coming TODAY: Dearborn

Many of you have been following the installation progress of the new Dearborn protected bike lanes, as I have.  As signage has been installed this week and new bike stoplights have been activated and tested,  anticipation has grown.

One of the challenges with the introduction of these protected lanes and many others is public resistance by people who don't understand how the new road configuration is supposed to work and don't necessarily get the idea of bikes as transportation.

We can help overcome that resistance by showing public support for improvements that make bicycling easier in Chicago.  This can include thanking our aldermen, CDOT and the mayor, writing letters to the editor, or explaining new bike facilities to friends, family and co-workers who don't get it.

Today you can show your support in a very visible way for this innovative and controversial project.  Come to the CDOT press conference planned for the official opening.  It's happening at 1:00 p.m. today at 700 S. Dearborn (small park/plaza halfway between Polk and Harrison).

    - Anne Alt

getting the word out

You may have noticed that publishing here has been a bit sporadic.  It's a case of me wearing too many hats and not having enough time to do justice to all the projects at hand.

Are you a current club member with an interest in social media?  Do you have a little editing experience (at least with your own work)?  If you'd be interested in helping out with even a portion of the club's publicity work, we'd be grateful for that assistance.

We'd like to build a team to share the work.  One member has expressed an interest in helping with some of the work.  If we could get several members who are willing to work as a team, that would be ideal.

Experience in blogging, Facebook and/or Twitter is a plus, but not required.  If you're interested, please contact me for more info.  It would be great to have you as part of the team.

   - Anne Alt

after the party

I'd like to thank everyone who came to Saturday's club holiday party at Mars Gallery.  It was a great mix of people and a fun time.

The biggest thank you goes to Julie Sherman for all her hard work in handling all the details to make the party a reality.  Julie - You deserve our thanks for a job well done.

    - Anne Alt

12 bike maintenance tips

If you're interested in doing some of your own basic bike maintenance to maximize the reliability of your bike and spend less time dealing with problems on the road, you may want to check out this handy little feature on maintenance tips by Bicycling Magazine.  It includes a few items on basic diagnosis  of more complex problems to speed up the process when you have an issue that requires attention from your local bike shop.

memorial/dooring education event tomorrow

As I mentioned in the previous post, a memorial and dooring education event is planned for tomorrow, Friday 10/19, at Oak and Wells - the location of the recent dooring death mentioned in that post.  This is in memory of Neill Townsend, who died on 10/5 due to dooring at that location, and Clint Miceli, who died 4 years ago 1 block away, also from dooring.

The memorial will last from 8:00 to 8:30 a.m.  We will hand out flyers about dooring.  After 8:30, there will be a Ride of Silence to the Loop in their memory, and the memory of all dooring victims.

If raising awareness of the hazards of dooring and working to improve bike safety matters to you, please consider joining in this grassroots effort if you are able.  I hope to see you there.

Wishing you safe travels.

     - Anne Alt

learning from a tragedy

On Friday 10/5, the Chicago cycling community lost a year round bike commuter in an entirely preventable accident.

Accidents like this should not happen, and they wouldn't if more drivers were educated about the dangers of dooring.  Other cyclists have died in the same way in recent years.  

On more than one occasion, I have been doored, or swerved to avoid being doored, and was saved from Mr. Townsend's fate by the fact that the driver who could have run me over or hit me head on was paying attention and was able to stop quickly, avoiding a potentially deadly collision.  None of those incidents would have happened at all if each of the parked drivers had looked before opening their doors.  Many cyclists I know have had similar experiences.

To put this into context, I have ridden nearly 19,000 miles over the last 15 years - most of those miles within the city of Chicago.  In that time, I've had a total of 4 accidents requiring medical attention. Three of those accidents involved dooring.  I have avoided hundreds of *potential* accidents through observant, defensive riding.  Paying attention saves lives.  I know that many of you have similar safety statistics.  It sounds like Mr. Townsend may have also had similar numbers - until 10/5.  Cycling *can* be a safe, healthy means of transportation - if we learn how to share the road safely. 

Drivers need to understand the importance of checking the side mirror EVERY TIME before opening a door into traffic, and waiting if necessary.  It's a small thing that could have a huge impact on bike safety if a lot more drivers get the message.

