumps are still there!

But as the sun came up, the clouds lightened… and turned a brilliant shade of indigo.

Soon enough, the beautiful blue dissipated in to a rather bland gray. The skyline is still
impressive with the gray clouds sweeping across the sky.

And the eventually gave us quite an incredible sky show!!!

Sure, they can say that the bike trail is closed.
Sure, they can tell you stay off.
But some of us just see that as a challenge.

So, yes… I was out there this morning riding my bike along the lakefront.
With such an unusual weather event in Chicago, I felt somehow oddly “obligated”
to go outside to play in it. And yes Mom, I made sure I was always a safe distance
away from the waves!… kinda…

And to think I was swimming in this exact location just a few months ago getting ready
for the Triathlon. Glad these waves waited until now with my wetsuit packed away!

A little further south, and the waves were crashing in around the harbor. With a great view
of the city as the crashing waves look as though they might wash away the skyline?!

Whoops… and there goes the bike trail… glad I was on the “safe” side of the harbor!

All in all, the morning ride was quite spectacular. You can’t tell me “not” to do something
and really have me not do it. Especially when they have been hyping this weather event so
much. Okay, so the ride home wasn’t too fun with gale force winds blowing into my face!

So the morning sky was spotted with clouds. And a little windy that usual…
okay, a LOT windier. And they’ve already been talking about how much worse tomorrow
is going to be! They’re saying that Hurricane Sandy is “sharing” some of it’s punch here in
Chicago as it devastates the East Coast. They’re getting pummeled… and we’re getting windy
& crashing waves! So instead of another beautiful sunrise morning, I was more intrigued by
the waves as they were crashing in and “exploding” over the sides. So much fun trying to
“catch” the picture, but not get caught by the waves! No one wants to be soaking wet
for the headwind ride home!

Time it right… and sometimes you catch a good one… like this one that almost got me!!!

And we’ll see what’s up for tomorrow. As the hurricane is predicted to hit land on the
East Coast, they’re also predicting that the wind & weather in Chicago will be worse too.
There’s already been talk of them possibly closing down Lake Shore Drive… as well as
the lakefront bike trail! Say it isn’t so…

Darker & darker in the morning.
Fewer & fewer people out on the path in the morning.
Snow fencing going up along the lakefront.
And the trees are quickly loosing their leaves.
Kinda seems like we’re just counting the days until Winter?!

Another dark morning… with beautiful potential that faded to gray…

I musty admit that I had few expectations when the sky lost its color and went to gray.
I thought we were done. But then, just a few minutes later, the sun came up enough
to cast a pink flair across the cotton candy clouds!

But then as the pink began to fade, it seemed as though the clouds had moved and lined up
just perfectly to catch the golden sparkles.

Then finally the sun made it up & over the horizon. And all I could think of was my
favorite classic by “The Cyrckle”… yep, look it up…