07/11/17 - Day 99 - Chicago, IL - Spears Woods, Humboldt Park, & Architecture Tour

Visited a couple of parks - one outside the city and one near the heart of the city. 
    

The Spear Woods is a collection of flat wooded areas with several trails for walking, biking, and horseback riding. Horseback riding is apparently quite popular based on the number of land mines I had to dodge on my bike.  The lakes are a little swampy and there are lots of bugs in the area.  A lot of flowers too.




There was a small visitors center with a few exhibits for kids.  Outside of that, I spied something unusual in the cell phone age.
    

Back in the city, I rode the bike around Humboldt Park for a bit.  It had more of the same flora as Spears Woods, but a lot fewer bugs.
    

    

That evening I booked a sunset architecture tour on the river.  Chicago is well known for having a multitude of building styles throughout the downtown skyline.  The tour spends about an hour and half exploring all three branches of the river with a guide providing a little backstory for each of the buildings.  I choose the evening tour in order to witness the transition from light to dusk.








     







    

I get why everyone says this is a must-do tourist activity.  The boat ride is was very pleasant and informative.  I think sunset was the perfect time to take it.

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