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A F-ing Cold Bike Commute (brrrrrrrrrr)

Posted by Dottie at 21:40 commute diary 30 Responses »

Jan 192012

Have I mentioned that winter’s finally come to Chicago? And she is not messing around.

This morning I biked to work in 15 F temps. My alley was an ice rink, but the streets and bike lanes were clear and dry. That’s good, because I haven’t put studded tires on Oma yet. I was totally comfortable throwing a puffy vest over a wool skirt suit and wool undershirt, plus cotton tights, snow boots, scarf, gloves, and earmuffs. I stuck heating packs in my mittens and boots, otherwise I wouldn’t have made it.

By the time I arrived at work, I felt refreshed and happy.

Unfortunately, the day grew colder and this outfit proved to be lacking for the commute home.

The temperature on the way home was effing cold:

For the non-Americans out there, that’s:

Plus, it was windy! As usual. Windchill of -7 F, -22 C. By the time I got home, my fingers and toes were in pain (despite the warmers) and my thighs were bright red. Not gonna lie: my spirits were low. But now that I’m warmed up, I feel good for the activity and fresh air. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Since I can bike in -4 F temps, today should not have been a problem. Now that I’ve been harshly reminded of the reality of Chicago winters, I wont be caught unprepared again this year.

Tomorrow happens to be Chicago’s Winter Bike to Work Day, but up to 7 inches of fresh snow are supposed to fall, so forget that. I won’t be on my bike, especially without studded tires. Not my idea for fun, but I hope anyone who rides has a good and safe time.

Bike·a·Bee: urban beekeeping meets city cycling

Posted by Dottie at 06:00 featuring . . ., Uncategorized 7 Responses »

Jan 192012

I recently received an email from Jana Kinsman, a long-time reader and year-round Chicago cyclist, about a very cool project she is beginning with the help of Kickstarter called Bike·a·Bee.

With Bike·a·Bee, Jana aims to bring beehives to community gardens all around Chicago. She will be an urban beekeeper who visits every hive herself by bike. The entire operation will be car-free.

Jana Kinsman of Bike·a·Bee, photo by John Greenfield of Grid Chicago

She had me at bicycles and honeybees, but I especially enjoyed hearing that “honeybees are a female-run society. The queen bee is in charge, and all of the worker bees are female. Drones, the males, are essentially around for mating purposes ”

Love it.

In order to make all this work, Jana needs to raise money to pay for the operation, including a bike trailer and beehives. Her goal is $7,000 and she must raise the entire amount by February 7th.

This is the kind of stuff I want to see in my community, so I decided to support the project personally as a bike trailer backer. When the project gets going, there will be an LGRAB logo on the trailer. Fun!

Anyone can become a backer by investing $1 or more to help get the project going. Other rewards for becoming a backer of the Bike·a·Bee Kickstarter project including bee postcards, bee stickers, bee posters, and bee honey! Plus, you’ll get the warm and fuzzy feeling that comes with helping a project start and watching it grow.

By helping fund Bike·a·Bee, you are casting a vote for sustainability and urban agriculture as much as you are earning some sweet gifts! As Bike·a·Bee launches, we’ll begin creating webisodes to document our process and share the story. You’ll be there as we set up our first hives in the spring, check on the bees throughout the summer, harvest honey in the early fall, and tuck them in for the winter. You’ll be with us from the start because, without your support, a project of this scope wouldn’t be possible.

As of this posting, she has raised $6,236 of her $7,000 goal.

Let’s help push her to her goal and beyond!

{For more information about Jana and her project, read the excellent interview by John Greenfield on Grid Chicago.}

Rhinestone Cowboy Ride!

Posted by Trisha at 10:53 events 20 Responses »

Jan 162012

We had great weather and a great crowd for the Rhinestone Cowboy Ride in Nashville on Saturday. We met at new local bike shop The Hub and rode together downtown to Robert’s Western World, a honky tonk, of course! Dottie and I spent Friday afternoon scouring South Nashville thrift shops to find outfits that would really make an impact. I think we succeeded. But the rest of the participants were no slouches, either. One thing’s for sure: Nashville is willing to turn out for themed rides! Thanks to everyone who [. . . there's more!]

At Long Last: Snow!

Posted by Dottie at 22:11 commute diary 23 Responses »

Jan 122012

The inevitable has happened: snow finally arrived in Chicago! Yesterday evening I was biking home without a jacket and today the streets look like this: Instead of my bike, I took public transit: I’m escaping to Nashville for a long weekend tomorrow, so I can deny the arrival of winter a little bit longer. :) Anyone enjoy a snow ride today?

A Downtown Chicago Adventure on New Year's Eve!

Posted by Dottie at 20:24 explore, style 6 Responses »

Jan 112012

A Downtown Chicago Adventure on New Year's Eve!

On the morning of New Year’s Eve, I was sipping coffee in my pajamas when I got a text from my friend Elizabeth, encouraging me to join her for a bike ride downtown. I was sorta prepared to spend the entire day in my PJs with books, but after some peer pressure, I said yes (don’t we all need a lil’ push sometimes?). I’m so glad I did because it was a lovely way to end the year! The weather was chilly but mild for Chicago winter. I broke out [. . . there's more!]

T-Shirts and Holiday Lights

Posted by Dottie at 20:54 commute diary 12 Responses »

Jan 102012

I continue to ride with my Christmas lights on Betty Foy. Apparently, I’m all confused about what time of year it is. Adding to the seasonal confusion, the weather was so warm when I left work, I shoved my light jacket in my basket because my cashmere sweater (another $6 thrift store purchase) was more than enough to keep me warm. A few miles from home, I began overheating and pulled off my sweater to ride the rest of the way in my t-shirt. Imagine that: a t-shirt in mid-January [. . . there's more!]

January's Women-Who-Bike Brunch

Posted by Dottie at 20:51 events, style 5 Responses »

Jan 092012

The first Women-Who-Bike brunch of the new year marked an excellent start to 2012! The lure of beautiful weather and the highly-acclaimed new restaurant Nightwood drew 23 women, including several first-timers. Because the restaurant was in Pilsen, about 8-10 miles from my house depending on the route, I met up with a group of six to bike together. Sunday morning is the best time to cycle and low traffic allowed us to ride side-by-side and chat most of the way. After a delicious meal, we all spent a good amount [. . . there's more!]

Video: Chicago's 18th Street Protected Bike Lane

Posted by Dottie at 08:20 commute diary, explore, video 12 Responses »

Jan 092012

Yesterday I was in the Pilsen neighborhood on Chicago’s southside for the Women-Who-Bike brunch. I decided to take the Lakefront Path for the 10 mile ride home, which I could reach by taking the new protected bike lane on S. 18th Street from Canal to Clark Streets, connecting the Pilsen and Chinatown areas. This protected bike lane is one of three in Chicago and exists in part thanks to Alderman Solis (read more about his Ward’s projects and his recent trip to the Netherlands here). Here is a quick video [. . . there's more!]

Is it really January?

Posted by Dottie at 10:37 commute diary, Uncategorized 20 Responses »

Jan 072012

Sunny blue skies, clear roads, mild temperatures – is it April already? I’m used to the occasional brief warm up during winter, but this year winter hasn’t yet arrived at all. If the forecast is right, this will continue for at least the next five days. Yesterday was so warm (relatively) that I simply threw a long cashmere cardigan over my dress before heading out the door. By my evening commute, the temps had increased to 50 degrees F and I didn’t even use my cardigan. And I’m thrilled to [. . . there's more!]