May
4
Critical Mass — Friday, March 25
Filed Under Cycling, Green Events
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Mitch Wu
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| Bikers flood the streets during the first warm critical mass. |
Friday March 25 marked the first WARM critical mass.
For those of you who don’t know- critical mass happens every last friday of the month, and is a time when bikers from all over the city come together to bike en masse. There is no political agenda, there are no leaders. It is to celebrate biking and to have fun. For more on how this started, click here.
Hundreds of cyclists (that’s right– I say cyclists because I don’t want to leave out the unis!) gathered at Daley Plaza around 5:30 pm, despite the threatening weather. The forecast said rain– possibly heavy rain with thunderstorms– and at the same time the sky was darkening, the wind was picking up.
Yeah, right. Like that’s gonna deter Chicago bike enthusiasts. If anything, it’s only more reason to take over the streets in jubilee.
In fact, it did rain. It POURED. To the delight of everyone there, I’m sure.
Check out the video I made with my friend Mitch Wu: http://s10.video.blip.tv/1370003358610/Cpl953h-ChicagoCriticalMassApril252008423.mp4
A big thank you to all cyclists, motorists, as well as those who fall into neither category, for giving generously of their time and spirit to make this video what it is.
For my first video, I think it turned out remarkably well. (While you’re watching, please try picturing me riding my bicycle with one hand, the other hand holding the video camera, as traffic is honking in support, some motorists are shouting in frustration, cyclists are halloo-ing and “Happy Friday!!!”-ing, police are intervening in any altercations and making sure the stragglers to keep up with the group, people are hanging out of windows whistling,and generally delicious chaos.)
