What does an adventurous writer do when the city where he lives is socked by the blizzard of the half-century? He documents the whole thing! I’ve taken some photos and videos of Snowmageddon 2011 on the North Side of Chicago (Edgewater Beach). Let me know what you think!
- From the Icy McDonalds of Death.
- Looking west, before the storm. Visibility about 12 miles (I know because I can see the O’Hare command tower west-by-northwest).
- Looking north. Visibility many miles… the near row of high-rises you see are all a mile away.
- Looking east toward the lake. Although lake swells of 20 feet were predicted, the Edgewater Beach neighborhood is protected because the water is frozen over a quarter-mile out. Otherwise, the lobby of my building would probably be swimming.
- An hour later. Visibility is about 1/4 mile to the west.
- Northwest.
- In wind gusts the trees in this rooftop garden were just about knocked over.
- Later we went out for fast food. Here’s the corner of Bryn Mawr and Sheridan. The wind was blowing pretty much horizontal.
- Here we are at ye olde Foster St. McDonalds.
- That cab did a great job getting stuck across the exit ramp and a lane-and-a-half of Sheridan Road. Needless to say, the bus drivers were all delighted.
- This is from a plaza off Broadway. I was out of the car for about a minute taking pictures, and that was enough for me. A lot of people were out waiting for the bus/train though, and those often come only once every 20 or so minutes in *good* weather!
- In the lobby of our apartment building we couldn’t even see the sidewalk or the street through fogged up windows and the snow.
- After dark, from our apartment. Even the street is hard to make out 100 feet below.
- Looking north again, visibility less than 1/8 mile.
- Although there was a brief respite in the morning, it didn’t take long for a second wave to come through, with less wind but thicker snow.
- I finally ventured out on foot myself; the police have blocked off all entrances to Lake Shore Drive. Last night over 1,000 vehicles and buses were stranded on Chicago’s most famous roadway, some not being evacuated until after 3:30 AM.
- Looking east on Bryn Mawr Ave. toward Lake Shore Drive.
- This is a view across Lincoln Park and, ultimately, Lake Michigan.
- Here I am, standing in the middle of famous Lake Shore Drive.
- Not a car in sight, but there were a fair number of pedestrians.
- There weren’t too many victims of the Drive this far north… but this bus was pointed south. It stalled out near the beginning of its journey!
- At least they still have electricity.
- You are looking across one of Chicago’s largest beaches and straight out into Lake Michigan.
- I have no idea how she got out there. I tried to step onto the beach and ended up deep to the waste in fine powdery snow.
- Your heroic writer. (What is she throwing in the background?)
