Chicagoans can enjoy fantastic waterfront walking and biking on our city's 18.5-mile path along the shores of Lake Michigan, but have you ever wondered what it would be like if you didn't stop and just kept going? Writer Loreen Niewenhuis from Battle Creek, Mich., is finding out on a 1,000-mile walk around the perimeter of Lake Michigan, which she plans to write a book about. She stepped off from Navy Pier on March 16 and is walking counter-clockwise around the lake. The most recent leg of her trip got her as far as Manitowoc, Wis. You can read about her journey on her blog at http://laketrek.blogspot.com. Loreen is inviting people to join her on the Chicago lakefront on September 26, 2009, for the last 10 miles of her trek -- see the bottom of this post for details.

Why did you decide to do a 1,000-mile walk around Lake Michigan?

The Bicycle Film Festival is a celebration of bicycles through film, art and music. It starts next week on Wednesday August 12th-16th at Columbia College. For more information, schedule, and tickets go to: http://www.bicyclefilmfestival.com/?p=chicago

Ride the City helps you find the safest bike routes possible in New York, Chicago, or Austin. Check it out: http://www.ridethecity.com/chicago

The Chicago Criterium Bike Race is this Sunday July 26, 2009 at Buckingham Fountain starting at 7am. If anyone needs to rent a road bike, Bike and Roll Chicago has them available to you, either call 312-729-1000 or go online at http://bikechicago.com to reserve one today!

The Tour de Fat will once again be meandering and pandering to Chicago spreading the good word about the positive societal offerings of the bicycle and donating to a local non-profit. Along with our exceptional ability to roust a city's inner-cyclist, in 2009 we hope to drive our message even deeper by bringing you a show of one lucky Chicagoan who will trade their car for a gloriously hand built commuter bicycle.

The event is this Saturday, July 11 at Palmer Square from 9am-4pm. Don't miss it! Check out this video from last year: