Reverse Micky Dolenz situation this afternoon. I packed a jacket, but ended up having to use sunscreen and sunglasses. I have a problem with sunglasses on account of my very long eyelashes. They never really feel comfortable and just don't sit on my face right. I used to think it was my nose that caused the problems, but I'm pretty sure it's my eyelashes. Yup, this is me.
Two big bike news events today, but if you're reading this (hi mom!), you probably already know about them. First, Gabe Klein, the uber-crush of local urbanist types and erstwhile DDOT head, is taking over Chicago's Department of Transportation. Does FakeMayorEmanuel know? I wonder if this will bring bikesharing to Chicago soon.
The other news is that we're adding one more Bikeshare station to the grid tomorrow. Based on Cody Rice's sleuthing and the the actual bikeshare map (that did list earlier 25, then 17 empty docks, but now says nothing), the station will be installed at the 14th and D/Ronald Reagan/ John A. Wilson building. That should be really great for city employees. I don't know to what extent the bikes are considered "fully loaded," but presumably CMs could use them too. Color scheme is already set though, so they'll just have to make do. I don't know if this is auspicious and the other stations will be installed soon, but it's a good sign nonetheless.
Great ride through the District. In Georgetown, I was riding down 34th and I saw another cyclist turn onto the street about a block in front of me. Female. Flowing hair. No helmet. Flip-flops (which is sorta gross). Purse. Riding upright. She was Mary Poppins to my Claude Levi Strauss (this would be the worst movie franchise reboot ever) and the few blocks I spent riding behind her was the lamest bike-related "experiment" ever. Conclusion: She was treated no differently from how anyone else would be treated while biking along that stretch. Cars still blocked her path with their incomplete turns. No one gave her any additional room to pass. There was no additional deference at stop signs. No to sound too decisive, but I'd conclude that the interactions between drivers and cyclists are predicated more on structures of the facilities and norms of the road than based on the outward appearance of the individual on the bike.
First CaBi sighting on the Key Bridge. Almost missed it because it was on the opposite side of the bridge and I got distracted by a foreign man (I can tell based on the cut of his pants) who made some strange squawking sound (unrelated to me) to his conversation mates, who also looked foreign. It was a very weird noise.
At the intersection of Oak and Wilson, a teenager yelled from the passenger side window of a black car, "I like your bo-ots" (with two syllabes in boots as required by the local accent) to a girl crossing the street. She was wearing brown wellingtons and they had shapes on them that I thought might have been donuts. I don't think it was a cat call, but it was sort of weird. If she did have donuts on her boots, that's worth remarking on because it's awesome, but there's probably a better forum. She's probably some narcissist with a blog titled talesfromwearingdonutwellingtons.blogspot.com.
Rest of the way home was really good. I said "sorry" to a woman opening and then quickly closing her car door prior to my approach on the hill before Courthouse. I said "sorry" because I felt like I startled her and I'm appreciative of her closing the door to allow my safe passing. I guess I could have said "thank you," but sometimes you just say what you say. A lot of car doors almost being opened in my path, but the drivers along Wilson and Fairfax tend to be quite cognizant of bike riders. I attribute that to the striping of the bike lanes, but that's just a theory.
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