Nicole, W Division and N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL

Nicole rides a teal 1965 Murray Jetfire

Where are you going?

I am  on my way home to bbq with my in-laws, after stopping by The Butcher and Larder for some of their homemade sausage!

What are you wearing?

My summer uniform (cotton skirt or dress), Bensimon shoes (great for biking - so grippy and no laces) and my Sawako Furuno helmet.

Make/model color of your bike, and where you got it?

"Jetty" is a 1965 Murray Jetfire obtained from Craigslist. She was a little beat up when I bought her, but I was instantly attracted to the petite teal frame with white lightning bolts. My husband rebuilt the wheels, and we added the white cruiser seat, white chain, and white basket. She's heavy, but I love her anyhow. 

Why ride?

Because it's fun. What's better than a leisurely weekend ride to deliver a basket full of cookies to friends? 

Favorite ride?

Any freshly paved road, the Boulevards through Logan Square & Humboldt Park, and the West Loop at night when no one is around.

While riding you …?

I'm totally on the defensive, but I will let my mind wander to thoughts of pastries or home remodeling when traffic is calm.

 

How can Chicago improve bike infrastructure or make Chicago more bike friendly?

I think dialogue and community action is vital. I love that there's so much cycle-friendly energy from city government right now, but I feel the key to continuing and building upon that momentum is engaging cyclists, pedestrians and even drivers in the creation of that infrastructure (WE ARE the city). I'm involved in Bike/Walk35 - a committee trying to improve pedestrian and cycling safety in the 35th Ward. We're working as a group to come up with some ideas, but also reaching out to the community at large to find good solutions for improving our local "active transportation" environment.