I rode the Larkspur to work today, then to my appt with the energy healer, then home into a stiff headwind. 12 miles round trip, no big, but a good ride. I specifically rode today because the 4th Wed of the month is the dreaded "street cleaning day" in the Uptown neighborhood of Chicago. AKA "money making scam for the city of Chicago day". I am glad that they clean the streets. Don't get me wrong. But they clean the streets A LOT around here, and oh! the fines if you're parked in the wrong place!

So this makes finding a parking place near the clinic even more impossible than usual. Therefore, I ride. I carry my bike and panniers down the flight of stairs to the basement, move the reams of copier paper somebody stacked in the narrow little place where I lock it, etc. OK, I'm noble, I don't have to look for parking, I get some exercise, I save on gas, etc.

But.

I get home and notice a bright orange TICKET on my CAR!!! Yes! It's street cleaning day, here, too! But random! And the sign announcing that it's street cleaning day is HIDDEN UNDER THE BRANCHES OF THE TREE TO WHICH IT'S TIED!!!

$50.

CRUD.

Oh, the irony. Doing my part to keep the city funded. L.