At the same time, cyclists could benefit from learning a few warning signs to help avoid doorings.    

* Visually scanning a line of parked cars for occupants and brake lights is a good start.  

* Brake lights give you a clue that the car is about to pull into traffic or that a door is about to open.  

* As you get closer to each car, using the car's side mirror may let you see if there's someone in the driver's seat who may open their door.  

* Using a side mirror on your bike while riding allows you to more easily see what's approaching from behind.

* If you see a door start to open into your path, loudly call out "STOP!!"

* If car windows are open and you have a bike bell, ringing it can let drivers know you're coming.  (Hey, I know that some of you will think this is totally dorky, but it works.)

If you have other dooring or other traffic safety tips to share, please feel free to respond in a comment.

A memorial and educational outreach event is being planned for this Friday morning 10/19 at the accident site.  If you are interested in participating, you can follow and participate in the planning via this Chainlink discussion.

Wishing you safe travels, wherever you're riding today.

    -- Anne Alt

Bloomingdale Trail walking tour on Sat. 10/20

Friends of the Parks and the Trust for Public Lands are presenting a walking tour of the Bloomingdale Trail on Saturday 10/20 at 9:30 a.m.  $15 members/$20 non-member/Free with a new FOTP Membership.

Pre-registration is required for the event.  Click here for the online registration form.  You can also contact Maria Dmyterko Stone to register or get more information: 312-857-2757×17 or stonem@fotp.org.

Chicago police looking for hit and run driver who hit cyclist

Have you seen this hit and run driver?

celebrate Riverside

This Sunday 10/7 at 1:30, everyone is invited to attend a celebration of Riverside's new marked bike routes (scroll down to October events).  The village of Riverside would like to encourage more cyclists to visit, and they've created a few marked routes to make it easier to navigate their winding streets.  Please join them at the official launch of the new routes.

I've created a Google map with a couple of routes from Harlem Ave. to the start location (Riverside Metra station), as well as nearby dining destinations, Brookfield Zoo, etc.  If you plan to go by train, just take the Metra BNSF line from Union Station to Riverside station, and it will let you off right by the start location.

For more information on the event and the routes, click here.

As many of you discovered on this year's Four Star Bike Tour, Riverside is a lovely place to ride.  Nearby areas in Berwyn and Brookfield are quite nice, too.  I encourage you to visit, whether it's your first time or a repeat trip.  It's a beautiful way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

  -- Anne Alt

late season rides

As the ride season winds down, we still have beautiful riding days ahead, but the weather can be a little less predictable.

As each weekend approaches, take a look at the ride schedule.  We have the option of making last minute additions to the schedule if the forecast looks good, or we find ourselves with a bit of available time.  It doesn't have to be a formal, researched route.

Show and go rides are an option.  If you're not familiar with the concept, it's a ride that doesn't necessarily have a destination or route planned in advance.  The group that shows up to ride decides where to go - an improvised route.

If you've got time to lead a ride on one of these late season weekends, but you don't necessarily have time to research and pre-ride a route, please consider adding a show and go with an approximate speed range and distance, and perhaps a general direction where you'd like to go.

   -- Anne Alt

Bloomingdale Trail walking tour coming soon

Save the date.  A walking tour is planned for October 20th on the Bloomingdale Trail - actual legal access, with a preview of things to come.  We'll have more details soon.

   -- Anne Alt

South Chicago Bike Lanes Repaved

Yesterday Joe Dickstein & I rode with Phil Procida and others for Phil's last EBC ride this year in Chicago. With Phil's lead, we traveled to Whiting, IN for lunch. On the way back, Joe & I decided to split from the group at Calumet Park to catch the remainder of the Sox game. To our surprise, our choice was rewarded substantially. 

Workers were finishing up the painting on bike lanes on new pavement on our reroute choice: SOUTH CHICAGO. So if you need to avoid Rt. 41 & the Lakefront Path, try South Chicago and some new pavement.

-  Tom Grose

Pampered Century: you can do it

Whether you have many centuries to your credit, or this would be your first one, you should come along on the Pampered Century next year.  It was previously called the Slower Century, but over the years that has changed.  The pace for this year was 15 to 19 mph. 

There were 23 riders on the 2012 edition of the Pampered Century, which featured ideal summer weather, including a tail wind on the way home and sunny skies. 

