still amazed

I always get puzzled when I ride my bike 

    Going around my subdivision is about 2.2 miles.  If I ride in the country, it puzzles me.  Today I rode south on Skare, then through a little subdivision and along some roads.
    I was almost at my friend Jim's house when I hit the 3 mile mark!  I rode almost all the way to IL 38 and it was not much more than going around my block once.
    Verrry interesting.
    Back and forth on the bike path is about the same as three times around my block.
    The problem is, I get bored going the same route.  I need to start riding to Kings again.  And when the bike path is completed into town, that will give me an opportunity for a nice ride.
    I had a chance this morning to "tour" the building called the Graber/Kepner/Binz building in downtown Rochelle.
    Truthfully, it is a mess.
    It is over 100 years old and has been sadly neglected lately.
    But it is very cool inside!
    On the second floor were apartments.  Little one room units.  On the third floor there were more spacious apartments.  The ones in front had pretty cool views of the corner of Fourth and Lincoln.  And they had their own bathrooms, something the second floor did not have, instead sharing a communal bath at the end of the hall.
    I have been to Europe several times and am always impressed by the old buildings, still functional, still used.
    I wonder why in this country we tear down the older ones and build new buildings.  It happens in Rochelle, Chicago, everywhere; with hundred year old mansions and buildings gone, replaced by some bland slab of concrete.  Can't some of these ancient ones be saved?
    I wanted to tour the building so I could give a little insight about it during my history walks.
    Don't know about my history walks?   Tune in tomorrow.