Every year on the Sunday before Memorial Day, thousands of bicyclists join each other for a ride down Chicago’s Lake Shore Drive. The Bike the Drive event has been a favorite for people of all ages for the last eleven years. 20,000 people signed up for the ride last weekend. The $40-$45 entry fee benefits a non-profit organization, Active Transportation Alliance.

I wanted to allow time for the riders to accumulate Sunday morning, so I waited until around 7:30 to wander down to the lakefront. Instead of walking, I of course hopped on my bike and enjoyed the wind whistling in my ears and tussling my hair. I must say, I typically enjoy marching to the beat of a different drum; I like to stand out a little, but that morning it felt good to be one of many lost in a sea of bicyclists. I felt like I belonged.

Until next week, enjoy.