Why call it the Pampered Century?  We have rest stops at least every 17 to 19 miles along the way, so you have a chance to recharge for that next 18-mile ride - real rest stops, just like an invitational ride.  Jim Kreps has his truck stocked with juices, water, energy drinks and bars, bagels, fruit, pretzels and chips, cookies and more.  In addition, Jim is the mobile bike shop and can take care of that problem that develops along the way. 

McClory Trail, Lake Bluff

Jim made a grocery stop along the way to buy lunch for the mid point at the Kenosha Velodrome.  We feasted on at least a half dozen different types of meats, cheese, peanut butter/jelly, chips, chocolate milk, soda and more stuff than I can remember.  

In case you don’t feel you can make it or your bike lets you down, you can ride in the truck to the next rest stop or all the way back if needed.  A couple people did so, but most everybody made it.  We had four riders doing their first century.

Stopping at the Kenosha velodrome

I change the ride every year and made a few tweaks this year too.  It’s not your usual century route, because I look for the offbeat routes to make the ride as interesting as possible.  However, I still have several segments of four to six miles straight, which lets you open up too.

Come along on the Pampered Century next year!   Look for it sometime in August.

  

    -- Art Gilfand

Riding the Rockies (Canadian Style)

Ten Peaks (not all seen)

by Joe Dickstein

Now that I am fully retired, Phyllis and I felt we deserved a special trip to celebrate this momentous occasion.  We chose to make a cycling trip through the Canadian Rockies, including Jasper and Banff National Parks.  Since time is not an issue, we chose to drive, both to see more of the west (US and Canada) as well as to make bringing our own bikes easier.  We took three days to drive to Banff, which is about an hour and a half west of Calgary.  After spending the first night in St. Cloud, MN we spent the next night (our first in Canada) in the town of Moose Jaw in Saskatchewan.  Primarily a farming and transportation hub, the town has the nickname of "Little Chicago" due to the fact that one of our more notorious former citizens, Al Capone, was known to vacation there.  We stayed there in a lovely bed and breakfast.  The following night we stayed in Calgary.  In both Moose Jaw and Calgary, we were able to take short bike rides and I'm happy to report that both had excellent systems of bike paths.

Mt. Edith Clavell Glacier

We arrived in Banff the next morning, where we were loaded into a van and driven to Jasper.  Both towns are located within national parks and are about 200 miles apart.  With stops for lunch along the way we arrived in early afternoon and spent the next five days riding our bikes back to Banff.  Our first actual ride was later that day in Jasper, where we rode a ten mile loop up to a lake resort overlooking the town.  The first day of riding featured Mt. Edith Cavell, where we were able to get up close and personal with a glacier and later to see several waterfalls, the most spectacular of which was the Athabasca Falls.  We spent the night at a rustic rural inn and rode the next day to the Columbia Ice Field.  Part of a massive system of glaciers, the area is the site of a triple continental divide where the Arctic, Pacific and Atlantic watersheds all meet. 

Athabasca Falls

At Columbia ice field

The next day was the Fourth of July and while I later learned that back home there was triple digit heat, the local temperature never even reached sixty.  This was our longest riding day, almost eighty miles to Lake Louise.  The highlight was shortly after leaving in the morning where we had an almost ten mile downhill run.  We stayed two nights in Lake Louise and on the layover day did another uphill ride to a lake with spectacular views of the surrounding mountains.  The final day's ride took us back to Banff and the conclusion of the ride. 

We stayed two additional nights in Banff and took one more ride on our own while there.  In this time we only scratched the surface of the multitude of things to do in this incredibly beautiful area.  Coming home, we took side trips to Yoho National in British Columbia, which has the highest waterfall (over 1000 feet) in Canada and to Edmonton, where we again were able to take advantage of an extensive system of bike trails in yet another very bike friendly Canadian city.

Downtown Banff

For the most part we had favorable weather.  We did have one day of rain but were able to shelter in a covered campground for the worst part.  While the first few days were overcast and cool, the last three days were spectacular and had in the afternoon temperatures in the eighties, almost unprecedented for the area.  We were advised to bring gear for almost every cycling condition and were able at some time to use all, including long underwear.  Even on the warmest days, overnight temps would go down to the forties.  

