Crank the Earth - Designer Cycling Apparel

A new job brought about a new schedule and new location, shaving hours from my previous commute. I'd been cheating on my bike with my Mini Cooper until recently. The weather just became so beautiful that I've decided I want to experience as many direct sun rays as possible to and from work. I was pretty certain I already knew the best route, so I hopped on my bike and began peddling up Kedzie. This road is nearly a straight shot to my office and, more importantly, features one lane of traffic going in each direction. I know that we bikers should own our rights even on the busiest of streets, but I tend to seek alternative routes to Irving Park or Western Avenues in Chicago out of fear of the texting, lane-switching distracted drivers whom I encounter everyday. I just celebrated the one-year anniversary of my getting T-boned by a car, so I truly enjoy as little traffic as possible these days.

Back on Kedzie, my only complaint was the stop and go nature of the ride, as there were a number of long waits at crowded intersections. I wasn't really able to experience a nice flow at any given time, but I arrived to work in one piece and having increased my heart rate ever-so-slightly. For the ride home, I decided I would be a trailblazer and create my own quicker route home. Having lived in this neighborhood eight years earlier, I had an idea of some parks parallel to Kedzie with nice paths that would take me home. I wasn't certain how many times I'd have to stop and reroute, but I had I began my adventure home.

As I approached a busy six-corner intersection that challenges the timing and patience of the most astute driver, I suddenly noticed a path leading below the intersection! Of course, I veered to the right and prepared for whatever lie ahead on this darkened path. I emerged from the other side of the intersection without slowing and found myself on a stretch of parkway path that continued well beyond my field of vision! There was not a car in site, nor was there a single stop light or mere pause for nearly fifteen minutes. Just as I would anticipate another intersection (as a city driver, I anticipate a stop every four blocks) my bike would be led toward another viaduct along the river. I'm telling you, this path was not this nice (nor did it exist!) when I'd lived in this neighborhood just eight years ago.

I remained on this wonderful little path for well over half of my commute. I eventually emerged into traffic and faced the texting, lane switching distracted drivers once agin, though I was nearly home and my heart rate was even higher than after my commute to work earlier in the day. Are there other similar biker-friendly paths throughout the city of which I am unaware?

A friend informed me that google maps is now featuring biking routes. I assumed that the city-sanctioned bike lanes were the only routes to which I'd be directed, but decided to check it out. To my surprise, google maps had suggested my newly discovered, secret, auto-free route along the river (parallel to the bike-lane route) instead of Kedzie! Though the site will still suggest taking Irving Park and Western Avenues as biking routes, it knows some of these hidden gems (like my river route) as well. Perhaps user-feedback will bring about the sharing of more biker-friendly alternative routes. And there's my next project: Finding (and sharing) the safest way to get across the north side of the city. After all, we officially have already found the safest way to go north through the city.