Chicago Ride of Silence
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Thank you!

5/30/2015

 
The 2015 annual Ride of Silence was exactly 10 days ago but the memories and gratitude and sense of community remain. Despite the rainy, chilly conditions on the evening of Wednesday, May 20, over 50 bicyclists showed up at Daley Plaza (and a few more joined along the way) to ride in silent procession to five of the ghost bikes in Chicago. Our Ride and route honors all of the fallen cyclists throughout the years and we hope that the sentiment of this Ride carries into all reaches of the city.

Thank you to everyone who showed up to ride on May 20, to all who offered support and to all who contributed in your own way (in thought, in donation, in spirit). The Ride of Silence embodies community and calls for the community to come together -- as it continues to do every year on the third Wednesday evening in May. This Ride is for the community. It is a memorial, a tribute, a legacy of those who have died while riding their bike on the roadways. We strive toward Vision Zero, that no loss of life on our roadways is acceptable. Chicago is still seeking support from its political leadership for its own comprehensive Vision Zero strategy. 

Six of Chicago's bike patrol officers rode with us and kept us safe throughout our 10-mile procession; like a funeral procession these officers shepherded all in our cortege.

Thank you also to all who generously donated of their time and talents toward this year's Chicago Ride of Silence. We appreciate the generosity of the community and all who donated monetarily. A full list of our supporters is on this site.

If you would like to help with future events and with next year's Ride of Silence, please contact us and/or subscribe to our mailing list.


Our 2015 Route

5/19/2015

 
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Reflections on the importance of the Ride of Silence

5/19/2015

 
Each year on the third Wednesday evening in May, people around the world ride their bikes in solidarity during the annual Ride of Silence. Although this event is solemn, we celebrate the lost lives of our fellow cyclists who died doing something they loved – riding their bike.

Each year before the Ride of Silence I experience a myriad of feelings - from sadness and frustration to hope and encouragement. It is the hope and encouragement that I wish each Ride of Silence event carry with them into their own communities.

Here in Chicago as we anticipate this year's Ride of Silence, I hope that everyone recognizes what a blessing it is that we are graced to enjoy our Ride each year. We ride to honor the lives and memories of each and every cyclist who has been needlessly killed here in Chicago and throughout the world.


Please join us this Wednesday evening; we especially welcome with love and reverence the family and friends of our fallen brothers and sisters.  As this community rides in silent procession, may we be reminded that we are all family and part of a close supportive community.

On the 3rd Wednesday each May...
We ride to honor our fallen
We ride for a right to safely share the roads
We ride in unity worldwide

We remember those who ride with us in the Chicago suburbs and in communities worldwide, those fallen bicyclists - including those whose ghost bikes we cannot visit or who do not have a ghost bike, those bicyclists who have survived crashes and those affected by the loss or injury of a bicyclist.

Thank you all for your support.

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