The question was, "Is Chicago a bicycle Friendly city?" The answer is, "No, it is a bicycle advocate city!". Coming to this city from New York, I am amazed at how incredibly easy it is to get around on bicycle and how this city has adapted itself to embrace bicycling. The cycling culture bas become very much a part life in Chicago.
My ride began by bringing my bike down in the elevator, the conversation immediately turned to cycling. Instead of demeaning looks, and observable irritation on the part of my fellow passengers, conversations broke out about cycling, where to go, what to see, have I ridden here yet, etc. Ejecting myself from the hotel into the city traffic, I began to register the feel for my place in it.
I stopped at the Bicycle Station which is a unique aspect of the city bicycling scene. I had learned more about the station and I found that it has been designed and dedicated as a service stop in support of bicycle commuting. For the mere sum of a dollar a day, memberships can be purchased that afford the bicycle commuter 24 hour access to the facility which includes, locked bike storage, locked gear storage, showers, and changing facilities. So if you work in the loop and live somewhere else, access to the city by bike is supported. It doesn't matter how hot the morning is and whether or not your building supports showering, you are totally hooked up. And, Oh yeah, if your bike needs a tune up, there is a mechanic there to service it while you work and have it ready for your trip home. And the really crazy part, this is city supported! There is only one Bicycle Station, but what a start!
I headed for the Lake Trail and turned north. I had already experienced the ambiance of the trail heading south on the hammer run with Stu, but today I was on my own and sight seeing. The first stop was at Navy Pier. A Center of recreation, Navy Pier is a cross between a carnival and a food court, it is one of the city's major tourist attractions and a popular local spot as well, fully supporting bicycle access.
Continuing up the Lake Trail I was enjoying the scenery but I was amazed at how many bicycles there were everywhere, beaches, recreational venues, all had bicycles amassed in ubiquitous racks. The volleyball tournament shown here is only one example. It was the same at the soccer fields, softball fields, marinas, and the world famous Lincoln Park Zoo.
Far from merely recreational, the bicycle is an integral part of the transportation infrastructure of the City of Chicago and its residents. If you examine the supporting photos for this article, look into the corners, there are bicycles everywhere. Having traveled the roughly ten miles up the trail I hit the terminus and headed for the streets. Bike paths everywhere are relatively easy, what would the neighborhood streets be like?
Chicago is city which has had a renaissance, after the Chicago Fire, the city laid itself out in a simple grid pattern, North, South, East, West, most streets run straight as an arrow, and uninterrupted. It is very possible to take almost any street locally from one end of the city to the other. Stopped at a light I asked one cyclist about an intended route, Clark Street. Designated as a bike route in the Chicago bike map, I knew this to be a busy road. The rider responded dryly, "Well I'd take a side road, there are buses and such on Clark Street." Ahh, just what I was looking for, edge!
OK, at this point I will run out of stories to tell. To describe the ride as uneventful is making it too exciting. Don't get me wrong, it was as pleasant as could be, but being a New York rider I am used to adrenaline. I didn't get run off the road, I did not have to flip anyone off, I didn't need to make an emergency exit to avoid being killed. I merely took my place in the traffic flow. OK there was one spot where the bike lane was blocked by a mail truck picking up mail from a box, and I did nearly get doored, but the bike lane was wide enough to accomodate my swing out to the left easily and the motorist actually yelled out, "Sorry!" Who'd a thunk it?
The question was, "Is Chicago a bicycle Friendly city?" The answer is, "No, it is a bicycle advocate city!". Coming to this city from New York, I am amazed at how incredibly easy it is to get around on bicycle and how this city has adapted itself to embrace bicycling. The cycling culture bas become very much a part life in Chicago.
My ride began by bringing my bike down in the elevator, the conversation immediately turned to cycling. Instead of demeaning looks, and observable irritation on the part of my fellow passengers, conversations broke out about cycling, where to go, what to see, have I ridden here yet, etc. Ejecting myself from the hotel into the city traffic, I began to register the feel for my place in it.
I stopped at the Bicycle Station which is a unique aspect of the city bicycling scene. I had learned more about the station and I found that it has been designed and dedicated as a service stop in support of bicycle commuting. For the mere sum of a dollar a day, memberships can be purchased that afford the bicycle commuter 24 hour access to the facility which includes, locked bike storage, locked gear storage, showers, and changing facilities. So if you work in the loop and live somewhere else, access to the city by bike is supported. It doesn't matter how hot the morning is and whether or not your building supports showering, you are totally hooked up. And, Oh yeah, if your bike needs a tune up, there is a mechanic there to service it while you work and have it ready for your trip home. And the really crazy part, this is city supported! There is only one Bicycle Station, but what a start!
I headed for the Lake Trail and turned north. I had already experienced the ambiance of the trail heading south on the hammer run with Stu, but today I was on my own and sight seeing. The first stop was at Navy Pier. A Center of recreation, Navy Pier is a cross between a carnival and a food court, it is one of the city's major tourist attractions and a popular local spot as well, fully supporting bicycle access.
Continuing up the Lake Trail I was enjoying the scenery but I was amazed at how many bicycles there were everywhere, beaches, recreational venues, all had bicycles amassed in ubiquitous racks. The volleyball tournament shown here is only one example. It was the same at the soccer fields, softball fields, marinas, and the world famous Lincoln Park Zoo.
Far from merely recreational, the bicycle is an integral part of the transportation infrastructure of the City of Chicago and its residents. If you examine the supporting photos for this article, look into the corners, there are bicycles everywhere. Having traveled the roughly ten miles up the trail I hit the terminus and headed for the streets. Bike paths everywhere are relatively easy, what would the neighborhood streets be like?
Chicago is city which has had a renaissance, after the Chicago Fire, the city laid itself out in a simple grid pattern, North, South, East, West, most streets run straight as an arrow, and uninterrupted. It is very possible to take almost any street locally from one end of the city to the other. Stopped at a light I asked one cyclist about an intended route, Clark Street. Designated as a bike route in the Chicago bike map, I knew this to be a busy road. The rider responded dryly, "Well I'd take a side road, there are buses and such on Clark Street." Ahh, just what I was looking for, edge!
OK, at this point I will run out of stories to tell. To describe the ride as uneventful is making it too exciting. Don't get me wrong, it was as pleasant as could be, but being a New York rider I am used to adrenaline. I didn't get run off the road, I did not have to flip anyone off, I didn't need to make an emergency exit to avoid being killed. I merely took my place in the traffic flow. OK there was one spot where the bike lane was blocked by a mail truck picking up mail from a box, and I did nearly get doored, but the bike lane was wide enough to accomodate my swing out to the left easily and the motorist actually yelled out, "Sorry!" Who'd a thunk it?
