August 15 bike forecast: lovely, yet again

August 15, 2017 ~ Bikereporter ~ Leave a comment

Did you know we’re in the midst of a good-weather marathon?

TUESDAY WEATHER INFOGRAPHIC:

Overall: high 79, low 66, a few clouds, moderate winds from the north, and a 15% chance of rain.

Note: if you’re commuting northward in the afternoon, watch out for stiff headwinds. Nothing too crazy, but perhaps enough to skip the LFT.

DIVVY REPORT: All stations operational. Up-to-the-minute updates here.

STREET CLOSURES

and

PARTIAL STREET CLOSURES

Spotted on the road…

This imposing facade, Edgewater:

This rodent cutie on the lake front:

And assorted dead rats (not pictured).

OVERALL COMMUTE RATING:

3.25 out of 4, on account of rain chance and moderate PM winds.

August 14 bike forecast: guess what, still good

August 13, 2017 ~ Bikereporter ~ Leave a comment

As the old CBR adage goes, “New week, new weather.”

MONDAY WEATHER INFOGRAPHIC:

Overall: high 82, low 68, 20% chance of rain, kinda cloudy, mild winds

DIVVY REPORT: Rainbow Beach station still down, apparently. Otherwise, all stations operational. Up-to-the-minute updates here.

STREET CLOSURES

and

PARTIAL STREET CLOSURES

Spotted on the road…

The new bikes-only bike path on the Lakefront Trail by North Avenue beach, built but not quite open.

This is the bike path. The existing LFT along North Avenue beach will become ped only.

Also spotted on the road…

People protesting in front of Trump Tower. Cyclists were well represented, but unfortunately not photographed.

Let’s take a closer look:

Vacant retail space at the base of Trump Tower?! Aww.

OVERALL COMMUTE RATING:

3 out of 4 stars. Enjoy!

August 11 bike forecast: yep, still good

August 10, 2017 ~ Bikereporter ~ Leave a comment

Friday: an excellent day. Again.

FRIDAY WEATHER INFOGRAPHIC:

Overall: high 75, low 60, mostly sunny, moderate winds

How pleasant will it be?

About that pleasant.

DIVVY REPORT: Rainbow Beach station still down. Otherwise, all stations operational. Up-to-the-minute updates here.

STREET CLOSURES

and

PARTIAL STREET CLOSURES

OVERALL COMMUTE RATING:

3.5/4. Outstanding, again. Ride your bike! You gotta!

August 10 bike forecast: eminently bikeable

August 9, 2017 ~ Bikereporter ~ Leave a comment

Thursday: good, again.

(Abbreviated post.)

THURSDAY WEATHER INFOGRAPHIC:

Overall: high 84, low 66, winds topping out around 11mph from the south-ish

DIVVY REPORT: Rainbow Beach station still down. Otherwise, all stations operational. Up-to-the-minute updates here.

STREET CLOSURES

and

PARTIAL STREET CLOSURES

OVERALL COMMUTE RATING:

3.25/4, on account of rain chance.

August 9 bike forecast: near peak commute

August 8, 2017August 8, 2017 ~ Bikereporter ~ Leave a comment

Wednesday: good.

WEDNESDAY WEATHER INFOGRAPHIC:

Overall: high 82, low 64, light winds, a few clouds

Weather similar to Tuesday, except with an extra cloud or two to shelter us from harmful UV rays.

Speaking of Tuesday…

Flowers bloomed in Humboldt Park.

Beneath the picturesque surface, something dastardly was afoot: P1340231 (2).jpg

Cedar-apple rust on the hawthorns. Ack!

DIVVY REPORT: Rainbow Beach station removed. Is it temporary, permanent, or a figment of the Divvy computer system? We don’t know.

Otherwise, all stations operational. Up-to-the-minute updates here.

And in other bike share news…

New Citibikes in New York have continuously variable transmissions. I.e. instead of 3 discrete gears, you get an infinite spectrum and can “slide” the shift lever into the gear ratio of your choice.

Will this hi-tech feature be coming to Divvy? Hmmm.