Showing club colors

The tour itself was extremely well organized.  Our cycling companions were three other groups of Americans and two of  Australians.  The tour was organized by Rocky Mountain Cycle Tours.  We had a two man crew to attend to our every need, Peter who owns the company and Dieter, his 72 year old father.  On this trip, Peter rode with us and Dieter drove the van, but usually it is the reverse.  The hotels we stayed in were first class and the food was excellent.  I highly recommend this tour for anyone looking for a truly unique cycling experience.

The group

One final word is that, since the roads are only cleared of snow in June, which comes back in September, these tours are run only in July and August.

Metra bike blackout for Chicago air and water show

In case you're not already aware, Metra will not be allowing bikes from Sat. 8/18 to Sun. 8/19 due to expected crowds for the Chicago air and water show.  The exception is folding bikes in bags, however, trains may be crowded enough to make even folders a tough squeeze. 

If you were planning to take your bike on Metra this weekend, you may want to try CTA or Pace, or find another way to go.

Four Star Bike Tour is coming soon!

Have you registered for Four Star Bike Tour yet, either as a rider or a volunteer?  What?  You don't know about Four Star (formerly Boulevard Lakefront Tour)?

It's a unique Chicago neighborhood tour.  We have four routes, so there's something for every ability level.  For those who are newer riders or less confident about riding on city streets, you can sign up for a special instructional group.  It's a positive learning experience to give you skills you can use on future rides.

Chicago Cycling Club has a special discount code for members.  When you register online as a rider, use the code CCC3 for $3 off.

It's not too late to volunteer.  We still need more, especially course marshals and rest stop volunteers.   The 35 and 62 mile routes go into the western suburbs this year, and we need more volunteers in those locations. 

I hope we'll see you out there on August 26th, either as a rider or volunteer.  It's a great way to spend the day.

our August meeting is a movie night!

Save the date for next Tuesday. We're continuing the tradition of a social/movie night for our August meeting.

Join us at Montgomery Ward Park with your picnic dinner and enjoy Hugo.  Please click here for more details.

Metra bike blackout for Lollapalooza

In case you're not already aware, Metra will not be allowing bikes from Fri. 8/3 to Sun. 8/5 due to expected crowds for Lollapalooza.  The exception is folding bikes in bags, however, trains may be crowded enough to make even folders a tough squeeze.  If you were planning to take your bike on Metra this weekend, you may want to try CTA or Pace, or find another way to go.

curious about Monday night training rides?

Here's a related discussion thread on the Chainlink.  If you haven't done the Monday night rides (or haven't gone recently), check it out to get a sense of what's happening.  It's become a regular habit for a growing number of riders who want a challenging workout.  If you prefer to go south instead of north, the South Shore fitness ride may be the option for you.

Hydration

These last few weeks of record breaking heat mean we all need to avoid dehydration while exercising outside. The average person loses a pint of water without any exertion. That means during strenuous excercise with temps over 90 degrees one may lose a half gallon in an hour. When we lose too much water and/or salts, dehydration or heat fatigue may result.

Symptoms of dehydration vary from person to person but some of the signs are headache, dizziness, confusion, fatigue & profuse sweating accompanied with rapid heart rate. Those over 50 years of age should be more vigilant about these symptoms. If dehydration is suspected, move into a shaded area, or AC if possible. Sit down and start to drink water and/or an electrolyte replacement. Drink slowly until symptoms deminish. Consider getting help or transport if weakness continues. Most times fluid replacement and cooling down is enough to restore well being.

Keep an eye on fellow cyclists for any signs of dehydration. Ask them how they feel. In this kind of extra hot weather, carry more fluids and have more rest breaks in the cooler shade to be safe. Hey, if you needed another reason for a gelato, ice cream or snow cone break, this weather is the ticket!

Tour de Fat coming 7/21

Are you a fan of New Belgium beer, live music, parades, bike fun or all of the above?  Tour de Fat might be just the thing for you.  It's happening in Palmer Square this weekend.  More info here.

