Car-free bike ride transforms more than Lake Shore Drive

We are kicking off our Chicago summer with the MB Financial Bank Bike the Drive on May 30, and we hope to see you there!

Lake Shore Drive isn’t the only thing transformed by this car-free event. Active Trans member Jack Crane tells ModeShift how the 2007 event changed his life:

“On my 50th birthday in 2007, my sister-in-law invited me to go with her on Bike the Drive. I told her, ‘That sounds terrific. I’d love to go, but I don’t have a bike.’ She said she would pay for the Bike the Drive registration, but that I would have to buy a bike.

I hadn’t ridden a bike in 25 years. I’d been wanting to get a bike, but I had always put it off. Now I was forced to do it. I bought the bike. I took the plunge.

You might remember that 2007 wasn’t the nicest weather. It was cold. It was rainy… And I have never had more fun. I did the whole loop, and I had a blast!

Since then, I’ve been riding about 50 miles on the weekends. I’ll ride downtown (from Evanston) or up to Ravinia. I’ll take Damen Avenue down to Wicker Park to meet my son, who lives there.

The main reason I stayed away from biking was back trouble, and I thought biking would make it worse. Thankfully, I’ve never had a problem with my back on my bike. Part of that was choosing the right bike.

What I really enjoy about Bike the Drive is the cast of characters out there – it’s just really Chicago. That’s what I enjoy about Chicago – the diversity of people. You see that on Bike the Drive! This is Chicago.

I think it’s totally crazy and lots of fun. I wouldn’t miss it this year.”

Find out what Jack is talking about and sign up for MB Financial Bank Bike the Drive now!