STREET CLOSURES

and

PARTIAL STREET CLOSURES

OVERALL COMMUTE RATING:

3.9/4. Again! This mean ride your bike.

August 8 bike forecast: springlike, redux

August 7, 2017 ~ Bikereporter ~ Leave a comment

Tuesday: like Monday, a springlike day, but way, way better.

TUESDAY WEATHER INFOGRAPHIC:

Look at that! We’re approaching peak bike commuting conditions.

Overall: high 80, low 64, sunny as heck, calm winds

AM: a balmy 68, clear skies, and a bit of wind from the west-northwest

PM: 78, sunny, wind from the east at 7mph

VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF PREDICTED WEATHER:

Sunny skies, mild winds, and temperate temperature.

DIVVY REPORT: Like Jon Snow himself, State and 29th Street returns from the dead, added back into the Divvy system. Why? I don’t know. This story is tiring me out.

Otherwise, all stations operational. Up-to-the-minute updates here.

STREET CLOSURES

and

PARTIAL STREET CLOSURES

A cautionary tale from the road…

While walking near the Blommer Chocolate Factory at Milwaukee and Kinzie, I saw, firsthand, with my own eyes, a collision between a cyclist and a driver. Luckily the cyclist was all right.

The cyclist’s poor choices led to the collision, so let us use this example learn from her mistakes.

Cyclist was riding down Milwaukee, heading onto Kinzie. She skipped through a red light and squeezed in front of a bus stopped on Desplaines while it waited to turn left. Cyclist thought she had an all-clear route, but her view behind the bus was obscured.

Blocked from her view was a car was traveling 30 mph right into her path – and the driver couldn’t see a cyclist headed into her own path. The driver slammed her brakes and slowed the car enough that she only hit the cyclist’s rear wheel.

Confusing? Well, look at the diagram.

This was neither the time nor the place to run a red light! Defensive riding: a good idea, especially when dealing with the dangerous diagonal intersections of Milwaukee Avenue.

OVERALL COMMUTE RATING:

3.9/4. Nearly perfect! Ride your bike!

August 7 bike forecast: springlike, sort of

August 7, 2017August 7, 2017 ~ Bikereporter ~ Leave a comment

Monday: it’s as if spring has returned, eight months early.

MONDAY WEATHER INFOGRAPHIC:

No, not a fancy great spring day, but a solid, workmanlike, mediocre spring day.

Overall: high 72, low 60, cloudy-ish, 40% chance of rain, winds from the north-northeast

AM: high 60s, 25% chance of rain, partly cloudy, 7mph winds from the north-northeast

PM: 70º, chance of rain, and annoying winds of 14mph from the north-northeast

That means if you’re riding north to get home in the evening, you might wanna avoid the especially blustery Lake Front Trail.

DIVVY REPORT: RIP the State and 29th St. Divvy station, which was de-listed last week. You served us well. (Or maybe you didn’t, and that’s why you were de-listed.)

Nearby residents can use 31st and Indiana or 26th and Indiana.

Up-to-the-minute updates here.

STREET CLOSURES

and

PARTIAL STREET CLOSURES

In insane news (non-Trump)…

The Navy Pier Flyover began construction in March of 2014. It’s scheduled to be completed at the end of 2018. That’s four and a half years. For a bike and pedestrian bridge! Which, as John Greenfield pointed out a while ago, is longer than it took to build the Golden Gate Bridge.

When did CDOT begin planning the project? In 2001. That’s seventeen years from planning to completion.

Why? According to ActiveTrans:

“[T]he flyover isn’t just about function. Because it is located in a prominent part of the Chicago, CDOT also wants the flyover to be an iconic architectural structure in the city.

“The main design feature of the flyover will be its serpentine form, curving around parks and buildings. A visually striking steel rib superstructure will support the bridge and accommodate its curves.

To further reinforce the cutting-edge design, the bridge will include cable steel railings and LED lights built into the railings. The panels along the side of the bridge will feature running and walking motifs to reflect the purpose of the bridge.”