Metra bike blackout for Taste of Chicago

In case you're not already aware, Metra will not be allowing bikes from Wed. 7/11 to Sun. 7/15 due to expected crowds for the Taste of Chicago.  The exception is folding bikes in bags, however, trains may be crowded enough to make even folders a tough squeeze.  If you were planning to take your bike on Metra this weekend, you may want to try CTA or Pace, or find another way to go.

news on the Bloomingdale Trail

Would you like to hear more about what's happening with the Bloomingdale Trail?  Come to our meeting on Tuesday night and find out.

Beverly criterium race this Friday 7/6

Who's coming to Beverly this Friday?  If you can get away, it's a great excuse to start the weekend early.

We're having an informal gathering to watch the race.  The race starts at 5:45, but you can always join us after the start if you can't come earlier.  


There's a festival at the start/finish area (107th & Longwood) with food, beer and live music.  Of course there's ice cream from Rainbow Cone.

Come on down!  It would be great to see you there.

    - Anne Alt

going out for a ride today?

Enjoy your ride. We hope it's a safe one. Here are a few tips for cycling in hot weather.

I'll add one to that list: carry an extra water bottle with really cold water - either partially frozen or with lots of ice in it. Wrap it in a towel and put it inside your pannier or rack pack to keep it cool. Pour some of the water over your head and shoulders from time to time to help cool you off during your ride.

Take care and stay cool.

    - Anne Alt

riding the lakefront into Indiana

The secret is getting out that Northwest Indiana provides some excellent cycling opportunities. CCC rides have been branching into Indiana for several years with rides into Hammond, Whiting, Highland, Munster, and East Chicago. Indiana has developed some nice bike trails, traffic is usually light on the streets and trails, and there are few stoplights in many areas.

One problem has been the lack of an easy connection between Chicago and these Indiana roads and trails. On June 16th, the CCC checked out some of the connections and bike paths in Whiting, including a brand new path that flies over busy Indianapolis Boulevard. Ride leader George Vrechek and sweep Howard Lo rode with 12 other riders on this 45 mile round trip from Buckingham Fountain through northwest Indiana to the historic village of Marktown.

Marktown is an industrial village of 100 buildings designed in 1917 by noted Chicago architect Howard Van Doren Shaw with landscape architect Jens Jensen. The entire village is on the National Register, however, it has suffered because of one owner who controls several vacant homes and has refused to improve or safeguard the structures.  Local historic preservationist and lifelong resident Paul Myers has been fighting almost single-handedly to save the town.

Riders in front of Paul Myers' home in Marktown

In addition to Marktown, the ride included the Whiting lakefront parks, Hammond’s casino and marina, the new minor league Whiting Oilers baseball stadium, a ride through what seemed like the middle of the huge BP refinery, a trip right along Wolf Lake, and two obscure connections back to Chicago. The entire trip in Indiana (and most of the trip in Chicago) was devoid of any stoplights, although a train held up the group for a short time.

Howard Lo and Richard Moellering help get Brian Cullnan’s crank back together
with Tony Burdick’s tool kit.

Teamwork

Despite the hot conditions, participants stayed cool and worked well together fixing a flat and sticking a loose crank arm back on. Lunch was dining alfresco at Skyway Dogs, which always provides fast, reliable service. We were back downtown by about 2PM.

Fine dining at Skyway Dogs

For a change of pace, look for CCC rides that venture slightly into Indiana or cover the southeast side of Chicago.

    - George Vrechek

June Breakfast Club ride

We had 12 riders show up for the June Breakfast Club ride north to Evanston.  We rode the lakeshore path to its end, then went west to the Skokie Channel trail and then to Downtown Evanston dodging some road construction along the way.

We planned to breakfast at the Flat Top Grill but, due to Fathers day and Northwestern graduations, they were not able to accomodate us. Instead, everyone enjoyed Dixie Kitchen and Bait Shop, featuring many unusual dishes such as banana bread french toast, poached eggs on top of fried green tomatoes, and grits.  After breakfast we traveled straight back to the Clock Tower, arriving at 11:30 am.

Our next breakfast club ride will be Sunday, July 22 heading southwest to the West Town neighborhood.

    - Sharon Kaminecki

Cycle for Change on 7/21

In conjunction with the Brookfield Zoo, Milwaukee Zoo, American Association of Zoo Keepers and Polar Bears International, the Chicago Cycling Club is helping with the first annual Cycle for Change ride from Brookfield Zoo to the Milwaukee County Zoo on 7/21.

