For Chicago kayaker, a commute to work on the river provides all sorts of surprises

By Noel Brennan

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    CHICAGO, Illinois (WBBM) — In Chicago, nothing seems to flow smoothly, except on the Chicago River.

Dan Schreiner has to work downtown on this particular day, but it’ll be a workout to get there from Roscoe Village.

“No traffic on the river today,” he said.

He could easily take the Kennedy Expressway, but he prefers a kayak and a route that’s “way more scenic.” His commute is the kind was the kind CBS News Chicago wanted to check out.

Schreiner usually makes the trip solo a few mornings a month. It started with a New Year’s resolution and “giving back to Mother Earth and no emissions and try to inspire some people to be healthy.”

He admitted he thought it was a “wacky idea,” but his wife encouraged him.

It wouldn’t be the first time Schreiner has embarked on such an athletic feat. Back in 2017, he biked more than 1,000 miles over two weeks to win a winter biking contest.

“That’s basically like driving your bike up to Milwaukee after work every single night,” he said.

Back on the Chicago River, he said his typical commute, depending on how hot it is, takes him about three hours.

That level of patience can even impress a fisherman.

“Get out of here!” said Antonio Jackson, who was fishing along the river. “Three hours? He gotta be crazy!”

Some people just like the adventurous route, and the Chicago River is always full of surprises.

“Oh, you got a capsized boat!” Schreiner said. “That’s cool!”

He’d report the boat to the proper authorities.

The next unexpected find in the water was an actual message in a bottle. He was going to keep that one for himself.

While a smooth ride shouldn’t be confused with easy, on the river, rush hour doesn’t exist. There was just a little traffic on the water near Wacker Drive.

All Schriener had to do before going to work was squeeze his boat into a backpack.

He also fished that message out of the bottle.

It read in part, ” Do whatever you want to do in life. What would you do if you could not fail? Do that [expletive]. Then call me and tell me about it.”

Just wait until they hear about this kayakers’ commute.

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