It’s 5:30 AM. I turn onto Lake Shore Drive, which is shrouded in heavy mist. I can’t see even an eighth of a mile ahead of me. Lake Michigan to my right is still, silent, completely hidden in the midst. The cityscape to my left – also veiled. I’m barely aware of my bearings, with the landmark skyline cloaked.
I’m hemmed in by fellow travelers on both sides. Like typical voyagers, some are minding the rules, taking their turn to merge, while others skirt in and out of different lanes, cut people off, and pass too fast and close. So how is this different from any other day? My fellow travelers and I are all on bikes. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago’s main freeway-like artery, is completely closed to traffic, but just for now. At 9:30 AM or so, the orange cones will come down, police officers will wave their arms, blow their whistles, and the noisy mass of cars will take back the Drive. But for now, it belongs to us.
The crowd begins to thin as faster cyclists make their way ahead. Best husband Dave and I, always polite riders, are finally able to hit our stride and bike at a faster pace. We’re not beginners – this is the fourth time we’ve done this so we’ve figured out a routine. Biking on Lake Shore Drive among 20,000 others, can be just as treacherous as driving. I ride to Dave’s right, and he navigates so we can stay together. “Okay, move left” and we’re passing. Then back to the middle lane, so we’re safe from the hammerheads – the élite cyclists who whiz by at 20 mph, shouting “Left, left, left,” expecting everyone on their right to let them by.
The fog has not lifted at all when we reach the first turn-around. We feel cheated that we missed our favorite landmarks: crossing the river we couldn’t even see the bridge posts, nor the water below, and we slid silently past the Drake Hotel, unnoticed. Still, we feel like biking warriors. Our other three treks down the Drive were on balmy, sunny days, This one feels like an urban adventure. We congratulate ourselves for surviving the cold and damp thus far. We’re certainly dressed for it. Wearing what our children refer to as “our ridiculous outfits” we’re swathed in Gortex and Spandex. I’m wearing knee warmers too, short Spandex “sleeves” for my legs which work great, but add to the silly appearance of my ensemble, at least to non-cyclists that is. We decide to take off our glasses, useless now that they’re bathed in mist, and move on.
By the time we reach The Museum of Science and Industry, the fog has lifted a little. We still can’t see the lake, but we can feel the cooler air moving off the water. We pose with others for pictures on the museum steps, and fight the massive crowds for a chance to eat Oreos and over-ripe bananas. By this time, our skin is soaked. I’m starting to shiver and wonder if it’s possible to get hypothermia in the middle of the Second City on a spring day.
A little way out from the museum, we stop and help another cyclist with a
loose pedal. As Dave helps the fellow rider, I switch to my back up gloves which are now the only dry clothing I’m wearing. I’ve stopped drinking water as I don’t want to make myself any colder; with the heavy mist coating our skin, dehydration is the least of our problems.
We ride purposely the rest of the way, managing to warm up a little as we find clear lanes in which to hit our best speeds, and arrive at Grant Park happy and unscathed. Despite the gloomy weather, the Grant Park post-biking festivities are in full swing. Moms and dads towing muddy children stand in line for pancakes and sausage, while cyclists in full Spandex nab a free water bottle from the bank tent. Dave and I huddle on the edge of a muddy damp bench that we’ve managed to share with eight other people, scarfing pancakes and wishing we had something warm to drink. The music of the Blues Brothers tribute band (The Bluz Brothers), wafts from the stage, a pretty good imitation of Jake and Elwood. Usually we enjoy lingering among the crowd, sitting on the grass and watching everyone in their crazy outfits, marveling at the variety
of old and new bikes that somehow made the trip. But today Grant Park is a sea of mud. By the time we hop on our bikes for the short ride back to the hotel, my shoes are so caked with mud that I can’t clip into my pedals. We speed past other riders who are just finishing or just starting their rides. We’re cold, wet, and muddy, but still glad to have been part of that one magical day when cyclists take over Lake Shore Drive.
(The Bike the Drive Event takes place the Sunday before Memorial Day every year. Huffygirl and Dave biked the full 30 miles, and plan to be back next year.)
© Huffygirl 2011
Related link: (see some great pictures of the fog)
http://www.suntimes.com/5659525-417/20000-close-lake-shore-drive-for-bike-the-drive.html
Brave people! Enjoyed your description of the event.
Thanks CE. If you are ever in Chicago then you should try it!
What an awesome day–I used to live in Chicago and NEVER saw Lakeshore Drive without traffic (except maybe on Marathon day–but can’t remember)!
Well, you do have to get up pretty early in the morning to see it!
That sounds like a lot of fun, except that hordes of other cyclists. That part doesn’t sound fun to me.
It can get a little dicey. For the most part it works though, because it’s 20,000 cyclisits spread out over 4 hours and 30 miles. We have found that by starting at 5:30 we avoid the worst of the crowds and the little kids who weave around and cut in front of you, unaware that they’re making the ride dangerous for everyone.
nice pictures and account!
Thanks John. Don’t you wish you had been there now? 🙂
I want my husband to do something like this with me.
I have a spinning bike in the house, and more of a moutain bike/hybrid for outside, as I don’t want to worry about flats/repair…I’m too afraid to get clips for the bike…afraid I’d be unable to click out of them and fall over at a signal light!
CONGRATULATIONS! So nice you helped a fellow cyclist with their pedal. That would have been me…help? anyone?
Sandi
http://www.ahhsome.wordpress.com
Lake Forest, CA USA
Any chance you can convince your husband to start biking with you? You don’t have to go a ride as big as this one – start with something local, or just map out your own route and go together. I was afraid of the clips at first – the first year I biked I swore I’d never get them, until I found out how tired my legs got on long rides, compared to everyone else I was riding with who had clips. I got them the second year I biked, and did have a couple of falls and a few near falls, until I got used to them. The pedals I have have clips on one side and flat pedals on the others, so they are kind a of transition pedal, and I can use the flat side if I don’t want to clip in.
So will I see you biking in Chicago next year? 😉
Good for you two, looks like you had a great time. How far is that from where you live?
It was a great time. We have a bit of a drive to get to Chicago, but not too bad.
Glad you had a safe trip and fun day.
🙂
Loved this post and envisioned all those lovely Chicago landmarks. Thanks for sharing!
They’re even better when not shrouded in fog. Are you a former Chicogoan?
My son and daughter-in-law, my brother and sister-in-law, and a good friend all live in Chicago. Love to visit!
Yes we do too. Unfortunately our son and daughter-in-law no longer live there, so we don’t get there very often now.
That is so cool! I would love to bike that sometime! Good for you! 🙂
Maybe you should plan on it for next year Mark – I think you’ll be ready. Start thinking about getting a bike with wheels.
Great job!
Thanks, it was fun.
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