Style File

Velojoy's Style File features a selection of sources for women's cycling wear and other gear.

Barbara McCann at Women & Children First book store 11/1

While this isn't a Women Bike Chicago-organized event, it may be of interest to many of you.

Barbara McCann will be at Women & Children First this Friday 11/1 at 7:30 p.m. speaking about the Complete Streets movement.

Completing Our Streets: The Transition to Safe and Inclusive Transportation Networks  begins with the story of how the complete streets movement united bicycle riders, transportation practitioners and agencies, public health leaders, older Americans, and smart growth advocates to dramatically reframe the discussion of transportation safety.

The complete streets movement is based around a simple idea: streets should be safe for pedestrians and commuters of all ages and abilities. Completing Our Streets provides the strategies, tools, and inspiration needed to translate this idea into real and lasting change in their communities.

McCann served as the founding executive director of the National Complete Streets Coalition. Previously, she was director of information and research at Smart Growth America (SGA). She worked at CNN as a writer and producer for 13 years during her first career as a journalist. She lives in Washington, DC.

Women & Children First is located at 5233 N. Clark St.

Going South bike tour - Sunday 10/13

Are you curious about bike lanes on the far south side?  Or have you ridden them in the past but been turned off by difficult conditions?  Some of our major routes now sport fresh pavement and improved bike lanes, and conditions are much better than they’ve been in years.  Here’s your chance to check it out, with an optional stop for a special yearly treat: the Pullman House Tour. Info about the house tour is available online. 

Our tour starts  at 10:00 a.m. at Avalon Park, 1200 E. 83^rd St. (between Cottage Grove and Stony Island).  Please arrive early so we can start on time.  We will meet by the northeast corner of the fieldhouse.  There is parking available on the east side of the fieldhouse. 

Here’s a map link for the start location.

Note that Sunday is Chicago Marathon day.  Please allow extra travel time if you're starting from a location north of Hyde Park.  Here's a map of the marathon route.

The route is about 20 miles and includes South Shore, Jackson Park, Vincennes, Major Taylor Trail and more – easier and more pleasant to ride, thanks to smooth pavement and bike lanes.   If you are doing the ride but not the house tour, allow at least 2 hours, as we would like to get photos in a few locations.  

If you intend to do the house tour, allow 2-3 additional hours, depending on how long you spend visiting each house and walking.  Please bring a lock if you are doing the house tour, since it is easiest to lock up your bike near the visitors’ center or the Hotel Florence.  Food and drink will be available for purchase at the house tour, whether you are doing the tour or not.

For more information, contact Anne Alt at s4c.south@gmail.com or 312.520.1641.

material from 10/2 presentation

If you weren't able to attend the 10/2 presentation on bike commuting and bikes on transit, the material presented is available here in PDF format.  I've also included additional links: bikes on Metra, the location of CTA's bus demo rack, and the Chicago online bike map.

Bike commuting tips

Gear for weather

Bikes on CTA-Pace

10 rules for urban commuting

Dooring

Bikes on Metra

Location for CTA bus demo rack - accessible 24/7 - If you want to practice putting your bike on a CTA bus rack, this is the place to go.

Chicago online bike map - click on a section of the map to explore.  Also note buttons on left side of page linked to additional informational pages.  It hasn't yet been updated to include all of this year's bike lane improvements, so there are new bike lanes in some locations not yet indicated on the map.

presentation tonight on bike commuting and bikes on transit

Are you looking to use your bicycle for more than just recreation? Then come to a presentation Wednesday 10/2 - TONIGHT - at Women & Children First book store, 5233 N. Clark St. at 7:30 p.m.

Learn how to commute on your bike: We'll show you what to wear, how to carry things, and what to do about the weather. We'll even go over getting your bike on a bus or train to shorten the ride. Anne Alt, a lifelong cyclist and longtime bike commuter, grew up riding in several neighborhoods and nearby suburbs of Chicago. A member of Chicago Cycling Club and volunteer with Active Transportation Alliance, she has ridden thousands of miles on Chicago streets and learned the ins and outs of taking her bike on all our local transit systems. Women Bike Chicago is a grass-roots organization founded in 2012 made up of women who love to bicycle and to encourage other women to bicycle. Refreshments will be served. 

Presentation on bike commuting and bikes on transit Wed. 10/2

Are you looking to use your bicycle for more than just recreation? Then come to a presentation this Wednesday 10/2 at Women & Children First book store, 5233 N. Clark St. at 7:30 p.m.

