June Heat Wave Mass

The June Chicago Critical Mass was marked by high temperatures and high tempers. We had our 2nd arrest. I have not found out the details but I do have the pictures. With the temperatures in the lower nineties and the humidity at 90% the heat index was at 110 degrees it is amazing that more of us were not busted. With the heat and humidity so high they combined to form a harmful type of Ozone (not the kind that protects us from the sun's harmful rays but the kind they have in L.A.). The city has been under an Ozone advisory for the last three days additionaly the city has issued a heat warning and is asking people to look in on their elderly neighbors to see that they are OK. There have been two death in just the last 24 hours. My complaint is that the city should have pulled the street sweepers and picked up garbage during the early morning or evening when temperatures were lower to help reduce pollutants. The most upsetting part about the arrest was where it happened. The fact that it happened in one of Chicago's most affluent neighborhoods was not lost on most of us. By the time the ride finished in one of the city's most dangerous neighborhoods the police were nowhere to be seen.

As usual the ride started at the Picasso and went through the near north neighborhoods and then went northwest into the Humboldt Park (Gang Land) neighborhood. The ride ended at a party that was sure to get the hosts booted at the end of their lease if not evicted by the end of the month. Since Ed and I live only a few blocks away (Gang Land) we rode home before it got dark.

Massing on the Picasso

As we were massing I spied a large Cook County prisoner bus and was sure that they were going to grab as many as possible as soon as we left the Daley Plaza. Luckily I was confused with other prisoners. Iris went to talk to the police to see what was up and they were clueless to Critical Mass. Don't ask me why I enjoy customizing the police pictures but I do. Think of it as my way to have a bit of control over Chicago's finest. You will also see some cool stuff on other pictures.

The Riders Gallery

Turnout for this ride was very good. Were you there? I hope so, if not we'll see you next month!

The Arrest

As I said before I really do not know what precipitated this arrest. My observations were that this rider was riding is his first Critical Mass and that he also was looking for an opportunity to thumb his nose at The Man. Our arrested brethren can be identified by the yellow arrow and his green shirt. The first picture shows Officer Friendly racing to get to the front of the mass (note double yellow line and lack of emergency lights). The second picture is the rider just after being hauled off his bike. The third is him being whisked off. The fourth is the cops making radio calls to get back-up.

The Chicago Hold-up!

While it is called a bike lift in most places around the globe here in Chicago we call it a A Hold-Up. We all feel it has a nice triple entendre sort of feel to it. This ride was marked by many, many, hold-ups. I feel qualified to say that one has not really been in the center of Critical Mass until one has stood in the middle of an intersection holding their bike in the air chanting Bikes, Bikes, Bikes...

I think that this is the sort of thing we need to do more of in the future. A few go into hold-up mode and others drop their bikes in the intersection and then go out to hand out literature. Those doing the hold-up can keep an eye on the other folks bikes.

Look out for these people on the streets of Chicago.

A final piece of fine Art

The above picture is titled Own World and is a copywritten work.