Bike the Drive set to bring out thousands of cyclists: 'Like gliding along in a sunshiny daydream'

Thousands of bicyclists are expected to take over DuSable Lake Shore Drive during the 23rd annual Bike the Drive on Sunday, one of the only days of the year when motor vehicles are kept off the roadway for a few hours.

The 15-mile stretch spans from the Museum of Science and Industry to West Bryn Mawr Avenue.

Riders can enter the Drive at the Museum of Science and Industry, Grant Park, Bryn Mawr Avenue, Fullerton Avenue and Oakwood Boulevard beginning at 6:30 a.m. Active Transportation Alliance officials say riders should arrive no later than 8 a.m. Car traffic is expected to start again between 11:30 a.m. and noon.

Michelle Stenzel, a 56-year-old Lincoln Park resident, said she loves the peace and quiet of the bike-filled roadway.

Stenzel has participated in Bike the Drive eight times, sometimes with her husband and daughter, and plans to ride again Sunday.

“The best part is how quiet the entire lakefront is, not just the roadway, but the surrounding areas too,” Stenzel said. “All you hear is people talking, laughing, maybe some music from a portable speaker. … You feel like you’re just gliding along in a sunshiny dream.”

Stenzel has been on a citizen advisory board for the DuSable Lake Shore Drive redesign for more than a decade. She has pushed for lower speed limits and dedicated bus lanes, and by extension, fewer traffic lanes.

“This event is a once-a-year opportunity to experience how different the entire lakefront could be if it was designed for slower speeds and more efficient designs for public transit,” Stenzel said.

Registration is $68 for Active Transportation Alliance members and $78 for nonmembers. Youth admission is $18. Day-of tickets cost $88 for nonmembers. There are also a number of add-ons, as low as $15 for the newly added medallion for youth who ride any amount of the course, or as much as $75 for a VIP package that includes a continental breakfast and “luxury” bathrooms.

The event benefits the Active Transportation Alliance — a nonprofit working to improve conditions for walking, biking and public transit in the Chicago area.

“This is what we’re all about, making it safe for everyone no matter where they are going,” Executive Director Amy Rynell said. “It’s our mission on full display, on steroids.”

Rynell said she first participated in the Bike the Drive in 2009 while on a date with her now-husband. Despite some snow, they made it down to the rest stop near the Museum of Science and Industry.

"It was pretty special," she said.

The Active Transportation Alliance is also holding a festival from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Butler Field in Grant Park. The festival will have bicycle-related vendors, live music, food and drinks — as well as a free bike valet.

Stenzel’s has two pieces of advice for newbies. Ride into the wind first so there’s a tailwind to help after a long ride — even for those who don’t plan to complete more than a small portion of the 30-mile loop.

Secondly, arrive by 7:30 a.m.

"Time does go quickly, and you’ll want to stop to enjoy the scenery,” she said.