Bike the Drive
Once a year, the City of Chicago closes Lake Shore Drive for a five-hour bike ride beginning at 5:30 AM. The route runs from Bryn Mawr Avenue on the north to 57th Street on the south--a 30-mile loop. It draws the hot shots zipping along on their light-weight racing bikes. Their apparel is all Italian--colorful Italian jerseys and tight lycra shorts. But the majority of bikers are couples and families. The entire event has a nice vibe to it.
Bike the Drive was first held in 2002, but became a Memorial Day weekend fixture in 2004. It is sponsored by the Active Transportation Alliance, which uses the event to fundraise. Cheap it is not. Same-day registration is $66. Riders who are 17 or under pay just $17. In past years, over 20,000 people have participated.
Today was a particularly nice day, so people were in high spirits.
Photographer's Notes: I find this event to be a bore photographically. It has a high "slub" factor. When I set out this morning, this is the photograph I had in mind, but it is too nice of a day for this to be a truly interesting photograph.
