Last weekend, I finally got around to doing something that I've always wanted to do, but never seemed to have the time for. I spent an afternoon riding the El, and exploring Chicago. The El, for those who don't know, is the train/subway of Chicago. Its called the El, because for the most part, it is elevated on steel tracks above ground level. Riding twenty feet above the ground gives you a good view of the city, unlike riding underground, so its kinda like a cheap sightseeing tour of Chicago.
I started at the Harlem Ave stop of the Green line, which is only a mile or so from our house (and a few blocks from our old apartment). The train traveled eastward through Oak Park and the west side of Chicago. From the relatively affluent burbs, the transition to the west side is dramatic. Large swaths of the west side have been economically devastated for decades. You get a good view of this from the El. Blocks of dilapidated housing, empty factories which used to teem with employees now sit silently while covered with graffitti. Its only a few blocks from our house, but it feels like another world.
The closer we get to the Loop, you see more and more signs of gentrification and urban renewal. The economic boom of the nineties was good for the city. There's been major reinvestment taking place on the near west side, and if trends continue, gentrification should steadily progress westward and may eventually reach all the way to Oak Park.
After twenty minutes, we've covered 8 miles and have entered the Loop, the heart of the city and neighborhood of skyscrapers. I transfer to the Red line at State street and head north. The Red line is actually a subway in the loop. After a few stops it emerges aboveground just past North Avenue. The North side of Chicago, especially close to the lakefront, is full of expensive, trendy housing, both modern highrises as well as vintage walk-ups. We pass over streets full of shops, cafes, and restaurants. Its a striking contrast to the west side. The train is full of people wearing Cubs paraphanelia, as its game day at Wrigley Field. At the Addison Street stop, the Cubs fans disembark, and there's empty seats available finally.
As the train continues north, the neighborhoods below become a little less tony and a little more gritty, although nowhere to the same degree as the hard-luck west side. After about 9 miles, we enter Evanston, the first suburb north of Chicago. Evanston is a lot like Oak Park, but bigger, and wth a lake front view. I exit the El at Main Street, and walk around aimlessly. I know there's a Chipotle somwhere in Evanston, but I don't know exactly where. After wandering around aimless, I settle for a a Starbucks. It would have been nice to have an iphone at this point, but that's the subject for another post.
Refreshed from a frappucino (bought with my Starbucks card, of course), I wandered back to the El for the trip home. With a few more stops along the way, I eventually got home. My total transit time was about 4 hours, and I traveled about 40 miles roundtrip. No one claims that the El is fast, but for under 4 dollars in fare, I can't complain too much.
Labels: Chicago, urban stuff
