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Dining by Candlelight and by Bicycle
By Pamela Brookstein
In case the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation’s West Suburban
Progressive Bike and Dine August 4 or the South Side Veggie Bike
and Dine July 14 don’t fit your schedule, here is a pedal-by-pedal
way to create your own bike and dine event with neighbors or friends.
1. Pick some eateries. Start with either the areas you’d like
to ride through or a restaurant you’d like to visit. Ask around
the area for a good restaurant or two in that town or go to the
town’s chamber of commerce website. Identify three restaurants
— one each for appetizer, main course and dessert.
2. Plan your route. Get out the maps and design a preliminary map
once you’ve picked the restaurants you’re going to visit.
The Chicagoland Bicycle Federation Map is a great resource for this
step. Remember to think like a bicyclist during this step; stay
off the busy, main arterials and ride through neighborhoods —
it will make the ride more fun and interesting.
3. Take a test run. Hop on your bike and try it out before the event.
Pack your bag with maps and some pens and paper to track your route.
You might encounter some barriers, like expressways or heavy traffic,
so have some backup routes planned. It is also a good idea to take
a odometer to track your mileage (or go to
www.gmap-pedometer.com) to get an idea of how long it will take
to get between restaurants.
4. Enjoy the food (and the ride!). Make the reservations and invite
your friends for the progressive meal. Make sure someone knows how
basic bicycle mechanics in case anyone gets a flat. To make the
stops at the eateries a little quicker, you can preorder the food
you’ll be eating and have it waiting for you when you arrive.
Or this might sound too uptight and you’ll want to wing it.
Either way, you can’t go wrong when it comes to the eating
part.
Progressive bike and dines are great ways to explore an area —
and some food. Plus, you and your friends will see how easy and
fun it is to dine by bicycle.
Pamela Brookstein is the Northwest and West Suburban Coordinator
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