Critical Mass September Route Proposal

October is fire prevention month all across the country. October was chosen because of the psychological impact of the Great Chicago Fire. In memory to the lives lost in that horrific disaster, and to promote fire safety awareness, I propose we use the burn perimeter of the Great Chicago Fire as our route for the September, 2014 Critical Mass Ride.

Please make suggestions. I don't think I made any wrong-way mistakes.

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WHERE: Daly Plaza at the Chicago Picasso

WHEN: 6pm, September 26, 2014

WHAT: CRITICAL MASS Great Chicago Fire burn perimeter ride

Route:

West on Washington

R on Wabash

L on Jackson

R on Columbus

E on Balbo

L on Michigan

R on Roosevelt

R on Jefferson

R on Taylor

R on Clinton

R on DeKoven (origin of the fire)

R on Jefferson

R on Taylor

L on Canal

R on Jackson

L on Wacker

L on Franklin

R on Orleans

L on Hubbard

R on Kingsbury (becomes Cambridge)

R on hobbie

L on Cleveland

R on Division

L on Wells

L on Goethe

R on Sedgewick

R on Schiller

L on N Park Ave

L on Concord

R on Sedgewick

L on Eugenie

R on Willow

L on Fern Ct.

R on Menomonee

L on Orleans

R on Wisconsin

L on Clark

bear R onto N. Lincoln Park West

R on Fullerton

End at Nature Museum (Fullerton and N Cannon Drive)

(May continue ride farther, but this is the end of the perimeter).

Jeff

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Bob Kastigar on September 25, 2014 at 2:49pm

Jeff Hazzard said:

SO.....I am not going to change the route and I am going to get this one printed up. Thanks for your help. See you Friday.

Post a printable image here, so we can capture it and make sizable printed copies for ourselves.

Thanks.

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Permalink Reply by Alex Z on September 26, 2014 at 2:11am

Why is that?

h' 1.0 said:

we're in a long gradual waning phase that I don't see turning around....

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Permalink Reply by Tom A.K. on September 26, 2014 at 4:00am

Jeff H., your route proposal is great for tonight. Let's all have a great ride!

Juan 2-8, I am also seeing a growing amount of cyclists every day in this city. Hopefully, Critical Mass has the
possibility of growing larger, not smaller.

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Permalink Reply by Jeff Hazzard on September 26, 2014 at 4:03am

Very sorry, but I don't have a printable version because many were combined. But I do have an accurate list of turns here for you, if that is helpful.

ROUTE: East on Washington; R on Wabash; L on Jackson; R on Columbus; R on Balbo; L on Michigan; R on Roosevelt; R on Jefferson; R on Taylor (origin of the fire at Jefferson and DeKoven); L on Canal; R on Jackson; L on Upper Wacker; L on Franklin Street Bridge (which is Orleans Street); bear R on Orleans; L on Grand; R on Milwaukee; R on Elston; R on North; R on Clybourn; L on Mohawk; R on Blackhawk; L on Sedgewick; R on Wisconsin; L on Clark; bear R onto N. Lincoln Park West; R on Fullerton; Mass up and 10 min break at Nature Museum (Fullerton and N Cannon Drive) parking lot.

THEN: North on Cannon; R on Sheridan; L on Oakdale; L on Racine; R on Cortland; L on Ashland; R on Wabansia; L on Damen; R on North Ave; L on Kedzie; END Kedzie and Carrol.

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Permalink Reply by Juan 2-3 or more mi. on September 26, 2014 at 8:25am

Growing larger would be great Tom. Our fight for the streets is not over by a long shot because the south and westside could use more bike culture. Just hoping massholes and crazy drivers would stay away from such large rides.

Tom A.K. said:

Jeff H., your route proposal is great for tonight. Let's all have a great ride!

Juan 2-8, I am also seeing a growing amount of cyclists every day in this city. Hopefully, Critical Mass has the
possibility of growing larger, not smaller.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jeff Hazzard on September 27, 2014 at 5:31am

Thanks to all who made the ride such a good one last night. We had a series of crashes mid-pack while turning from Clybourn onto Mohawk, which left the two halves of the ride divided. But the mass up at the Nature Museum fixed that problem.

The feedback I have been given is that most liked the variety in the route last night (commercial, industrial, residential, parks, etc), and liked the longer distance (about 17 miles). And that they liked having a route to follow as it let them tell friends where to meet the mass (I noticed dozens of late-comers joining). Also the start of second half at the Nature Museum parking lot was the smoothest I've seen. And the comments on a 10 minute intermission were generally positive, although there was criticism of not having washrooms available.

Several people expressed amazement that the 1871 fire burned from Roosevelt and Jefferson to Fullerton and Stockton. It is a long way! They also thought we should find other historical events about the city and incorporate them into rides in the future (like a gangster ride to all the famous robbery/shoot-out/last stand places), or a modified architectural tour of the city, etc.

In my perception, cycle activism doesn't have to be in-your-face extremism. I don't hold that much animosity for car traffic, just wish they would look out for us and stay in their lanes. I don't need to be a masshole to make my points. And, also, it is not "caving to the man" when we plan and publish a route. It makes for a safer time for all of us and it piques interest in "following along" as we go the route. If you notice, the lead officers ended up sort of leading us last night and corralled some of the cowboys, especially when a whole segment of radical rough riders blew right by the Wabansia turn off Ashland. In other words, I had a good time and felt like we did it right. We achieved having traffic notice us and accept us as traffic. Mission accomplished.

Thank you for the palpable support you gave me in forming this route and pulling the ride off.

Jeff

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Permalink Reply by Tom A.K. on September 27, 2014 at 6:57am

Thank you, Jeff Hazzard, for the great route, theme, and the leadership last night. I, along with the thousands who attended this Critical Mass immensely enjoyed this exuberant event on a perfect early fall evening.

It is helpful, most of the time, to have a preposted route to allow for latecomers (like myself) to join in on busy Friday evenings. This factor will be helpful in the future, to put energy into CM's, and to try to grow them in the future rides. Again, thanks and see you on next month's ride!