D'oh! That's what I said to myself as I went to lock my bike at work yesterday morning and realized that I forgot my u-lock at home in the garage. I scratched my head for a moment and then rolled Betty through the back door, up the elevator, and into my office, where she kept me company for the day.
If I were not able to bring Betty into my office, I don't know what I would have done. It was too early to buy another lock from a bike shop, too risky to leave the bike unlocked outside, and too time-consuming t...
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I consider winter to be more than half-way over around this time, late January/early February. February is usually brutal, but at least I know spring is around the corner. This year, November, December, and now January have passed with only a few super freezing days and two noteworthy snowfalls that melted quickly. I haven't even put studded tires on Oma yet.
By enjoying this extremely mild winter, I feel like I've gotten away with something major, like a jewelry heist. I almost don't want to write this ...
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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...
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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?
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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 I mad...
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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 continue rid...
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Our latest podcast is the first one to feature Dottie and me together. It was recorded during my November Chicago visit over what might have been one Manhattan too many. The original idea was for Dottie to interview me, but what it turned into was a long, wide-ranging and extremely informal discussion about our cycling stories and preferences. It's not available in the iTunes store yet, but you can stream it here or right-click to download it to your computer. Enjoy!
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The mild winter weather continues to make me so happy! Sure, it's cold, but not freezing cold. Sun shining on my shoulders and clear roads are all I need to stay in high spirits.
My bright red coat, instead of being my one source of winter color, is merely one of many bright colors on my commute. Look - not only is there a Carolina blue sky, there's also green grass!
In case any driver fails to notice my bright red coat, I've taken to wearing a neon yellow slap bracelet around my ankle. This...
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Fa la la la la, la la la la!
Every year around the holidays, I think about how cool it would be to go all out with Christmas lights on my bike. And every year I punk out by throwing on ribbon and a couple of ornaments.
Not so this year!
I finally bought a string of battery-operated lights, one that's colorful and blinks in fun patterns. Installing it on my bike was easy - I simply wrapped it around, starting from the handlebars, down along the top tube, and ending at the rack, where I tucked th...
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Yesterday was a special day for me, thanks to good luck. I won tickets to a taping of The Rosie Show where Tori Amos was the guest, by writing an essay about my love for her music. When I got there, they sat me front row center, the best seat in the house!
Rosie tapes her show in Harpo Studios, where Oprah used to tape. Riding there from my office was a breeze, since I could take the Kinzie protected bike lane and side streets the whole way. Riding from there back home was a little crazed and stressful. I ...
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