I know that I mentioned it before, but I LOVE our tradition of doing Bike the Drive.  This was our third year riding down Lake Shore together.  It’s not just the phenomenal views or the chance to spend time catching up on life that make this event so special, but the friendly biking community is second to none and the support from the city of Chicago is incredible!  It’s amazing after last year’s freezing cold ride (my memories are of my fingers turning blue) that we even signed up again this year, but what can I say, we are a family of optimists.  BTW, it is so fun to be able to look back at last year’s story and pictures!

 

My bike chauffer (the BOY) loaded up my bike Saturday night and I headed over to my parents.  We were up super early to reload bikes onto my Mom’s car and hit the road to meet up with my brother in Lakeview.

 

 

 

My mom sent an email to her friend describing our day’s activities and I was so happy to hear that she volunteered it as a Guest Post for my blog.  She is such an amazing writer and combined with my pictures, we were really able to capture the spirit of the day.  I’m already excited for the Bike the Drive 2013!!!

 

 

we had an amazing day..

jen arrived at our house sat night in a blitz of energy… we woke up very early and started our day with coffee/tea and carbs.. rasin bran for me and a cereal mix with banana for her…

 

the drive to david is about 40 minutes, the highway was empty… except for cars with bikes! Yikes, our energy and excitement grew as we got closer to the city…

 

we call David when we get off the highway, he wakes up and offers coffee in a groggy voice.. we of course are way too jazzed for anymore coffee..

 

bikes off the car and tethered to a tree and up we go to david’s to get on our gear.. and exchange stuff… jen baked a banana coconut bread for david, I had fresh cherries and a coffee mug for him and he has fresh grown herbs for us!

Takes awhile to get all of this organized, shoes, helmets, gloves, sunglasses, sunscreen, supplies for the trip.. who has energy bars, nuts, dried fruit, water? should we go to the bathroom again?

 

david’s bike is chained to the floor of his storage room, he heads down and we head out to untether our bikes… time passes, where is david? fiddling with his bike computer.. mine doesn’t work and I didn’t have time to go to the bike store so oh well, david has been fiddling for two days with his… and Jen… of course hers is prepped and working just fine!  I ask her if she has matched her socks to her outfit on purpose and of course she has.

 

we head off from davids to lake shore drive… about 2 miles

other bikers joining in as we get closer.. up the ramp and onto 10 lanes of closed lake shore drive… the ride begins

It was a crystal clear morning… bit of a breeze off the lake… cool to start and heating up as the ride progressed

imagine thousands, literally thousands of bike riders who have paid $40 for the privilege of riding up and down the lake shore… old, young, families, fancy bikes, old bikes, bikes for 2 or 3, home made bikes, people are really into the ‘outfit’, tshirts… pants covered in steins of beer… cheerful greetings, shout outs… and david’s favorite overheard conversation by a couple of older women…

hill ahead, gear down

gearing down

move right

into the AARP lane!

 

we have less miles on our bikes this year prior to the ride, so we don’t know exactly how the ride will go… Jen is in fabulous shape, ran the soldier field 10 miler the day before… I am really strong and pumped… and off we go..

 

It will be my first bike ride clipped into my bike and my goal is to not fall off… I fall off alot, cause if you forget that you are actually attached to your bike and attempt to stop, you tip over…

 

 

This is our third annual bike the drive ride.. and the kids were just as excited as I was to be back!

This is the first year that we ride most of the distance together… down the lakeshore we go, all the way to the museum campus where we stop and gather free supplies, bars, bananas, apples, and cheeseits for dad (who is home in his chair and very happy!)

there is plenty of people to watch as we rest and refuel…

 

back up the lakeshore we go… the ride is 15 miles each way, we got on at 7am and the ride closes at 10, there are little hills and one major hill… I see the difference in my strengh as I make it to the top of the hill with gears left on my bike!..

 

we came on the drive at the north end, but not the very top, so I exit where we started and head to starbucks for a refreshment and some really good sunday morning people watching… the kids finish strong with the last 8 mile loop, swing by to pick me up and home we go… 27 miles for me and 33 for the kids…

a good morning and it is not yet 10am!

 

jen and I get cleaned up, have a quick bite to eat because there is shopping to do

 

and spend nearly the next two hours in our new favorite store, athleta…. first one in chicago, only 11 in the country… started in pennsylvania and then partnered with gap for expansion capital… WOW… work out wear and fabulous day wear.. logo, ‘POWER TO THE SHE’ and how fun that it is literally around the corner from David… he passes us at athleta on his way to the beach…

 

several shopping bags later, Jen and I head back to the burbs, bar b q for her and gardening for me… look for my exceptionally cute skirt and capris when you see me next..

 

Today? heading to hot yoga with jen… feeling strong, no pain, no stiffness… love it!

 

 

 

Thank you Mom for sharing the day!