On Sunday, thousands of bicyclists will take over DuSable Lake Shore Drive during the 22nd annual Bike the Drive to experience the city in a way that is only possible once a year.
Daniel Guico, of South Loop, will attend his sixth Bike the Drive event, but this time it will be with his 2-year-old son riding on the handle seat.
“Last year, he could only handle going around one block because we were getting rained on, but I’m excited to see how much he’ll be able to handle,” Guico said. “We did a test run the other day, and he just kept yelling ‘fun Dada’ so I’m optimistic.”
The annual event is the only day of the year that the drive will be completely shutdown to vehicular traffic. The 30-mile loop runs from the Museum of Science and Industry to West Bryn Mawr Avenue. Starting points are Grant Park, Bryn Mawr Avenue, Fullerton Avenue, Oakwood Boulevard and the Museum of Science & Industry.
The event benefits the Active Transportation Alliance, a nonprofit that works to improve conditions for walking, biking and public transit throughout the Chicago area.
Unlike other biking events, this one is different because it’s not a race, Amy Rynell, executive director at Active Transportation Alliance, said.
“You go at your pace and you go as far you want to go,” Rynell said.
More than 16,500 people attended last year, and Rynell says they expect up to 17,000 riders this time around.
“I’ve been riding most of my life and [Bike the Drive] is so different from other events because you see anyone from triathletes who want to see how fast they can ride Lake Shore to just kids in their tricycles,” Guico said.
Riders can make their way onto the road beginning at 6:30 a.m. and are encouraged to arrive no later than 7:30 a.m. to make the most of the time.
“Something I hear all the time is that people are shocked by how quiet Lake Shore Drive is without cars,” Rynell said. “It’s a really unique to experience the lake and skyline without any cars in sight.”
“It’s just a super cool Chicago thing to do,” she said.
The Outer Drive will reopen to vehicular traffic between 11:30 a.m. and noon.
Registration costs $64 for Active Transportation Alliance members and $74 for nonmembers. Admission on the day of the event is $84 for nonmembers. Youth admission is always $18. To register, go to bikethedrive.org.