B.J. L-R

Even post-pandemic, the Outer BNSF continues to do numbers.

(Pre-pandemic, some of those stations had both *express and local* Pace feeder routes, the demand was that high)

TIL, vaguely related things I of all people should have known already:

There is a municipality in the core LA metro area that is like 40% LGBTQIA+, and said village (and its government) has been aggressively begging for light rail for years if not decades.

New developments in political canvassing: someone trying to get signatures for an MWRD candidate on the Green Line

Lightning over downtown Oak Park at night

Lightning over downtown Oak Park at night

Now this is a proper storm

Forest Park culture at its best: the porch conversations stop temporarily because a neighbor has brought bagpipes to the street

Sears Tower viewed from Madison Street during Forest Park Saint Patrick’s Day

It’s still there (parade edition)

Madison/Circle during the Forest Park Saint Patrick’s Day parade

Day drinking on one of the Midwest’s best high streets with seemingly everyone in the West Towns, life is good

Northbound CTA 36 bus approaching Broadway/Leland on a rainy evening

Another wild night facilitated by the 36

Musings of a transportation enthusiast slowly going down the motorcycle rabbit hole:

I’m surprised I haven’t come across a Top Gear-style race featuring a Hayabusa (Shinkansen service, fastest conventional train in the world) versus Hayabusa (briefly the world’s fastest motorcycle)

I also have a good friend who lives a few towns away from the titular place, amazingly

Thinking about the fact that arguably the defining song of Canadian summer vacation can be described as an antifascist leather/uniform gay love song

WTF?

The existence of TNC (Uber/Lyft) app seatbelt reminders is insane to me. Like who out there isn’t wearing a seatbelt in a car in this day and age?!

Pace 811 cutaway bus at Fashion Outlets of Chicago

Auntie Anne’s pretzel

Rode the 811 Rosemont Entertainment Circulator (a funky little dotted cutaway that runs vaguely headway based, if that) for the first time this evening to get Auntie Anne’s, and gotta say it feels very @milesintransit.com coded

Make a Chicago version of The Knowledge mandatory, stat!

Water bottle and paper bag on table at Rosemont McDonald’s

Tradition!

Having all advert personalization turned off for YouTube is funny because sometimes I’ll get repeated adverts for products that are like, exclusively applicable to AFAB people who are currently pregnant.

(Ah yes, I as a probably childfree cis gay guy clearly need to know about PPD treatment lol)

Hyatt Regency O’Hare on a sunny evening

And so it begins @naqt.com

(If all goes well, this will end on May 24 in downtown Atlanta)

Sign for FAA Great Lakes Region, viewed from a bus window

Cream colored building with green roof, viewed from a bus window

Current status: riding the most distinctive deviation in Chicagoland

Miner Street in downtown Des Plaines in late afternoon

Another beautiful evening in downtown Des Plaines

CTA 90 bus approaching Harlem/Lake Green on a blue sky afternoon

Another Entire 90 afternoon

Southbound CTA 22 bus approaching Clark/Sunnyside on a sunny morning

Good 22 Clark morning

Oh dang!

It is legit the best coffee cake I’ve had in ages! And the owner is so sweet.

Coffee cake at Tweet

Belgian waffle at Tweet

(From this morning)

Another Uptown banger: Tweet

Holy shit this place is good

CTA 147 articulated bus turning from Sheridan onto Foster at night

Another Sunday night 147

Damen Green Line station at night

I post fairly regularly about how pretty this station is, but honestly the significance of the bus connection is really underrated. There are so many places that are accessible with just one non-downtown transfer now for me as a Green Line rider.

CTA 90 bus waiting to depart Harlem Blue O’Hare on a cloudy day

Followed by another Entire 90 ride

Screenshot of a Transit app trip with the current leg being Blue from Jefferson Park to Harlem Blue O’Hare

Being the most efficient Blue Line rider (though this is definitely one of the longer distances between stations)

Inbound Metra train approaching Fox River Grove station on a cloudy day

Good UP-NW afternoon