Day-After-Thanksgiving Critical Mass - Anyone done it?

A friend of mine will be visiting Chicago the day after Thanksgiving (11/29). I would love to show him Critical Mass, but I wonder if there will be low attendance due to the holiday. If the "mass" of cyclists will not be so "critical," then maybe I will think of some other plans.

Anyone have any experience or know how it usually is?

(I recognize that the day after Thanksgiving is not always the last Friday of the month.)

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Michelle on November 6, 2013 at 2:38am

well I'm working and just got a new bike, so I intend to go! But alas, one person does not a critical mass make.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on November 6, 2013 at 3:15am

It won't be as big as summer rides, but in my experience, even mid february rides get a good crowd.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Alex Z on November 6, 2013 at 3:34am

Yeah, I am less wondering about the weather and more wondering about people being out of town or off work. But I don't know, maybe it's balanced out by people being home in Chicago for Thanksgiving or not having to work and thus being free to ride.

I assume the German Christmas market doesn't affect CM?

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Andrew Bedno on November 6, 2013 at 8:00am

I haven't missed a black friday ride in years. On some rainy Novembers there've been only a few hundred, and it feels like many people are away. Last year was TheChainLink's party redo, and there may have been >1000. There've been some Buy Nothing Day oriented rides, one of which I lead, but now I think few riders enjoyed heckling shoppers.

Wherever we go, it'll be ridecast on MassUp.us

And some past November routes are here.

Christkindlmarket is there, and provides convenient snax and cocoa and potties. Massers usually gather towards the north eastern quadrant, and willow often comes as Santa with balaclavas.

November CCM on FB

November CCM on TCL