Life has come between me and long blog posts, but these photos sum up my evening rides home better than words anyway. As the days get shorter and my workdays get longer, the ride home takes place in what I like to call "Seventies light"—because snaps from that era often seem to include the same preternaturally bright greens and golds that spring to life in the early stages of the sunset. How's the scenery on your commute these days?
read moreChicago is a big city, which presents some unique challenges when bike commuting. Usually, heavy traffic is the biggest problem, but sometimes - rarely - the problem is dangerous people. Greg (Mr. Dottie) is working in the far suburbs this week, so yesterday morning he rode his bike to Union Station, took the train and on the other end rode his bike to the worksite. While still in Chicago, almost to Union Station, he was stopped at a red light behind a cab when a goth-looking street guy with a b...
read moreYikes - this is the last weekend in August. Where has the summer gone? To enjoy as much of the remaining warmth as possible, I spent Saturday experiencing a new-to-me Chicago summer tradition: the Ravinia music festival. There the music takes a back seat to enjoying time outside - Chicagoans so love time outside in the summer. Ravinia Park has a huge lawn where thousands set up elaborate picnics, often complete with tables, candles and multiple courses. The evening's performance was by Rodrigo y Gabrie...
read moreOK, so I'm still not sure about this statement when it comes to romantic relationships, but it does apply to me and my bikes. Every once in a while, I get in a rut where bicycle commuting seems as problematic as any other form of routine transportation. Over the past two years I've learned that if I start feeling that way, the best remedy is to not fight it. After a few days off the bike, riding it again feels like a new discovery or a special treat. That wasn't the reason for my recent break in riding, though: it ...
read moreThis morning I planned to take my usual street route to work. After I got on my bike and felt the sweet sun and cool breeze, however, my instinct took over and led me to the Lakefront Trail. I thought maybe I needed a clear stretch of pavement to go fast and get out any residual aggression from yesterday's jerk sighting, but after I rode the mile to the lake and my tires automatically slowed upon hitting the Trail, I realized that what I craved was some quiet time with the horizon, safe from all motor vehicles. ...
read moreMy commute to and fro today was lovely, other than having to yell "JERK" at some jerk, who honked at me for being in the road and then cut me off to turn right. Â I guess I should not be surprised, since some people (*cough* men *cough*) are often jerks in general. Â The anonymity of driving naturally magnifies this tendency. Â They should get their ridiculous testosterone under control and stop bringing me down. Anyway, my ride really was (mostly) lovely. Â There is finally some relief from the oppressive heat a...
read moreOn Saturday Mr. Dottie and I had the privilege of spending the whole day with Miss Sarah of Girls & Bicycles and her husband Don. We showed them Chicago, local style. First they came to our place to get fitted on Oma and Sir Raleigh. Despite the height differences, the bikes worked out. Then we rode a few miles to the Bucktown/Wicker Park neighborhood, where we had brunch at Toast and walked around. While Sarah scored at the BCBG sale and the thrift store, I finally found a good straw hat at Goorin Brother...
read moreThis morning I almost took public transit instead of riding my bike, as the news predicted a sweltering 90 degree day with thunderstorms. I decided to ride anyway. By the afternoon, the official thunderstorm watch was the talk of the office, with heavy rain and lightening strikes predicted...any minute... But the rain never happened. So after work I rode my bike a couple of miles as planned to meet up with Sarah, Don and Mr. Dottie at The Publican for dinner. After a delicious and very inte...
read moreWhen I first started riding a bike over two years ago, the internet was my best resource for information: how to pack a pannier, change a tire, signal turns, etc. All very technical and masculine, but I accepted that as the bicycling culture. Then one day I stumbled upon Girls and Bicycles. One girl and one bicycle, to be exact: Miss Sarah and her Pashley. For the first time, I saw the possibility of a different kind of bicycling lifestyle, one in which dresses, heels and nights at the opera fit seamlessly. The ...
read more |
 |
 |
 |
