Have you ever wondered what the world would look like if cities were built to support bicycles, rather than cars? For five hours every year, Chicagoans experience this utopia during Bike the Drive.
Bike the Drive is an annual event organized by the Active Transportation Alliance, during which the city closes the main scenic highway through the city, Lake Shore Drive, to motor traffic and opens it up for cyclists. Nearly 20,000 bicyclists participate! The huge turn-out demonstrates how hungry people are for cyc...
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A hidden gem in Chicago is Clark Park. Mr. Dottie discovered this park while running, tucked behind an awful strip mall-parking lot development. The park includes a baseball field, forest preserve and kayak rental to flow down the river - if you don't mind the signs warning you not to make skin contact with the water. The best feature of the park is the bike trail, especially the section with "sweet" jumps for mountain and bmx bikers. The area shown below is tucked in the woods and has a secret garden feel to it....
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I've never been allergic to anything in my life - no food, medicine or plant could get me down. However, this spring I'm wondering if allergies have sprung upon me. For most of April, I had a terrible headache that went away temporarily only when I took Advil Allergy that someone gave me. She said I probably have allergies, and that she never had allergies until her late 20s, either. Now the headache is gone, but all week I've had a terrible scratchy throat. This started hours after I frolicked in the park below,...
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Portland gets a lot of attention as a hub for "bike fun," but that city certainly does not corner the market.
Chicago has its fair share of bike fun, thanks to people like our latest Roll Model, Balloon Biker Jami Krause. Read on to learn what inspires her to ride, her advice for new bicyclists and what's up with the balloons.
How would you describe your bicycling style in three words?
Exuberant, adventurous, utilitarian
How does the bike fit in your daily life?
I...
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As I mentioned in my last post, we've been enjoying everyone's LGRAB Summer Games entries--on Saturday I decided to join in the fun by taking a small group ride through my neighborhood. The ride started out at my friends Erin & Scott's house near Edgehill Village. Destination? Local popsicle shop Las Palatas.
Erin and Scott have road bikes (Scott brand!), but they got along just fine with Katie's and my vintage wheels.
If you ever come to Nashville, be sure to seek out Las Paletas. This small lo...
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Last week I talked about riding slowly to avoid sweating and last year I talked about fresh summer cycling. However, when the temperature is 90 degrees, changing into work clothes after the commute may be simpler than worrying about sweat marks and riding super slowly, especially when you'll have to duck into the bathroom to freshen up anyway. Such was the case today, when I "kitted out" after suffering through a terribly sweaty ride in my work clothes the day before.
Ladies and gentlemen, I'm pleased to intr...
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One week into the Summer Games, things couldn't be off to a better start. We continue to be amazed and impressed at the number of people who are playing along! If you need some inspiration, here are links to the entries we've gotten so far.
Go on a group ride
Wondering what would be considered a group ride? Try one of these:Â dropping off the kids at school by bike with another family; Â touring Munich by bike; attending a bike rally; tour your home city by bike; or join a Ride of Silence or th...
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On Saturday for the first time I visited the Lincoln Park Zoo. Of course, we rode our bikes there. The zoo is free, located just north of downtown by the lake. The size is impressive for a free attraction and it's a fun way to spend the day, especially for families with children.
Some exhibits were a little sad, especially the intelligent gorillas. I'm not sure how I feel about zoos in general, but the beauty of the space is undeniable, especially in the midd...
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After the group ride on Wednesday - cycling no faster than 12 mph - I realized that I was not sweaty at all. That was a pretty big deal, especially for a 10 mile ride in 70 degrees, since I tend to sweat while riding. I'm no rocket scientist, but I managed to put together that if you ride slooowly, you won't sweat. This is not exactly breaking news, but it's a good reminder of the different riding options out there. I'm not a "fast" rider, but I usually push myself just enough to break a sweat.
Duri...
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Today I participated in the annual Ride of Silence. The Chicago ride, organized beautifully by my friend Elizabeth, paid special tribute to cyclists killed on the city's roadways. The ride visited several ghost bikes along the 10 mile route. Two of the ghost bikes are new in the past year - Jepson Livingston and Liza Whitacre. I know of two other fatalities in the last year, a 12-year-old boy and 13-year-old boy in separate incidents.
In 2008, there were 1,043 traffic fatalities in the state of Illi...
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