LEANING TOWER OF PISA

Yesterday, I did something that I have never done in my life.  I rode my bicycle nearly 30 miles.   I took my bike to an interesting YMCA in Niles, Illinois. (Chicago Suburb)  I used the most direct route to get there which made it a 13 mile trip.  After my two-hour workout I used a more indirect route to get home and that trip was 15.6 miles.  My total bike ride was 28.6 miles.  Considering how far I travelled and how long I was on my bike - it definitely serves to remind me just how amazing marathon runners are.

The reason that I went to Niles, Illinois to go to a YMCA so far from home was to record some photos of me in front of the replica of the LEANING TOWER OF PISA.

I have passed by this roadside attraction many time over the years that I have been living in Chicago.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  

 Monday MENU

breakfast    one apple                                                                       72 calories
lunch          baby spinach w/baby corn on the cob, asparagus       186 calories
dinner        Chabad Bar Mitzvah Meal 
                  brisket, string beans, rice, Challah, zucchini,
                  Whiskey L'Chaims, Fruit Plate, cookies                    1500 calories
SNACK    GINGER CRYSTALLIZED DARK CHOCOLATE   480 calories

total calories consumed 2398 calories

calories burned

LEANING TOWER YMCA elliptical, PRECOR, level 20, 125 minutes        2013 calories

CALORIES BURNED 2013 CALORIES

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  

Tuesday net calories 385 calories

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

from wikipedia....

The Leaning Tower of Niles is a half-size replica of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Located in Niles, Illinois, it was completed in 1934 by industrialist Robert Ilg as part of a recreation park for employees of the Ilg Hot Air Electric Ventilating Company of Chicago. It is situated at 6300 W. Touhy Avenue. 

Some speculate that part of the motivation to construct the tower was to celebrate the 600th anniversary of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. A more likely explanation is its original functional purpose, to store water for outdoor recreational swimming pools. In 1960, the descendants of Robert Ilg donated part of the park for the construction of the Leaning Tower YMCA.

` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` 


from RoadsideAmerica.com

Leaning Tower of Niles

Niles, Illinois

The Leaning Tower is a perennial stop for travelers in the Chicago area, only 15 minutes northeast of O'Hare International Airport and 10 minutes from the World's First Franchised McDonald's in Des Plaines. The Leaning Tower of Niles is, naturally, a replica of Italy's Leaning Tower of Pisa. It is roughly half-sized, 94 feet vs. the authentic's 177 feet, and leans about 7'4" off plum (vs. Pisa's 13 foot tilt). But that hardly matters when you're standing across the street taking a picture. And the savings in overseas airfare and reduced risk of injury is worth considering.

America's Leaning Tower was built in 1934 (600 years after the original) by businessman Bob Ilg, who anchored it in concrete so that its lean would stay consistent. Originally it was a utility tower, made from steel, concrete, and precast stone, designed to hide water filtration tanks. A plaque at its base says it was built to honor the outstanding scientist Galileo Galilei, who dropped various objects from the top of the Pisa tower to prove his theory of gravity.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
FITBIT 
DAY 4
30,179 STEPS
A two hour workout sandwiched in between a 28.6 mile bike ride set the steps at around 25,000.   The entire rest of the day was a mere 5000 steps more. And the last 1000 of those were simply 'stepping in place' to get me over 30,000 for the day.