Bike the Drive Returns to Lakeshore
By Kim Bellware in Arts & Entertainment on May 29, 2010 4:10PM
While grilling out, having a cold one and watching the Blackhawks is on many of our Memorial Day weekend agendas, some 20,000 cyclists will be hitting Lake Shore Drive Sunday morning for the ninth annual Bike the Drive, taking over a 15 mile stretch along LSD for most of the morning. Participants can start their (self-powered) engines beginning at 5:30 a.m., after which cars are verboten until 10:30 a.m. when vehicular traffic is allowed to return. The closures will affect LSD from Hollywood all the way down to 59th St., so plan for detours along that route. Near the event entry points, Jackson Blvd. in Grant Park will also be closed, though drop-offs are allowed between 4 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. at the Congress Circle at Michigan Ave. Bikers can enter north of Randolph or south of Roosevelt - crosswalks to Lakeshore Drive will be blocked at Monroe, Jackson and Balbo.
The event, the Active Transportation Alliance's annual fundraiser, is a rare treat for bikers who normally only get to take in the city's skyline and lake shore views from the much lower elevated Lakefront Trail. The $45 entry fee ($40 for Active Trans members) gets riders roughly four hours of freewheeling fun on the Drive and entry to the post-ride festival at Butler Field in Grant Park.
Online registration closes very soon - at noon today - but day-of entry is available for ten bucks more at the starting site.