The Chainlink

How was your LSD Carfree Experience?

My family and I had a lovely time today!

My 6 year old nephew said goodbye to his training wheels at Sunday Parkways last October and today at Bike The Drive rode the farthest he has ever ridden (North to Grant Park and back)!

Thank you to again Active Trans for another amazing bike event in Chicago.

How was your experience?

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Permalink Reply by pjc jr on May 25, 2009 at 2:29am
The event was great, went out and enjoyed spinning a loop and seeing a number of friends volunteer their time to assist others in educating and helping to keep everyone rolling smoothly. Great job to everyone who was out their being a 'wrench' in need! Fun to see the diversity and familys, its never to young or late to show someone that they have transit choices in life!
Permalink Reply by wig [ isaac ] on May 25, 2009 at 7:10am
bike the drive should be a 24 hour event with music and food... plan and simple........ if this city can pull off taste of chicago selling people food[ if you want to call it that ] at 1000% markup. then why can't we get 24 hours of a GREEN event.

sorry about the rant......

as for our experience. its always a shock see 1000's of bikes in one place at one time. me and wendy love the job the active trans did and is doing in the city. sorry to all the riders that got hurt..?? they should think about a mile stretch for kids? not saying we have a problem with kids on the ride. but the passing statements of the faster riders proved over the last few years that they want to go fast. I could see it being a bit safer also for everyone to have a family section.


why is this not done more often?????
Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on May 25, 2009 at 7:19am
I agree, Bike the Drive should be a couple of hours longer. AND there should at least be a marked off section in the left lane for fast riders (or as you mentioned a family area). I didn't hear anyone yelling "slower traffic to the right" at all. I did a couple of times when I saw slower/inexperienced riders hanging out and/or going very slow in the left lane.

I didn't know anyone got hurt but I did see an ambulance near the bride around Lake and a couple of bikes on the side of the road with no bikers....

wig [ isaac ] said:
bike the drive should be a 24 hour event with music and food... plan and simple........ if this city can pull off taste of chicago selling people food[ if you want to call it that ] at 1000% markup. then why can't we get 24 hours of a GREEN event.

sorry about the rant......

as for our experience. its always a shock see 1000's of bikes in one place at one time. me and wendy love the job the active trans did and is doing in the city. sorry to all the riders that got hurt..?? they should think about a mile stretch for kids? not saying we have a problem with kids on the ride. but the passing statements of the faster riders proved over the last few years that they want to go fast. I could see it being a bit safer also for everyone to have a family section.


why is this not done more often?????
Permalink Reply by Brian Bird on May 25, 2009 at 8:11am
I had a wonderful experience. Even with the wind blowing off the lake. You can read all about it by going to the Chicago Cycling Club's group site where I posted it last night.

Much better and healthier than watching the '500.
Permalink Reply by David Travis on May 25, 2009 at 8:37am
Bike the Drive was wonderful again. And I agree it should be longer, a full morning's worth. As it is the southbound drive (from Monroe) is closed much earlier than the northbound. Southsiders always get the short end of the stick. Fortunately, the bike path going south was crowded only around Grant Park through the museum campus and then it eased out considerably. But the cyclists entering the heavy stream on the path from crossing LSD do present a potential hazard as I could see.

The idea that there should be several neighborhood stretches with family lanes is an idea that is welcome and needs only volunteers and markers. The drive is wide enough to accommodate it.

Cheers and shout outs to the organizers and volunteers.
Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on May 25, 2009 at 9:02am
I was volunteering, bringing supplies to course marshals on a section south of the start and helping riders along the way. Starting the ride with that tailwind was a great way to warm up. Riding north into that wind with a trailer was a workout.

This year I saw less conflict between faster and slower riders. It looked like more of the really slow riders were staying to the right, and faster riders seemed to be doing better at staying clear of slower riders. I did not witness any accidents, but I know there were a few.

I was able to offer first aid supplies to a mother to help her little boy after he wiped out. Some riders needed to borrow my pump to add a bit of air to their tires. Others needed a patch kit or a few tools. I put one guy's dropped chain back on. A few others needed tools or more mechanical skill than I could offer, and I was able to direct them to the mechanics at the festival area.

It was great to be able to help people enjoy the ride.
Permalink Reply by Lee Diamond on May 25, 2009 at 9:38am
I didn't get to bike as I was at our booth, but the enthusiastic response of the folks coming up to our booth to learn about our bike tours was amazing. I brought tons of stuff and lamented about what a pain in the neck it was going to be to reload everything when it wrapped up.....no need! We got rid of tons of postcards, gobs and gobs of posters, all of our water bottles, every last business card I had, and had incredibly great conversations with so many riders. I was jealous seeing everyone riding when I was there, but I have to say that it was a beautiful day, a great time, and a marvelous event.

We sponsor every single Active Transportation Alliance event that exists, and given the tremendous work they do and the awesome response that the events get, that will continue to be the case.

Way to go ATA!
Permalink Reply by Bob Kastigar on May 25, 2009 at 12:07pm
wig [ isaac ] said:
bike the drive should be a 24 hour event with music and food... plan and simple........ if this city can pull off taste of chicago selling people food[ if you want to call it that ] at 1000% markup. then why can't we get 24 hours of a GREEN event.


It did seem somewhat short and isolated - from 5:30 AM until 10:00 AM on a Sunday Morning? What kindofa small, isolated green event is that?

Anyway, pictures at http://www.flickr.com/photos/kastigar/sets/72157618637818641/
Permalink Reply by Ed on May 25, 2009 at 1:20pm

Had a great ride.....
Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on May 25, 2009 at 1:42pm
what time was that taken and where on lsd?

Ed said:

Had a great ride.....
Permalink Reply by Dottie on May 25, 2009 at 3:08pm
So much fun! This was my first time and I was amazed at the sheer number of participants. Hanging out in Grant Park afterward was lovely, too. I agree that it should be several hours longer instead of forcing people to get up at 4 in the morning. But most cities would never do it at all, so I'm pretty proud of Chicago. I have some pictures and a quick video here.
Permalink Reply by Michael J Blane on May 25, 2009 at 3:29pm
I had a fun ride.
Starting at Fullerton then south first, I wish the wind had been the other direction. Riding with a group of friends is great, even staying with the slowest rider (kept us changing lanes to the right), we had a great time. About 36 miles for me, door-to-door with a detour to Pauline's for breakfast.

How about adding a couple of hours? Keep it open 'til Noon! (Add more hours every year until it's all day).
Encourage slower riders to the right, faster to the left (hanging signs from overpasses as reminders).

What Sundays are scheduled for the boulevard rides (not BLT but the open the "green ring" to the people)?

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