Learn how to commute on your bike: We'll show you what to wear, how to carry things, and what to do about the weather. We'll even go over getting your bike on a bus or train to shorten the ride. Anne Alt, a lifelong cyclist and longtime bike commuter, grew up riding in several neighborhoods and nearby suburbs of Chicago. A member of Chicago Cycling Club and volunteer with Active Transportation Alliance, she has ridden thousands of miles on Chicago streets and learned the ins and outs of taking her bike on all our local transit systems. Women Bike Chicago is a grass-roots organization founded in 2012 made up of women who love to bicycle and to encourage other women to bicycle. Refreshments will be served. 

How to design a city for women

The Atlantic Cities published an interesting blog piece examining how a study from Vienna, Austria revealed differences in how men and women use transit, and how that influenced policy and design to create equal access for women. 

If a similar study were done here, what kind of changes would you like to make transit and streets safer and more accessible for you?

Sept 4 Ride: Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles at Millennium Park

Mariachi on September 4 

 Another Women Bike Chicago mini event! Mariachi Fest featuring Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles

Ladies, let's get together before summer is over!  Leave from the Picasso at Daley Plaza at 5:30 p.m.  Ride to Trader Joe's at 1147 S. Wabash to pick up some picnic type food and then ride to Millennium Park to gather on the Great Lawn south of the Jay Pritzker Pavillion for the music and festivities.  For heading home, we can "buddy up" again.

If anyone wants to ride Divvy, there is, of course, the Divvy station at Daley Plaza.  There is a Divvy station at Wabash and Roosevelt, so easy to dock near Trader Joes and then get back on Divvy to ride to Millennium Park.  Near the park, there are Divvy stations on the east side of Michigan north of Monroe and on the west side of Michigan south of Randolph.

Cannot make it to Daley Plaza that early?  Meet us on the Great Lawn.  There are food vendors around in the park, and, if one is so inclined, beer and wine are allowed on the Great Lawn.

Looking forward to another great evening. 

http://www.reynadelosangeles.com/

From: 

http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/millennium_park6.html

Wednesday, September 4, 6:30pm

National Museum of Mexican Art
Mariachi Fest featuring Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles and Mariachi Perla de Mexico
Join us for National Museum of Mexican Art’s Mariachi Fest featuring: Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles, the first all-female mariachi of the United States, accompanied by Mariachis Perla de Mexico and Real Guadalajara. Last year, the Museum packed Millennium Park with a similar event. This year, they’ll surely repeat that magic. Bring the entire family and experience Mariachi Fest! Part of the 2013 Del Corazón Festival. nationalmuseumofmexicanart.org.

Tour de Divvy

Women Bike Chicago is conducting a Tour de Divvy on Thursday, July 25, 2013 starting at 6:00 p.m. at the Divvy Station on Randolph between Clark and LaSalle.  Connect with other women cyclists on a casual ride to learn about Chicago's new bike share program.  Divvy is providing free passes and an ambassador to help us all figure it out.

We will check out a few stations, and end at the always wonderful Simone's at 18th and Morgan.  Even Divvy knows how wonderful Simone's is--there is a station right there!

Sunday ride to Chinatown

Join us for a casual Sunday ride to Chinatown on 6/23.  We'll meet at 31st St. Beach at 4 p.m.

Jane Healy (708-308-8662) will lead a casual-paced ride to IIT, Bridgeport, Stearns Quarry/Palmisano Park, Ping Tom Park, and Little Village - about 15 miles, some hills.

Bring $ and your lock for a dinner stop in Chinatown.

Crash Recovery Stories

By  popular demand (really - you said so in the survey from our March 23 event), we're presenting an expanded version of the "Getting Back On a Bike" session, where Susan told of her experience getting back on her bike after a serious crash.  She'll be joined by Leah Jones, who also suffered a crash - coincidentally at the same intersection - about a year later.

Susan and Leah will share their stories - what happened on their respective fateful days and how they got riding again.  Remember, every story is different:  everyone heals at her own pace.   Learn how they did it.

Please come to Women and Children First,  5233 N. Clark St. in Andersonville on June 13, 7.30 PM

Refreshments will be served, and you'll have a chance to talk to the presenters as well.
The event is Free!

http://womenandchildrenfirst.com/event/susan-levin-and-leah-jones

Ask your questions in the comments section!

Celebrate Mothers' Day on your Bike!

Looking for a way to enjoy the outdoors on Mothers' Day?  How about a little ride along the Lakefront Trail and a visit to the Flower Show at the Lincoln Park Conservatory?  Details in this event posting on The Chainlink:

http://www.thechainlink.org/events/cyclofemme-mother-s-day-ride?rsvpConfirm=1

Bring the family!