Up Close and Personal

Outside my academic and professional life, I have some interests that include cycling, travel, and photography.

Cycling

I’m not the fastest but I’m faster than many of my friends, so there’s that! I lived for ~17 years in Chicago, & is an amazing place. One thing I love most about the Chicagoland area is the vast number of trails in and out of the forest preserves. I believe it’s pretty unparalleled among big cities in this country. For short rides, I used to ride west to the North Channel Trail and then up to Green Bay Rd and back (about 18 miles round-trip. For longer rides, I rode further west to the North Branch Trail and depending on my stamina, up to the Botanic Gardens and sometimes even further north. My personal best was in summer 2023 when I rode 100 miles to the Wisconsin state line and back. It was an achievement I won’t soon forget.

I find cycling to not only be great for keeping active but also for mental health. When I am on my bike, I can focus more on the beauty around me rather than what might be taking up real estate in my mind.

I lived in Miami from May 2021-May 2022 and again from December 2023 to present and have had some really great rides there as well. I once counted over 30 alligators during a ride at Shark Valley in the Everglades National Park.

Black Point Marina, Old Cutler Road, Pinecrest, Coconut Grove, and Coral Gables are some areas I particularly enjoy.

Travel

I don’t travel nearly as much as I used to due to changing responsibilities in work and the rising cost of flights and gas, so when I have the opportunity, I take advantage. I will be adding more details here about some trips I have taken.

Photography

I studied photography by self-learning and taking classes at photography centers around Chicago. I got rid of my bulky camera some time ago and now mostly take photos with my iPhone. I will include more images or links to galleries for you to view at some point.