Chelsea Bear

Chicago was a blast! Made me realize I need to travel more often.

Before visiting a new place I’ve never been before I tend to encounter a mixture of emotions and hesitations. Especially when I travel with my scooter. Questions about how accessible the city is, along with what choices I’ll have for transportation, like cabs or trains, always pop into my head. And this time, I was embarking in weather conditions I’ve never experienced before. SNOW!

While I was super excited, I was nervous. Will I be able to walk in snow? Will the sidewalks be buried under so much snow that I can’t scoot around the city? Will I be the reason my friends have to stay behind if I can’t get around?

These were all very valid points that were top-of-mind leading up to the trip. But regardless, I always believe that things will work out just fine and usually I end up with luck on my side.

Turns out, I definitely can walk in snow regardless of my dragging feet and poor balance! Comparable to walking in sand in my point of view, just a tad more slippery. My new boots gracefully helped me get from point A to point B, with the exception of the first night when I drank too many Goose Island IPA’s and wiped out face first… at least there was ice waiting for me to help soothe any injuries sustained. 😛

To back it up, I traveled from Florida with my friends Rachael and Jennie to visit our friend Brittany and her boyfriend Brian. They live around 30 minutes from downtown Chicago. On our first full day in Illinois, we went downtown and I was relieved to find out how well the city plows the sidewalks during a snowstorm. Scootz got around just fine!

First stop in the city was on top of any tourists’ to-do list. We b-lined straight to Millennium Park and took pictures with the snow-covered bean. It was absolutely freeeezing, but worth it! If you just so happened to be there and saw a girl circling the park with GoPro in-hand documenting her first successful scoot in snow and the monumental bean, that was me.

I won’t take you step-by-step of all we did in the city, but overall I absolutely loved it. The vibe. The plethora options of restaurants, breweries and wine bars. The clean streets. Friendly people. And of course, the company of my best friends. My only complaint is that I wasn’t there longer!

Trips like this that force me to take chances and try something new remind me that I am capable of accomplishing anything I set my mind to. Even if it is with a little extra (and much appreciated) help from my friends.

Now that whatever fears I had were squashed, I was able to shift gears and focus on the fun. Between almost falling down a hill, losing my phone in the depths of the snow, haggling for better concert seats and brewery hopping – we left The Windy City with new memories and unforgettable stories!