We rode 25 miles through downtown Chicago at 2:00 A.M...

were we CRAZY???

I joined Arman Dolikian, an inspiring and svelt fitness race participant, and his wife Victoria, a member of The Fitness Race's Encouragment Team, in riding 25 miles through the streets of downtown Chicago after midnight this morning. We started by Lake Michigan at around 2:00 A.M. and finished at the same spot around 4:30 A.M.

We joined 10,000 bicyclists on Saturday night (really Sunday morning) for McDonald's L.A.T.E. Ride, benefiting Friends of the Parks. We enjoyed a 25-mile ride through Chicago’s neighborhoods and along the lakefront. We cycled past skyscrapers, heard "Opaah!" in Greek Town, cruised through the North Side, waved to onlookers, and watched the sun rise over Lake Michigan.

Here's my e-mail to Arman and Vicki after the ride...

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Arman & Vicki

Congratulations on completing the Late Ride. Many thanks for encouraging me to do this ride on Friday morning Arman; I would not have done it otherwise. What an experience! Many streets blocked, cool neighborhoods with “encouragers” on the sidelines, great views of the city capped-off with a solemn & meditative run by the lake… all with 10,000 new friends.

Although very sleepy, finding the two of you at the end was just a priceless ending to an already rich incomparable morning.

Regards,

Mark

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Arman's e-mail back to me...
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Mark,

We had a great time on the all-night LATE ride downtown last night.

Vicki and I rode 32 miles (half of our metric century goal for next month)riding from about 1:30 AM to 4:30 AM. The weather was perfect and the ride itself was easy... flat terrain, and I barely got beyond "Level 2" exertion.

We averaged 10 miles/hour, slowed down by the crowdand a few bottlenecks in the path. I felt I could have ridden longer,so there was definitely reserve and a smile on our faces at the end.

We ran into you at the end of the ride, and experienced abeautiful sunrise over Lake Michigan.

Very fun time, and great memories.We will definitely do this again.It's now Sunday evening. Although the ride was great, the fatigue, and jetlag-like hangover from being up all night really got to me. We got home around 7:00A.M. Slept till 11:00 A.M., got up, went back to bed till 2:00 PM, and basically vegetated all day, lying around and watchingTV. The fatigue/long recovery time is troublesome.

Will see you all on Thursday at South Barrington Club for the next assessment.

Best regards,

Arman

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McDonald's L.A.T.E. Ride is Chicago’s biggest charity bicycle ride! Proceeds from the event benefit Friends of the Parks, a 32-year-old not-for-profit parks advocacy group whose mission is to protect and improve Chicago’s parks and forest preserves in Cook County. This after-midnight ride has been around since 1989.