Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Andrew Bedno on August 4, 2009 at 6:50am

Facebook event posting for RSVP's etc:
http://facebook.com/event.php?eid=107960612926

Permalink Reply by Andrew Bedno on August 16, 2009 at 8:32pm

Pursuant to trying to get users more involved on the main ChicagoCriticalMass website, I've also posted this there. That site has comment posting capability for feedback threads, which seems capable but underused, so thought I'd try it there as well experimentally.
ChicagoCriticalMass/routedev

Current proposal (August 28th 2009) is "Bubbles" or "Bubble Mass", an updated version of much enjoyed prior route(s) ending at 31st beach.
This version reflects many revisions from feedback made in preparation for a postponed run earlier this year. Specific compromises or special attention include Randolph outbound, as being proven highest capacity, the twist around 35th/31st/33rd, and optional additional distances continuing along the lake front path. Map includes turn-by-turn, is undated, and intended as a big 1 or 2 up print.

Version below (REDUCED) is introduced for final feedback prior to use in August 28th 2009 mass. August is the perfect month for beach ending, and support is already widespread. I presume other good routes will be proposed, and I encourage multi-massing.

Permalink Reply by Reddog (Cliff) on August 17, 2009 at 2:41am

I'm all for the Bubble Mass myself.

Permalink Reply by Dubi Kaufmann on August 17, 2009 at 9:12am

I think that once the mass merges with the regular traffic on the lakefront path it will dissolve.

Permalink Reply by Andrew Bedno on August 17, 2009 at 9:30am

Officially ending at 31st beach at only 11 miles leaves energy left to swim and ride home. Any wanting may spread at will N/S from there, even ChinaTown's an option.
LFP was a weak point in my April route, but circumstances are different, ending much farther S, and by definition going to lake. So dispersal is part of the plan, but another April lesson was that mass is still huge at end. I'm a constant LFP user at all hours, and think it'll be overwhelming but ultimately fine and pleasant. Hoping you'll lead a big subchunk to the next stop north of 31st (nudge nudge).

Dubi Kaufmann said:

I think that once the mass merges with the regular traffic on the lakefront path it will dissolve.

Permalink Reply by Andrew Bedno on August 17, 2009 at 4:32pm

Exiting by Randolph is from learning, as recently as April. It unwinds the mass into wider space like gas expanding, hollerin through the subsequent underpass; other exits in my experience bottleneck more. Any others have feedback on preferred exit?

DISTANCE is appearing as most frequent feedback, and I agree to a degree.
A. I often hear feedback from newbies who find 12 challenging.
B. Sunset on the 28th is 7:30pm, and average mass speed is 6+mph.

Both sides of path (and lower paths where present) will become bike dense for miles north, but that's what they're for. The idea I'm trying to manifest is progressively distant alternate ends so no one point gets the whole load. Even Navy Pier's an option. Wherever Todd (sound) stops gets the main body, but I've ridden LFP plenty with him, so we'll talk.

Anyone able, please suggest specific simple additions for several more miles.
A thought is to restore some of the original Bubble's exit on Dearborn and big northern loop.

Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on August 18, 2009 at 2:40am

Ah, my favorite internet moment...

Advice and suggestions are asked and when given in a contrary form argued rather then considered...

Here are my opinions:

Anytime you create a big bottleneck it sucks, keeping it a mass is important but when it gets so slow/crowded you can't RIDE YOUR BIKE it takes a bunch of the fun out of it. I don't know various routes well enough to have an opinion on where they occur but I know they kinda suck.

11 miles is wicked short, I know really novice riders might have a hard time with longer rides but helping them to push their limits makes sense and why should the rest of us get a short mass? It makes more sense to have a long mass people can drop off of then a short one that leaves riders restless for more.

Personally I think running the LFP is a bad idea for two reasons: 1) It's kinda the opposite of what the whole thing is supposed to be about; how are we 'taking back the streets' when we do 3 miles of a short ass route on the bike path? 2) There are a lot of cyclists who dislike mass and do not want to participate in it; many of them will be on the LFP around the time you want to clog it with cyclists, not to mention skaters and pedestrians, all of whom will have their routine interrupted by mass . Is this really what mass wants to do, jam up people making the choice to not be in their car?

Permalink Reply by Andrew Bedno on August 18, 2009 at 4:51am

I like the "doesn't retake the streets" angle against LFP best of all.
I'm gonna rework this for 14-15miles to 31st. Northerly ("Bubble Dance") is also a great beach, so I was hedging the bet, using LFP to hit both. Input on simple additions as mentioned above encouraged.
NEW: I'm thinking to rename as "Water Mass", so we're building the set with "Earth" (April) and "Air" (Dubi's). Given water theme, most points of interest could remain and some added, and the optional lakefront path leg would have more meaning in context.

Permalink Reply by Andrew Bedno on August 18, 2009 at 6:34am

Proposed "Water" mass (blue) overlayed with 2008 Bubbles/31st route (pink), seeking options to lengthen city portion of Water route. Additional water related points of interest encouraged: fountains, falls, rivers, ponds, names... Does the Southern lobe of Bubbles hit nicer areas? Is the Northern lobe of Bubbles potentially too slow?
(Sorry, iFrame not allowed here.)
View Water Mass route dev on GoogleMaps

Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on August 18, 2009 at 6:45am

Seems to miss a lot of the NW side, no North ave or anything?

How can we skip the humboldt park beach?

Permalink Reply by Andrew Bedno on August 18, 2009 at 7:01am

HP seems distant, but Goose Island is a nearby NW target in water/river theme, bridges at Division or North, adds miles... I tend to think start of mass when we are most numerous needs to just get out of downtown fast (W), but N's been done, so any feedback on exact simple mass route for a NW (GooseIsland area) loop?

Permalink Reply by Andrew Bedno on August 18, 2009 at 9:31am

How does start with GooseIsland loop LaSalle to Division to Milwaukee sound? Adds some 5 miles totaling 15+ ending at 31st. NortherlyIsland/SheddAqaurium/BuckinghamFountain slow waterfront tour leg optional. Updated: http://tinyurl.com/ccm20090828b

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