My new commute is not very different from my old one. The biggest difference is that my office is not by the lake, so it makes sense to take city streets the whole way instead of the Lakefront Trail. The other big difference is that I don’t have to ride through downtown.
The streets I take have either bike lanes or marked shared lanes. As you can see below, I’m able to slide past car traffic in the bike lane.
Car Traffic
These pictures are from last week. I’m remembering it fondly, as this week has been gray and dreary. Rain was pouring this morning, so I sighed and took the L train to work. I’ll be back tomorrow with a report of my new commute.
Good Times
A Final Burst of Fall
Cycle Chic
P.S. I’m rarely able to take good pictures of other cyclists going by, but I managed to snap the one above. Note that she has a Jimmy Choo bag on the handlebars of her vintage Schwinn. Only when I was cropping this picture to post did I notice that her pants legs are tucked into her socks. Thank you, anonymous beauty, for proving that tucked hems can be stylish.
Oma was very naughty this morning. I need Super Dutch Bike Nanny. Angry that I was returning to work and spending less time with her (Trisha’s astute observation), Oma lashed out by tearing my pants leg. I was feeling spiffy, riding in my best Brooks Brothers pants suit, when the hem fell and Oma grabbed it with her crank arm.
The Aftermath
I had to show up on my first day of work with pants held together by a safety pin, and being yanked by my bike was not fun. I’ve never had a problem riding Oma in wide-leg jeans, but from now on I will secure long and loose pants.
I’ve been out of town for a few days, but I’m looking forward to getting back and spending more time with the Flik. It’s a pretty sweet ride so far, and a real conversation starter. Before I left, I recorded this brief, bare-bones video of the folding process over my lunch break — couldn’t pass up the opportunity to spend some time outdoors in “Dragon Park” on such a beautiful fall day! Apologies for the lack of close-ups — a full review is coming soon.
p.s. if you haven’t found it yet, check out our YouTube channel. From the whimsical to the informative, we’re adding all sorts of things to it these days.
The time has come to talk about winter. Winter cycling is a wonderful experience because I enjoy the outdoors and all of its snowy beauty every day while most people hibernate. I’m really excited about my second winter cycling. Last winter was all about learning the ropes and testing my limits. (See my photo synopsis of winter 2008-09 here.) Now I know what to expect.
Me and Trisha, February 2009
Here I share my wisdom on how to dress for winter bike commuting. This advice is based on my personal experience: riding 7 miles in snow with temperatures around 20 degrees to -10 degrees Fahrenheit. Your individual climate and commute will dictate how you dress. The main take-away point is that you can wear the clothes you already have, but with more protection for you fingers/toes and less bulk for your torso. If you can walk around in the winter, you can bike in the winter.
Chicago has an excellent public transportation system, despite constant talk of fare hikes and service cuts. Within the city there is the elevated “el” train and an extensive bus system. For traveling to the suburbs, there is the cushy Metra train. Chicago’s public transportation system makes living car-free easy. Although we almost always ride our bikes, having other options is helpful.
The El Train
The Platform
During my first year in Chicago, I took the El train everyday. We bought a condo close to an El stop. I was happy to be free from driving: I could read during my commute or stare out the window aimlessly while listening to music. Most of the routes are above-ground and provide a great view of the city and its neighborhoods. Eventually the routine grew tiresome and I decided to look into bicycling – the rest is history. But sometimes I still take the El (and so does Oma).
I ride by Navy Pier every day during my commute. Today the weather was gorgeous – sunny in the 60′s F – so I decided to stop and explore the pier before heading home. I enjoyed it all, even my $5 icecream cone 
This is a great place to go for families, friends and dates. I love being a tourist in my home city, which you may have noticed.
You can see my full Chicago Guide here.
My ride today was filled with wild variations. A super harsh headwind in the morning and a powerful tailwind in the evening. A calm, safe ride on the Lakefront Trail most of the way and a stressful, congested ride through downtown the rest of the way. Starting out a bit too cold and ending up a bit too hot. Life is full of ups and downs, and dealing with it on my bike helps me appreciate the balance. I really think bike commuting can be as mindful and therapeutic as yoga sometimes.
Race Across the Sky is a stunningly beautiful and fast-paced documentary of this year’s Leadville 100 – the mountain bike race that Lance Armstrong won. Tonight I went to the movie theater to see a special encore showing with Mr. Dottie, Elizabeth and Terry (owner of THREE Rivendells!).This was the second night that select theaters played the film. The story is inspirational and the race is straight-up hardcore. I highly recommend seeing this film if you get an opportunity, especially on the big screen to appreciate fully the gorgeous shots of Colorado landscapes.
Terry and Elizabeth
The highlights:
Here are some photographs of my day.
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LIVELY CONVERSATIONS