Pierogifest! Bicycling! Fun People!
Jul. 26th, 2014 10:07 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
stormdogPierogifest was so *cute*! It stretches for three or four blocks, and is chock-full of food vendors, the majority of which have, of course, pierogies! I was quite hungry when I got there, so I bought a dozen of the pastries, of five different kinds, which I consumed as I walked the grounds.
I saw Mr. Pierogi and the Pieroguettes. Mr. P is a guy in a pierogi costume, and his entourage is a group of singing and dancing elementary-school-aged girls in white and red with shoulder-decorations that look like pierogis. They are named for pierogi ingredients: Miss Chicken, Miss Cabbage, Miss Apricot, Miss Cheese, and more!
There was a Dunk-the-Nun booth, staffed by a group of Carmelite Sisters as a fund-raiser. A few dollars gets you three throws at a dunk tank with a nun, in full habit, perched on the seat. I watched her get dropped into the water tank a couple times as I observed and made a video on my phone.
There were several stages with live music. I watched one band set up as I ate more pierogies because I liked their name: Chasing Skylines. It made me think of my yearning to see and photograph a variety of urban spaces. But once I finished eating, and they started up with a cover song, I got up and moved on.
Speaking of pierogies, I had indeed bought more. Another six from a different vendor, of six different types! Motivated by a trip Lisa and I took to a Polish buffet where she got a strawberry pierogi and admonished me for not having tried them, I looked for them when I got my second batch of Polish dumplings. They didn't have strawberry, but I did get a blueberry-filled pocket of dough. And it was tasty. A little bitter, but I could get used to it. The texture was difficult, since it had whole, real blueberries. But I kind of knew what to expect, and I'm glad I tried them.
I was pretty thirsty too. I bought a bottle of Powerade from one vendor, and Gatorade from another while I looked for a public water fountain. Not finding one, I eventually went over to the White Castle, just outside the festival grounds. I paid a dollar for a brownie bite on a stick, and filled up my water bottle several times in the "for paying customers only" restroom.
We arrived at the festival around 12:30, and I stayed until 3 when the first group of Chicago riders left for the return trip. I think that was about enough time for me, though I might have been able to occupy myself longer if I'd decided to try bringing my real camera with my on the ride. But I'm glad I didn't; since I left my big panniers at home, it would have been kind of a pain.
---
The ride itself was a lot of fun. I'm glad I decided to go. I got to the meetup point at Buckingham fountain about half an hour early, and I was feeling a little bit shy. I thought about heading back home to spend the day with my love Danaeris and her parents who are in from Toronto. But instead, I asked a couple groups if they were the pierogi ride. The second couple I asked were the ones! Before we got on the path, I chatted with several folks, including three Northwestern grad students.
The ride was slow; slower than I expected actually. We averaged ten miles an hour or so. But that made chatting a possibility, and had a great time engaging in conversation with various folks about bike gear, face blindness, careers, academia and careers (one woman I chatted with had a Ph.D in Slavic languages and had left academia to become an artist), and other things. The scenery was pretty, especially the open parks and beaches on the south side of Chicago. The last leg of the ride into Whiting got a bit tricky, with stretches on the side of highways and through factory parking lots. I'm glad I had a guide on the way back, because I wouldn't have been able to find my way. All in all though, it was a great time, and I'd do it again. I only wish it was easier for me to remember who's who and develop social contacts with the Chicago cycling community. Of course, only being here sporadically doesn't make that easy either.
My total ridden mileage for the day was a tenth of a mile short of 70; by far the most I've done! I feel pretty good this evening, really. My ankle is still mildly uncomfortable, but it wasn't aggravated by the riding. My legs are a bit sore and tired, but not hugely so. Except for my rather sore posterior, I feel like I could go out and ride a bit more if I had to. Many times on the way back, I stood up on my pedals for stretches to give my butt a break. I also think that the saddle I have actually is pressing in places it shouldn't. I tried adjusting it down in front a bit, and that might have helped. But I'm really looking forward to trying out the Nexride when it arrives. Which should be soon. Maybe even in time for my Monday or Tuesday commute!
