America's Top 10 Bike-Friendly Cities

Coming in at #5, Chicago, IL


Population: 2,695,598

When former White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel took over as mayor in 2010, he brought with him Washington’s forward-thinking former transportation director, Gabe Klein, and an ambitious agenda to reinvigorate Chicago’s bike network. The Streets for Cycling 2020 plan calls for the installation of 100 miles of separated bike lanes over the next four years, a commitment local bike advocates refer to as “staggering.”

There’s already a lot to love. A protected bike lane on Kinzie Street was installed in just six weeks; cyclists now account for 51 percent of the traffic during rush hour. Other funded projects include turning an elevated railway into a bike path and expanding the bike-share system to 5,000 bikes. During Chicago’s Bike the Drive event each May, thousands of cyclists flock to Lake Shore Drive for a car-free 30-mile ride.

In case you were wondering, Washington D.C. came in 4th, Boulder, Co. 3rd, Minneapolis, MN. 2nd, and the #1 Bike-Friendly City is..........Portland, OR.  Thank you Bicycling Magazine for the article

http://fitbie.msn.com/slideshow/america-s-top-10-bike-friendly-cities/slide/5

Film: Hell on Wheels

Film: "Hell on Wheels"


Jul 5, 2012 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Chicago, IL

The Tour de France is not only the most difficult bicycle race in the world, but also a major sporting event, like the Olympic Games or the World Cup. Its venue is an entire country. Major differences in altitude and a competitive field made up of nearly 200 cyclists place enormous demands on the participants. When Pepe Danquart shot his intimate portrait of the Tour de France in 2003, one of the largest sporting events in the world celebrated its 100th anniversary. Yet HELL ON WHEELS is neither an historical review nor a sports report, but a documentary that focuses on the cyclists as people as well as France’s nationwide public festival that unfolds around the tour. Following the rhythm of the daily stages, Danquart plunges into the cyclists’ world, portraying their respect for this “hellish route” and what makes it so distinctive.

Pepe Danquart was born in 1955 in Singen and reached international acclaim as the director of the short film SCHWARZFAHRER, taking home the Oscar in 1994. In addition to his directorial work, the co-founder of the “Medienwerkstatt Freiburg” film collective has taught at the German Film and Television Academy in Berlin and at the Film Academy Baden-Wuerttemberg in Ludwigsburg. Since 2008, he has been Professor for Film at the University of Fine Arts in Hamburg.



© Goethe-Institut Chicago

Need a Get-Away? How about Breckenridge, Co.?

4th Annual Bicycle Festival in Breckenridge, Colorado


Thursday, July 5 – Sunday, July 8, 2012

Breck Bike Week: Join the Community of Cyclists from novice pedalers to pro riders there is something for all levels of bikers!

One of “Breck’s” best kept secrets is its expansive backcountry trail network – an interconnected system that can be accessed from anywhere in town within two minutes and leading to hundreds of miles of riding across Summit County. Recently named a silver-level Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists, Breckenridge introduces visitors to pedal paradise during the annual Breck Bike Week.

Kicked off by the USA Cycling Mountain Bike Marathon National Championships, the Firecracker 50 on July 4, visitors will be able to race or partake in all the non-competitive aspects of Breck Bike Week including high-end bike demos, led group rides, bike-in movie nights, trail building, lectures, clinics, bike fits and tunes, kids’ races, daily Tour de France viewing parties and more. The bonus is that all Breck Bike Week activities are FREE and open to everyone. In addition, this week will showcase the town’s history as well as shopping, dining, lodging, other unique activities and temperate summer weather.

Breckenridge is a unique mountain resort in comparison to its neighbors in that it is an authentic historic mining town full of full-time outdoorsy residents who want nothing more than to introduce visitors to the bike paths, trails and roads that make up their backyard bike playground. Breck Bike Week will do just that. In addition, Breck is surrounded by a trail network the width and breadth of which is unsurpassed in North America, a resource the community is very committed to protect and preserve…while still enjoying it to its fullest. While here, cyclists are invited to give back to the trails through trail building workshops. Breck Bike Week is a feast for cyclists of all types and truly communicates the town’s passion for biking.

Todd Spaur - Artist

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/47997194/ns/today-today_news/t/payback-painter-thanks-town-kindness-mural/http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/47997194/ns/today-today_news/t/payback-painter-thanks-town-kindness-mural/

Here's a tragic story with a happy ending.  Happy 4th of July, Todd!

4th of July

Celebrate our independence and never take it for granted.

Happy 4th of July!

Fox River Bike Trail

Fox River Bike Trail


Region: Chicago & Beyond Dawn until dusk, a 36 m. trail is the forefront of outdoor recreation passing through Elgin, St. Charles, Geneva, Batavia and Aurora. It winds along the banks of the Fox River through miles of prairie grass, overshadowing trees and blooming flowers. Running from Algonquin in the north, south to Aurora.  For more information call 847 695-7540

Wind in the City @ Millennium Park

Ride your bike over to Millennium Park today!

Chicago Wilderness is the featured partner in the Family Fun Activity Zone for the Millennium Park Family Fun Festival’s “Wild in the City” week, July 2-9. The Family Fun Festival is sponsored by Target and presented by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, in partnership with the Chicago Office of Tourism and Culture.

July 2, 2012 10:00am - 3:00pm