The first time I rode my bike in Chicago I took a trip down the lakefront path from Rogers Park to Navy Pier. With the brisk lake air kissing my cheeks and my heart steadily beating to the tune of the gears, I had never been so happy to be outside and exercising at the same time.
I was happy until I almost hit a dog-walker, fumbled past a stroller, lost an impromptu race against an 8-year-old and argued with an angry pedestrian about who has the right-of-way on a one-way lane.
I was not happy anymore, but I was stuck on the path because I didn't know where else I could ride, since I hadn't been on a bike since MTV played music videos.
If only Google had developed itsbiking features on their maps software nine months ago.
The level of specificity on the new tool sounds incredible. Not only does it offer itineraries and travel times but it factors in levels of fatigue which is particularly helpful for a noob like me. So now I can avoid the mobs of ambling dog-walkers, energetic baby mamas, competitive children and pugnacious pedestrians without being scared I'm going to pass out from exhaustion in a dark alley somewhere between Rogers Park and Logan Square.
And it gets better. Not only does it point out the bike-friendly routes, but it has a features that show shops and restaurants along the way. Now not only is my mind at ease, but my stomach can quit worrying too. Because what's a bike trip without a slight detour to a local eatery to reward myself with an ice cream cone for working so hard?
Now that summer's almost here, you can find me riding through the streets without that scared look on my face -- you know, the one people get when they're lost and hungry.
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