I saw Mr. Pierogi and the Pieroguettes. Mr. P is a guy in a pierogi costume, and his entourage is a group of singing and dancing elementary-school-aged girls in white and red with shoulder-decorations that look like pierogis. They are named for pierogi ingredients: Miss Chicken, Miss Cabbage, Miss Apricot, Miss Cheese, and more!
There was a Dunk-the-Nun booth, staffed by a group of Carmelite Sisters as a fund-raiser. A few dollars gets you three throws at a dunk tank with a nun, in full habit, perched on the seat. I watched her get dropped into the water tank a couple times as I observed and made a video on my phone.
There were several stages with live music. I watched one band set up as I ate more pierogies because I liked their name: Chasing Skylines. It made me think of my yearning to see and photograph a variety of urban spaces. But once I finished eating, and they started up with a cover song, I got up and moved on.
Speaking of pierogies, I had indeed bought more. Another six from a different vendor, of six different types! Motivated by a trip Lisa and I took to a Polish buffet where she got a strawberry pierogi and admonished me for not having tried them, I looked for them when I got my second batch of Polish dumplings. They didn't have strawberry, but I did get a blueberry-filled pocket of dough. And it was tasty. A little bitter, but I could get used to it. The texture was difficult, since it had whole, real blueberries. But I kind of knew what to expect, and I'm glad I tried them.
I was pretty thirsty too. I bought a bottle of Powerade from one vendor, and Gatorade from another while I looked for a public water fountain. Not finding one, I eventually went over to the White Castle, just outside the festival grounds. I paid a dollar for a brownie bite on a stick, and filled up my water bottle several times in the "for paying customers only" restroom.
We arrived at the festival around 12:30, and I stayed until 3 when the first group of Chicago riders left for the return trip. I think that was about enough time for me, though I might have been able to occupy myself longer if I'd decided to try bringing my real camera with my on the ride. But I'm glad I didn't; since I left my big panniers at home, it would have been kind of a pain.
---
The ride itself was a lot of fun. I'm glad I decided to go. I got to the meetup point at Buckingham fountain about half an hour early, and I was feeling a little bit shy. I thought about heading back home to spend the day with my love Danaeris and her parents who are in from Toronto. But instead, I asked a couple groups if they were the pierogi ride. The second couple I asked were the ones! Before we got on the path, I chatted with several folks, including three Northwestern grad students.
The ride was slow; slower than I expected actually. We averaged ten miles an hour or so. But that made chatting a possibility, and had a great time engaging in conversation with various folks about bike gear, face blindness, careers, academia and careers (one woman I chatted with had a Ph.D in Slavic languages and had left academia to become an artist), and other things. The scenery was pretty, especially the open parks and beaches on the south side of Chicago. The last leg of the ride into Whiting got a bit tricky, with stretches on the side of highways and through factory parking lots. I'm glad I had a guide on the way back, because I wouldn't have been able to find my way. All in all though, it was a great time, and I'd do it again. I only wish it was easier for me to remember who's who and develop social contacts with the Chicago cycling community. Of course, only being here sporadically doesn't make that easy either.
My total ridden mileage for the day was a tenth of a mile short of 70; by far the most I've done! I feel pretty good this evening, really. My ankle is still mildly uncomfortable, but it wasn't aggravated by the riding. My legs are a bit sore and tired, but not hugely so. Except for my rather sore posterior, I feel like I could go out and ride a bit more if I had to. Many times on the way back, I stood up on my pedals for stretches to give my butt a break. I also think that the saddle I have actually is pressing in places it shouldn't. I tried adjusting it down in front a bit, and that might have helped. But I'm really looking forward to trying out the Nexride when it arrives. Which should be soon. Maybe even in time for my Monday or Tuesday commute!
