Snow Birds and Gym Bunnies
Aside from having to wear boots rather than just some tennis shoes, getting to the gym and back was pretty easy. The bus stops near my apartment and the gym front door are about a half block each, so it's an easy walk to and from home and the gym with a short bus ride (at Senior fares) in between.
What is there to do on a snowy day in Chicago? Well, you could go out doors and try those new cross country skis or snow shoes you got for Christmas. Or you could sit at home and stuff pizza into your mouth while watching NFL semi-final games. Or you could go to the gym.
I Resolved to Stay Fit
Or, at least I resolved to try to stay fit. And that means regular (three times a week) gym visits. I thought a snowy Sunday would be the perfect time to go, run through my customary routine, and leave feeling that I had lived up to my own expectations.
It was a little more crowded than I expected, apparently a lot of other people thinking the same thing and wanting to make the trip ahead of the work-week starting the following Monday.
Cell Phones at the Gym
Probably one of the most irritating habits I see for some people at the gym is parking themselves on a machine or bench and scrolling mindlessly through whatever garbage happens to be appearing on their cell phone. This is just mindlessly rude, as long as there are people waiting to get on the machine themselves. There are plenty of ordinary chairs scattered about the gym floor where you can take a break and scroll to your heart's content without inconveniencing other members.
But today, it was pretty good. Everybody was in a "get on with it" mood, and there was only minor waiting, and that was for normal recovery time between sets.
The NFL
I confess I did watch a little NFL. The fifteen-minute summary of the Patriots- Broncos game's best and most important plays was a lot more engaging than watching the entire spectacle with its numerous "officials time out" (the euphemism for commercial break.) As everybody knows by now, the Patriots were victorious over the Broncos, with the game ending in a snow storm!
Right now, the Seahawks lead the Rams 31 to 27 with about 4 minutes to play in the 4th quarter. Regardless of who wins this one, it will be a coast vs coast Superbowl in 2026.
Galter's huge window walls look out on Chicago's River Park, where winter was giving us a glorious display of fluffy white snow.
Getting There and Back
Aside from having to wear boots rather than just some tennis shoes, getting to the gym and back was pretty easy. The bus stops near my apartment and near the gym front door are about a half block away, so it's an easy walk to and from home and the gym with a short bus ride (at Senior fares) in between. And buses were running. Synchronizing your arrival at the bus stop to minimize standing in cold weather is facilitated by using one of the many apps available for your cell phone. Today, was no exception to pretty reasonable service. The wait for a bus was no more than 5 minutes in either direction.
While I was waiting for the bus to arrive on the return trip, I snapped a photo of River Park from the bus stop, and before trudging through the snow to my building's front door, I took another photo.
And the Seahawks have clinched their berth in Superbowl 2026
From River Park to my Front Door — Snow Everywhere