The ride will take us along the shores of Lake Michigan with our first stop at Ft. Sheridan for brunch and then onwards to Kenosha for a rest stop and snack and finally to the Milwaukee County Zoo concluding with a dinner. This is a sag wagon supported ride with snacks, drinks and light mechanical assist.

You’re welcome to ride with us as far as you wish or our join us the entire way to Milwaukee County Zoo.

There is no fee for this ride but registration is required to sign the special waiver and for our logistics. There is a limited number of riders that we can support, so if you’re interested please RSVP quickly (we’re OK if you withdraw later but we want to prepare logistics).

As a special treat, Philip Fensterer, a zookeeper with the Oregon Zoo and Artic Ambassador with Polar Bears International and the staff at the Brookfield Zoo will give a special behind the scene presentation to Chicago Cycling Club members and guests the evening before the ride. Limited to 30 participants (RSVP priority).

For registration and/or pledge instructions, send an email to Philip and Howard.

We hope you can join us (click here to Learn more).

    - Howard Lo

CTA red line public meetings

I'd imagine that most, if not all, of you have heard about the CTA's plan to shut down the red line south of Cermak for reconstruction for 5 months starting next May.  While this isn't directly bike related, it will affect those of us who use the red line to go from south side locations to the start of many club rides, or anyone who cuts a south side ride short and wants to use the red line to return north.

The CTA will be holding 2 public meetings next week to get input on the plan.  If you have ideas or opinions to share, here's your opportunity to speak up.

The first meeting will be Monday 6/18 from 6-8 p.m. at South Shore Cultural Center, 71st & South Shore Dr.  (Doors open at 5.)

The second meeting will be Thursday 6/21 from 6-8 p.m. at Kennedy-King College, 6343 S. Halsted. (Doors open at 5.)

It's not a bad idea to review the CTA's web page on the project for additional info.  Note that the location for the 6/21 meeting given on the CTA page (6800 S. Wentworth shown as of today) is NOT correct.  Somebody at CTA gets an F for using outdated information.

If you're not able to attend but would like to offer comments, there an email address given on the right side of the info page.

It seems likely that this huge summer-long construction project will increase the number of cyclists on south side streets.  Perhaps it will help promote the idea of transportation cycling in some south side neighborhoods that don't currently see many regular riders.

   - Anne Alt

Cargo Bike roll call

Last Saturday, West Town Bikes/Ciclo Urbano hosted a special social event: the 2nd Cargo Bike Roll Call.  It was a very social evening, with many families in attendance.

I'll let the pictures tell most of the story.

Anne Alt, Jennifer James, Elizabeth Bartom

Cargo bike line-up

Sound bike

Kids' table

Alex WIlson and Doug Hinckley

Taking in the scene

This kayak-hauling rig was quite an assembly.

Two Bikes at Work trailers are hitched to provide support,
with large tote boxes for additional items.

Kids going for a ride

If I was a little kid, I think I'd be jealous of this creative child seat.
Note the pink bike attached at left, brought along to allow the child to ride as long as she's able,
then loaded up when she's too tired to ride on her own.

Alex's yellow bike and others

 

Thanks to Steve Vance, Alex Wilson and everyone else
who helped make this special evening possible.

My own little grocery-hauling trailer.

Seeing such a wide range of kid and cargo hauling rigs in one place was really inspirational and suggested that cargo bike solutions may be limited only by one's imagination, ability to build it (or find someone who can), and ability to pedal the rig. 

    - Anne Alt

Urban Farms tour

Thirty-seven riders responded to my invitation to tour urban farms in Chicago.  We started at Ken Dunn's City Farm at Clybourn and Division.  

We had a lovely tour of the farm and a surprise bonus of seeing a literal Truck Farm parked just west of City Farm.  It's a pickup truck filled with vegetables growing in soil.  The two owners of the Truck Farm, who bring it to schools as an educational project, rode their bicycles with us and explained their project.  

Truck Farm

We traversed the two new Halsted Street bridges, part of the Kinzie St. protected bike lane and made our second stop at the Hull House Kitchen Farm.  Farmer Ryan Beck gave us a tour of his farm and hoop house on the U of Illinois/Chicago property.  He mentioned that some of the vegetables grown there go into Re-thinking soup every Tuesday at the Hull House Kitchen.  

