Spring in Chicago is a wicked time of year. While we don’t get crippling blizzards like the worst of winter, we suffer from a Chinese water torture of erratic weather that is below freezing one day, low 50’s the next, then back down to the 30’s, and, oh yes, there is the wind. As a result many Chicago bike riders don’t consider riding till late April or May when the weather fluctuates more moderately. For that reason I am celebrating my dog Gabi’s first bike ride of the season. Regular readers know that Gabi rides with me on the Lakefront most days of the year – over 45F – with no wind or rain. She averages around 3000 miles a year in her 13 years of living with me.
I got her the hat initially to protect her from the sun, but I thought it looked so cute, that I just put it on her every time we ride.
I have many shots of her on the bike, but, clearly, it is not easy to get ones of us together. The only ones I have are from the annual Bike the Drive ride that takes place on Memorial Day each year, when Chicago closes the famed Lake Shore Drive for several hours and lets bike riders take it over. About 20,000 of us take advantage of that each year. The ride is sponsored by the American Transportation Alliance (ATA). This year’s listing follows:
With Chicago consistently being ranked by Bicycling magazine as one of the best cities in the nation for biking, there is no better way to celebrate the start of summer than with a ride on the city’s crown jewel roadway – Lake Shore Drive. So grab your bike and enjoy almost 5 hours of car-free riding on Sunday, May 26. Proceeds benefit Active Transportation Alliance’s work to improve biking, walking, and transit throughout Chicagoland.
In past years ATA had photographers along the way capturing riders who wanted a photographic memento of the ride. I stumbled upon some pics from the 2008 ride.
My daughter, Kate, then 14, rode with Gabi and me. Gabi is wearing my windbreaker as it was a chilly morning.
This is a current shot, not on the bike, but wearing her track suit that I got from Amazon. A dog wearing a track suit blows my mind.
Tony
Wellness Secrets of a SuperAger 
Awwww, love this 🙂 ❤ Way to go Gabi! (and love the hat!)
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A poodle with panache. 😎
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Go Gabi!! 👏👏👏
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That’s a cute post and Glimpse from your life. Thanks for sharing tony. Hope you’re doing well. ✌
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Thanks, Perky. One day at a time!
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So adorable! Love that phrase “poodle with panache”. Keep on ridin’ you two!
Penny
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Awesome!
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Thanks for your comment. Much appreciated.
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OMG Tony, your dog is just too cute! Thanks for the pics of Chicago I used to work for a Chicago company and fell in love with that city. Too bad it’s just so darn cold and windy there!
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Thanks, Joan. I am a native except for a year in New Jersey for college and a year in London for Reuters. I love it here. I think the weather here compares favorably with most cities. Rare blizzards, no floods, no tornadoes. I am a Weather Channel fan and we usually have milder weather here than anywhere. What city are you in?
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I’ a New Yorker born and raised and now live southwest of Houston and loving the warm weather and warm hospitality of living in Texas. But I have to say, we do everything big in Texas – especially the weather 🙂
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Fascinating. I lived in New Jersey for a year in college, then London for a year for Reuters. Love Chicago, the weather is milder these days here. Texas sounds interesting. You have lots of transplanted Californians these days.
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LOL – yes, we have a lot of transplanted people – it’s a big state so there’s plenty of room. I love to hear that Texas drawl, but there are surprisingly few people with that wonderful accent. I love it!
I do miss Chicago !
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Love your stories, love your love for your Gabi. Take care, be well and keep blogging! God Bless! ❤
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Thanks very much for your kind words, poppi. Much appreciated!
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