I stopped by Millennium Park on the way to work Thursday morning. The park is out of my way, but worth a visit. I have gobs more pictures of the gardens - this is only the first set. I really appreciate Chicago. The city has its problems, but there is also so much beauty.
read moreFor the last few weeks you may have noticed me riding Le Peug more often. But I like to be fair (I was the kind of child who worried about stuffed animals being lonely if they didn't sleep with me every night, which is why I only ever had one), so for the past couple of weeks it's been the Bat's turn. The minute my butt hit the seat, I thought, no wonder I brought this bike back from the UK. Smooth, stylish, sturdy, easy to shift, built-in lights and zero maintenance. Why would I want to ride something else...
read moreWhat follows is a glimpse at the mindset of a female bike commuter. I assume I'm not the only one who has these thoughts and impulses. 
I am not a competitive person, more happy when everyone is a winner. As the weather warms and I see all the - mostly male - cyclists jockeying for position in the bike lanes, I feel a combination of amusement and annoyance. Opting out of the commute-as-race mentality is one reason I love riding my Dutch bike.
That said, sometimes my ego kicks in when I ride Betty Foy and...
In Chicago much of the weather depends on the wind. In these photos you can see the sun, but you can't see the WIND, which made the 50 degree temps pretty chilly. The 20 mph sustained wind was my friend this morning, pushing me all the way downtown. In the evening the wind was up to no good, but in fairness I had turned against her, not the other way around. Betty Foy was definitely the bicycle of choice today, as she's much lighter and more aerodynamic than my Dutch bike. Overall, a...
read moreThirty years ago today, Trisha was born - mistress of bike riding, singing any lyric known to mankind, draping a scarf, interviewing famous authors, baking fancy treats, traveling Europe and goofing off. When we met four years ago, my life got way more awesome. For example, one year ago today, we were celebrating her birthday riding bikes in St. Petersburg, Russia, and in a few months we plan to be riding bikes in Paris! But before that grand trip, I will be in Nashville this weekend to celebrate....
read moreBicycle Goddess Brigade - the kind of name that is formed while riding in the rain with a posse of fun women. This morning I met some great new people, Arielle, Amanda and Anni (Yup, we all have blogs - Arielle created hers today after encouragement. Fun fact: Amanda's brother is Lansing Photo Cyclist). Before today we were strangers and I knew them only through this blog. They all recently moved to Chicago and are interested in getting around the city via velo, so I arranged for us to meet for brunch and an ...
read moreI rode my bike 15 miles on Saturday, wearing a dress and boots, naturally. The rain stayed away for my ride, although the fog and wind were quite harsh. I pumped myself up by pulling out my iPod on the bike path. The thumping beats of Lady Gaga and Kate Nash made me push myself harder and I accidentally got quite a workout. I cooled down comfortably after five minutes of sitting on a park bench among the falling cherry blossoms. My destination was the Art Institute of Chicago downtown. I...
read moreApril showers have arrived to mess up everyone's weekend plans, but I've decided not to give in. After riding home from work yesterday in the rain, I changed into a fresh dress, donned my raincoat and headed out on the town with Elizabeth. Our destination was a music venue several miles north and soon rain began pouring. After meeting up with Ms. Elle and enjoying the show, we rode home through a steady rain at 2 a.m. And guess what? We had a blast. The thought crossed my mind that most people - unbikey p...
read moreRiding in Chicago rush hour traffic can really raise my blood pressure, especially when it seems that every person drives a huge SUV while fiddling with a blackberry and passing within inches of me. Even after two years of daily riding, this still gets to me a bit too much sometimes. Today during my evening commute, I had to pull over for some deep breaths and springtime appreciation. A few minutes later I returned to the road feeling calm and refreshed. I can't control how others drive ...
read moreThe need to look professional is an excuse I hear often for not bike commuting. Please. Don't try that one with me! As a lawyer, I often wear business suits to work and - yes - I ride my bike dressed up. Riding a bike in a suit is quite easy, especially if the weather is mild and the distance is not very great. I have only a few tips: If the weather is hot, leave your tie, hosiery, jacket at work. If the weather is freezing, layer sensibly as I discuss here. If you wear pants, secure your cuff from hung...
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