Hull House Kitchen Farm

Our route passed Rapid Transit Cycle Shop on Halsted and then a torn up Blue Island Ave. all the way to Western Ave., where we got a lovely tour of Chicago Botanic Garden's Windy City Harvest at Arturo Velasquez Institute from Marissa, an intern. 

Windy City Harvest

Our last stop was the open house at John Edel's The Plant, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting sustainable food production, entrepreneurship and building reuse through education, research and development.  The open house meant we had a tour from roof to basement, as well as food, beer and kombucha and a shady place to enjoy them.  

The Plant

A few of us added an extra stop at the Edible Treasures garden exhibit outside the Field Museum and passed by the Streets for Cycling Plan public meeting at 77 S. Dearborn just as it was ending at 4 p.m.

The temperature reached 97 that day, but we kept moving and enjoyed the tours.  It was also great weather for the ride of the evening: the World Naked Bike Ride.

Eric Vann, one of the riders on the tour, posted his own write-up on the ride, including photos and video.

I've been asked to repeat this tour, and will do so next year when The Plant schedules an open house.

   - Kathy Schubert

CCC members - want to see your story here?

If you have an article, story or photo feature you'd like to submit, we'd be happy to get it.  Any current CCC member is welcome to submit for publication.  Whether it's a story on a club ride or other ride you've led or attended, a cycling experience while on vacation, your bike commute, riding with your child or pet, trying a cargo trailer, or anything else bike related that you think would be of interest to other members, please share it.

What's the deadline? There is none. Unlike a print newsletter, the blog format gives us absolute flexibility on when items are published.  You can even specify a time frame when you'd like your item to run if it's relevant to an upcoming event.

Photos should be in JPG format (preferably 72 dpi).  If your photo(s) are already posted on Flickr or other online photo sharing site, you can just include a link to each photo.

Please submit articles and photos at ccc312 dot news at gmail dot com.  It would be great to see your news here.

   - Anne Alt

CCC meeting on 6/12

Our next meeting is a social night.  This month's gathering is at Lee Wing Wah in Chinatown.  Their food isn't fancy.  They make delicious use of fresh ingredients - a healthier take than your average Chinatown restaurant.  It's BYO with a minimal corkage fee, so you're welcome to bring your own wine or beer if you wish.

Whether you're a member or just thinking about it, you're welcome to come.  Please respond on the Chainlink event listing to let us know if you're coming.  We need to know so there's enough room for our group.

Look for us on Tuesday 7/10 from 7:00 - 8:45 p.m. at Lee Wing Wah. 

bike brew and view at Goose Island on 6/11

Goose Island brewpub is hosting a special Bike to Work Week event on Monday 6/11: a showing of "bike shorts." Cheers!

Have you voted in the Bike Chicago PSA contest yet?

You can vote for one of 4 videos about cycling in Chicago here.  Deadline is Thursday 6/14.

Streets for Cycling open house this Saturday

The final Streets for Cycling public  meeting is this Saturday in the Loop - to be held in an open house format.

Saturday 6/9 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. 
77 S. Dearborn – Building Lobby  
Open House 


If you can't get there, try one of the 2 webinars scheduled for next week.

Webinar #1 Monday 6/11  Noon – 1 p.m. 
Reserve your Webinar seat now at: http://goo.gl/lEV2k

Webinar #2 Wednesday 6/13  6 – 7 p.m. 
Reserve your Webinar seat now at: http://goo.gl/CQSS9

Streets for Cycling public meeting tomorrow

The next Streets for Cycling public meeting is happening tomorrow on the west side.

Wednesday 6/6, 4 – 8 p.m.
Douglas Park Cultural and Community Center - Ballroom 1401 S. Sacramento Dr. 

Presentation with Q&A at 4:30 & 6:30p.m. 

There's one more meeting and 2 webinars coming soon.


Saturday 6/9 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. 
77 S. Dearborn – Building Lobby  
Open House 

Webinar #1 Monday 6/11  Noon – 1 p.m. 
Reserve your Webinar seat now at: http://goo.gl/lEV2k

Webinar #2 Wednesday 6/13  6 – 7 p.m. 
Reserve your Webinar seat now at: http://goo.gl/CQSS9