2024 07 02
Running through Chicago, Illinois. May, 2024. © Clayton Hauck
It doesn’t always feel like it in today’s connected world, but it’s crazy how big this planet is. What am I getting at, exactly? I’m not entirely sure. It might just be the recent feeling of helplessness at events out of my control causing a feeling of insignificance. But to get a bit more specific, the feeling I’ve been pondering a lot lately has more to do with the simple idea that there’s a lot I haven’t seen. FOMO, perhaps — gotta catch ‘em all.
I’m someone who prioritizes travel and exploration. I go out of my way to change my route and see sights and visit places I haven’t yet experienced. Lately, on longer runs through my city of Chicago, I’ve been struck by how little of the city I’ve yet to experience (I’ve internally dubbed my runs as “exploration,” which helps convince my silly brain to do them surprisingly well!). Even after having lived in the same neighborhood for well over two decades, there are nearby streets which have escaped my eyes. I always get a nice little jolt of joy when I realize I’m venturing down a block that is new to me. The simple things. Add alleys, parks, and building interiors into the mix and it’s seemingly impossible to get to every space contained within Chicago in an entire lifetime!
Soon, I will attempt to hit every bar on one street in Chicago as a fun little side quest. Even this one street, with something like sixty different establishments, will be challenging and likely take years to accomplish!
This morning I was browsing google maps after my sister texted me a small town she wanted to check out south of Chicago. I pin every city and town I’ve been to, and I was struck by how little of the state I’ve yet to experience myself when you really zoom in on the territory. Even after some recent trips dedicated simply to “exploring Illinois,” I’d guesstimate I’ve been to maybe 10 percent of its towns. Even after more than four decades living in the state, it’s largely a mystery to me! It’s this simple fact which has motivated me to want to get out, explore, and photograph as much of the state as I can, eventually working towards a photobook or some encompassing project.
It would take a lifetime to finish. Or, more likely, I’ll lose interest after a few years of experiencing the same run down, sleepy town after the next, the gaps filled with farmland as far as the eye can see. “I’ve been everywhere, man!” I’ll proclaim confidently, knowing that even after seeing maybe a quarter of the state, it’s still more than almost any other person I encounter.
-Clayton
