MNBikeguy

Just returned from visiting the Windy City for several days. (Couldn't take the bike)
Parked the car near O'Hare and took the EL everywhere I needed to go. Bicycles are welcome on the trains. Talked to a lot of commuters who really liked the system. I'm always impressed with Chicago. A lot of interesting things to do, and seems like a commuters dream. Wish we could develop a similar transit system here. Any Chicago'ans here? What are your thoughts on your fair city?

JPprivate

Thanks :-)

Steely Dan

chicago is a pretty damn easy city to be car-free in. i've been doing it for 12 years now.

alan s 

I lived there for one year when I was a kid. All I remember is the snow drifts were over my head, and it was friggin' cold and windy. Kudos to those who ride there year round.

Steely Dan

^ we didn't even have a winter this year. i was riding to work in january in shorts and a t-shirt.

alan s 

I was 5 years old, but still, snow over my head? We skipped winter here too. Hit 89 F yesterday.

Steely Dan

^ yeah, we can certainly get big snow dumps here every once in a while, but chicago, unlike many more southerly cities, actually has the equipment and expertise to deal with big snow falls. when we got that 20" blast 2 years ago, the streets were cleared within 2 days and i was riding my bike to work again. and honestly, huge snow events like that only happen once or twice a decade. chicago's reputation for nasty and severe winter weather is really blown out of proportion. chicago's winter climate is pretty damn similar to hartford, connecticut. yeah, it can get cold, it can get windy, it can snow, but it's not an arctic tundra buried under 10 feet of snow for 6 months a year like some outsiders envision it.

shiro13

I love Chicago. I've been living here for 10 years (since I was 12) and I keep falling in love with the city. There some things I want the mayor to add, especially on the Lakefront trail, but I know he's trying to make our city to be one of the best bike friendly city in the US.

EdgewaterDude

I just came in here to say that I'm glad you liked it here. Locals may gripe about our transit system, but the fact that we've got a regional (metra) metro (CTA) and national (Amtrak) system is awesome. Plus, we have buses that go everywhere as well.

I can't say I've ever used my bike on a bus or the el. Usually it's faster to wherever I'm going purely by bike ride. I have taken the bike on the Metra before. Good times.

Chris W.

My two younger brothers have lived there since the 80s, and love it!
Both of them are in the bike business, and neither have ever owned a car

Cheers,
Chris

lhbernhardt

Interesting to know. Chicago is on my list; one of my life goals is to see as many operas in famous opera houses as I can, so Lyric Opera is on my list, and I always bring the bike for the side trips during the day. But I'm also a fan of the blues as well as of opera, so how safe is it to ride thru the South Side? And how safe would a fixie be locked up outside one of them juke joints?

Luis

Confederate

Exactly. I'm in Alaska and I still manage to commute by bike most days in winter. As long as the plows are clearing the roads, biking is fine. In Anchorage, they even have little plows for the bike paths. (I'm not in Anchorage, though, so I don't get the benefit of that.)

I've been to Chicago a number of times and I always enjoyed my time there. I don't mean this as an attack on the city--but I just wouldn't want to live there. For me, it's a nice town to do some shopping, see some museums, and stroll around people-watching. But I just couldn't handle living full-time in a city that large. I'd go nuts. But I realize that a lot of people would go nuts living in my little town at the edge of civilization. Different strokes for different folks. And I will concede that Chicago definitely has better food.

Papa Tom

I have traveled to Chicago on business a lot and also biked the Lakefront Trail a few years ago. To me, a Long Island, New Yorker, both the public transportation system and the bicycle/pedestrian network are outstanding.

JPprivate

Re: Opera - you can skip Chicago if you are looking for a great opera experience. The Chicago Symphony is a different matter, that's world class. For a great opera experience go to Europe, in particular Germany. No other country has a greater density of opera houses.

nelson249

Giordanos.......... (Homer Simpson tongue hanging out noise)

Bent Bill

Gotta Love Chicago!
nope I avoid it like the plague
Ive lived 40\50 miles north of the city all my life except for 6 months when I lived there
except for some of the cultural things like museums,zoo's, I have no use for it.
too many people too much noise
but I was born and raised out in the boondocks so Im biased

Steely Dan

curious statements. you say you avoid the city like the plague, but then admit to taking advantage of the city's cultural offerings.

i hope you're better at avoiding actual plagues

jebbesen

I live west of Chicago, I can't wait to move out to the American Southwest.

the grass is always greener (or the dessert) somewhere else.

Steely Dan

^ I've got many friends and relatives who have either moved down to the valley of the sun or maintain snowbird residences there. It ain't no joke when they refer to Phoenix as "Chicago's westernmost suburb"

EdgewaterDude

Half of my entire family on my dad's side moved to Phoenix/Scotsdale/Gilbert about 25 years ago and never looked back. We think they're crazy for leaving Chicago. They think we're crazy for staying. All is well, though.

Bent Bill

[QUOTE=Steely Dan;14113069]curious statements. you say you avoid the city like the plague, but then admit to taking advantage of the city's cultural offerings.

i hope you're better at avoiding actual plagues [/QUOT

I dont take advantage of anything there
I only go when the wife threatens me with physical harm while Im sleeping
which is about once every 5 years
she dosnt realize its been about ten years since I last took her there for anything
Im hoping I never go again
The best thing about that area is the I 294 bypass

dedhed

We Sconnies prefer you guys stay South of the cheddar curtain. : )

Steely Dan

Wisconsin is Chicago's largest state park, we'd be fools not to take advantage of its bounty of natural offerings.

Bent Bill

If we did that you would have to close the Dell's and Door County

Bent Bill