PHOTO GALLERY: Chicago as seen from the saddle

MOVIE CLIPS Download free Quicktime 7 player for Mac | Windows:

Bike the Drive (2.9 Mb) The sound of silence: 20,000 bicycles

Critical Mass (2.5 Mb) 2000 riders can't be wrong!

Chicago highlights (5.8 Mb) Touring the bike-friendly sights behind Kathy Schubert and Joey

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Kathy Schubert and Joey, wearing hers 'n' hers threads

Well, I am still suffering from an acute case of cyclist's nappy rash that seems to really be digging in. Like I'm having a regressive moment or something. One rainy ride to breakfast last week was all it took to bring it all back with a vengeance. I think I will stay off the bike and go to the clinic today. However, when I think of the amazing Ted Campbell who I wrote about a couple of months ago, I cease to whine. Please read that story even if you stop reading mine.

Last Friday (Memorial Day weekend) a train station official eyed my Bike Friday, then handed me a leaflet stating that no bikes were allowed that day on the Metra. No problem - I just folded it up, put it in the soft bag, and I was away. What's not to love about a folding bicycle?

My host, local bike activist and Bike Friday owner Kathy Schubert, led me around with her photogenic Schnauzer Joey in tow. Joey has about 12 cute little helmets and bike jerseys, matching those of her captain. Her large, dark marbles for eyes hold a serious gaze, especially in this eye-averting society. If you want attention, buy a poster dog like Joey. She graces a zillion .jpgs for sure.

Chicago looks a lot like New York to me. Cute little neighborhoods and a lakefront that reminds me of tooling along the Hudson. I've noticed that most western world cities look alike, adhering to a standard formula. It's as if the smells, sounds and streetscapes come pre-packaged - just add concrete.

Chicago's Mayor Daly is apparently a cyclist and it shows. There's a nice bike trail leading along the shore of massive Lake Michigan. There's even a swank city-built Bike 'Garage' right in the center with locker rooms, showers, bike shop, repair facility, undercover racks ... very civilized.You pay $100 a year for the privilege, which I am told is no problem even for the average Chicago bum; it's even worth it just for the use of the showers. There's even a special repair shop for police bikes. In case you're up for a handcuffy moment, in Philly I shot a little clip of a bike cop demonstrating the kinds of moves you can do with a
bike as a weapon.

Critical Mass. About 2000 riders gathered around an iron sculpture at 6pm for this Last-Friday-of-the-month slow, traffic-calming ride around its main streets. It wasn't so calm in some sections, with a woman nearly running me over and yelling something about getting my ass out of her way as I paused to take in a serene moment. 'When they arrest you, go limp,' was the advice given to me by Lon, but we peeled off before anyone in black and white appeared.

I met Bob Matter, head honcho of the Chicago Folding Bike Club, who's list you can join here: http://grouops.yahoo.com/group/chi-folding He shot me straddling his Dahon with its unique butt-cheek-spreading seat (I kid you not) as blackmail.

Chicago is flat, and it was interesting to note how even a slight hill causes bikers to slow right down.

We peeled off and went to a fancy restaurant called Ina's. Sitting in that starched linen ambience I once again embarrassed myself as a skint cyclist by focussing on the largest portion for the smallest amount of money on the menu. We did OK - $9 for a gnocci that was delicious but soon became like eating concrete. Just what the cyclist ordered!

The next day Kathy led a group for Tour de Mosaics, a 5 hour amble around the city pointing to tiled wonders. I had to join the group an hour and a half later after discovering my two patched tubes were leaking. It was just one of those days. I had to patch them twice. Then I put the rear tire on backwards. Then I put the rear wheel on wrong, catching the chain. Then the pump wouldn't work because the valve of the tube was shorter and was taken up by most of the rim. Then ...


Schwinn BMX stunsters with similarly stunted bike and rider

Bike The Drive is a bit like the NY 5-boro ride, 15 miles down the main drag and 15 miles back, with a kind of expo in the middle. I rode slowly in the leftmost lane and was yelled at to get to the right. Despite 5 years in the USA I still think I am downunder for some reason. Someone else yelled to my antagonist "Nicely, say it nicely." Chicago people in the main seem mellow for a big city. I think it must be the midwest influence. The lake. Something. I noticed this in Austin Texas. The more towards the middle of the country you are, the further away from the edge, the less 'edgy' people seem to be. I wonder if someone's done a PhD thesis on it.

A trio of Schwinn BMX stunsters,did aerial 360's that made it look easy. One or them, Matt Sager, was a a comparitively ancient 29 but the maturity of his finesse showed. I tried to get him to do a trick on my Bike Friday, since it looks like a distant cousin of the BMX. After tooling about he said the geometry was was too stable for doing tricks easily, and 'hard to find a balance point.' Matt has a degree in carpentry and cn build a house frm scratch. We talked about how building a shelter was a basic skill in tribal days, now, we've forgotten so much how to use our hands, it costs a lifetime of savings to pay for someone else to do one. Being able to build a house, grow food, live sustainably, is in some ways more elevated than being a lawyer or stockbroker or CEO of some conglomerate. Because when the shit hits the fan, you're OK.

A stretch Hummer limo was parked outside the library, a gold-cufflinked hand asking a cigar out the window. Kathy was insensed and gave the driver a toung lashing. He instructed her in no uncertain terms to 'not f@#$ with me.' I thought she was going to get her Joey to sic 'im.

I go back there for my June 13 talk. Go take a look at my sample DVD clip for Route66 and let me know if you like it so far.
http://www.bikefriday.com.route66
It's a product of me, my laptop, sitting in bed, staring at the sky. Oh, I also posted a clip of riding with Lon and Rebecca Haldeman on the previous blog entry. Scroll down and take a look!


The silence of 20,000 bicycles