Rachel, N Oakley & W Le Moyne, Chicago, IL

I ran into Rachel walking into a BBQ, and I just had to grab her for a quick photo.  Love the dress and shoes.  Perfect for the last warm days of fall (unlike today which is FREEZING!)

Maria, S State St & E Madison St, Chicago, IL

What are you wearing? Club Monaco top, striped skirt I got at Anthropologie and my fancy Stuart Weitzman high heels, on a mountain bike. :) Love it!
Make/model color of your bike, and where you got it? Kestrel carbon fiber Mountain Bike. Made in USA, purchased in Leadville, CO
Where are you going? Running errands during lunch break
Why ride? Makes me happy and free, my bike takes me to places
Favorite ride? I love riding no the lake shore bike path and any ride in Utah
While riding you …? Sing, talk to myself or watch traffic (especially cars parked on the side) carefully at rush hour.
How can Chicago improve bike infrastructure or make Chicago more bike friendly? More driver and pedestrian bike awareness. Teach children in school biking etiquette.

Trés Awesome Hearts Bike Fancy

I've officially made it into the Fashion Blogger world.  Check out this mention on the Trés Awesome Fashion blog:

http://www.tresawesome.com/2011/10/blogger-spotlight-martha-williams-of.html

 

Addendum:  A reader pointed out that I have not answered the questions that I ask everyone else on the site, so here goes:

Tell me about your bike, and where you got it?  My bike is a 1987 Pink Schwinn Prelude that I got from an old roommate because it was too big for her (we traded bikes).  I've had it for almost 10 years now; parts have been modified, replaced, and stolen, but all the folks a Boulevard Bikes keep it going. 
Where are you going?  After this photo shoot I am going home to walk and hang out with my dog.

What are you wearing?  Purple tank layered with a grey tank from Penelope's,  orange circle skirt from American Apparel , Pink brand wedge pumps from the clearance rack at Akira shoe store.

Why ride?  I ride a bike because it keeps my head screwed onto my body when my mind wanders, makes me happy, conscious of the world, healthy, and has the power to make me feel like a kid, again and again. And its green!
Favorite Ride?  I love night rides when I can speed down a deserted street with no speed bumps.  Also, I love to ride bikes wherever I travel.
While riding you...? While riding I listen to music and whistle along, trying to match the key.  Embarrassingly, when no one is around, I air drum on my handlebars.  
How can Chicago improve bike infrastructure or make Chicago more bike friendly?  I think Chicago has a good start, but could do a lot more to be bike friendly. I would love to see even more divided bike lanes, and some bike-only street programs like Summer Streets in New York city.  I see that a lot more people are riding bikes, but there also seems to be increased tension between drivers and cyclists.  Just because I ride a bike, doesn't mean I think I am better than someone that is driving, but I see other cyclists that clearly think they are.  Conversely, I think drivers need to understand that driving is a privilege, not a right, and that they are operating a 4,000 pound vehicle that could kill someone. 

Stacey, N Damen Ave & W Potomac Ave, Chicago, IL

 

What are you wearing? A tunic I got from a fashion swap and Sam Edelman sandals
Tell me more about your bike, and where you got it? My bike is a Biria EB Top 3. I got it from a street sale in Wicker Park a few months agol
Where are you going? I'm headed to the grocery store.
Why ride? Its faster than walking, but more active than hopping on the bus.
Favorite ride? I love riding aimlessly when my goal is only to see new interesting parts of my neighborhood and really take in old parts!
While riding you …? Frequently find myself mouthing please don't kill me to drivers :)
How can Chicago improve bike infrastructure or make Chicago more bike friendly? Offering consistent bike lanes throughout the city and more places to lock up your bike.

Bri, W Division St & N Wood St, Chicago, IL

 

 

I snapped a picture of Bri a few days ago (when its was still shorts weather!).  I loved her teal bike, comfy but cute bike outfit, and the graphic scarf as a helmet liner.  Very cute and a nice detail.  This also makes me think I need to do a little more with my eye make up.

Kate, 1500 Block of Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL

Kate rides a vintage Sears step through with coaster breaks.

Love the old school sparkle banana seat

Tell me more about your bike, and where you got it? It's a loaner while my sister has my hot pink Savoy cruiser from the 70's. My girlfriend won this bike in a lottery on Craigslist. She saw it was listed as "free", contacted the guy, and he put her name in a hat with all the other people who wanted it, and she won! 

Where are you going? Just cruising around Wicker Park, shopping for summer clothes. I'm going to roadtrip to Central America for the winter so I need more dresses. 

What are you wearing? A strapless striped purple sundress and light blue open toe flats. 

Why ride? It feels good! I like to feel free to take my own path to anywhere I want to go. It's clean and it's a relaxing way to sneak in some exercise. When you're rolling by at your own pace you notice so much about that city that you would miss in a car.

Favorite ride? I love a moonlight ride from Wicker to Pilsen. I take Hubbard to Morgan and roll through the UIC campus all the way to 18th street.  

While riding you …? think a lot about life and what I want to do, where I've been and where I'm going. Sometimes I talk to myself, just thinking out loud to keep myself company. 

How can Chicago improve bike infrastructure or make Chicago more bike friendly? Chicago is a great city for biking, but I would love more bike-only trails to criss-cross the city. It would be great too, if there were more regular events to encourage biking, something like Critical Mass, but sponsored and promoted by the city of Chicago. 

 

Giavanna, N Kedzie Ave & N Linden Pl, Chicago, IL

Giavanna rides a copper Schwinn step-through I got from working bikes.

Where are you going?   I am headed home from the Logan Square farmers market where I picked up these Zinnias .
Why ride?  I ride my bike because it makes me feel happy and free. 
Favorite ride?  I like night rides the most.
While riding you …?   While riding I typically talk to myself. 
How can Chicago improve bike infrastructure or make Chicago more bike friendly?  I feel like the bike lanes need to  be made clearer and more consistent. Oh, and the city could fill the pot holes in the bike lanes a little more regularly.

Samantha, Fullerton & Sacramento, Chicago, IL

Lindsay and Taco, 2100 Block of W North Ave, Chicago, IL

Lindsay rides a vintage All Pro 3-speed (when her other bike has a flat)

Where are you headed?  Me and my dog Taco are headed to pick up an I GO car because I just purchased a dining set at The Ark and needed to bring it home.
Tell me more about your bike and where you got it?  My bike is a tan/brown/orange All Pro that I don't know much about because it was found abandoned in the basement of the Pilsen bar I work at.

What are you wearing?  Vintage polo and Levis cutoffs 
Why Ride? I  bike so I don't have to run on a treadmill in a sweaty gym elbow-to-elbow with tan guido types. AND because it's FUN!
Favorite Ride?  My favorite ride is to work. Its about 5 miles, and it is usually done during rush hour and I love wizzing past all the cars stuck in traffic.
While riding you....?  clear my head. 
 How can Chicago improve bike infrastructure or make Chicago more bike friendly?

I find that the car doors and pedestrians are the biggest threat to us. I guess I would like to see more biker awareness... maybe more naked bike rides??

Kallie, N State St & E Illinois St, Chicago, IL

Where are you going?  On a work errand to Trader Joe's.
Tell me more about your bike, and where you got it? My bike is a Gulfstream 4130.  I just bought it from my cute little landlord Julio (his son moved out, and as Julio is only about 5', he had no use for it) b/c my dad's hand-me-down mountain bike just wasn't cutting it anymore.
What are you wearing?  Work garb!  A belt I found at a vintage store in Siena, Italy, a skirt from a thift store in Soho, working girl footwear, and lots of black, my usual.
Why ride?  It builds character and makes life a lot more interesting - people are stopping me on the street to take my picture!  Also, I'm living on a volunteer stipend and trying to save money to go to Ecuador.
Favorite ride?  After the lakefront, Lincoln from Albany Park to the Loop!
While riding you …?  I decompress from the day and gawk at Chicago architecture.
How can Chicago improve bike infrastructure or make Chicago more bike friendly?  I tried to take it on the L the other day - not pleasant.  So, making it easier to fit bikes on public transit for when you just can't bike it (but hope to a little later in the day).