The Chicago Reception
(from Indianapolis, IN )
May 31,2002
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Jim Muellner, 66 year old owner of Just Two Bikes poses with cyclist, Megan McDonald, and the Chicago Proclamation
Wow, what an event. It was wonderful to combine the presentation event and the critical mass ride. It brought an estimated 600 bikers to downtown. Never having been at one of these events I was unprepared for the action. They made a huge banner with my name on it and taped it across the artwork. It was fleeting fame as the wind blew it down after a little while. Cyclist Megan McDonald made the presentation in the Daley Plaza. She read the proclamation with the use of a bull horn. I said the necessary thank you and it was over.

Jim Redd took a few pictures which he promised to forward to you. He and his wife Marshia had test ridden the dual recumbent the day before and wanted to ride it for the rally. The riders milled around the plaza and started to ride in a circle around the large art work that was there. Once everyone seemed to be moving the riders spilled out onto the street and the fun began.

We cycled onto a variety of major streets stopping traffic, frustrating drivers, the police and numerous people stuck in cabs or limos. The riders loved it as did a majority of the public. I heard numerous women call out to the crowd, thanks for coming to our neighborhood. Lots of children waved and I heard one little boy say, "Hello Everybody", repeatedly as he waved. It was a beautiful event that lasted for close to 4 hours. I never saw so much of Chicago in my life. I remarked that if the Mayor ever wanted to go for a ride I would bring a double down to Chicago and be his driver.

I rewrapped the various documents, added the one from Mayor Daley and gave them to Jim and Marshia Redd. Thank you again for letting me be part of this event, it was awesome.

Regards, Jim M. Muellner

Marshia Jackson (Jim Redd's wife) & Jim Muellner on his side by side Just Two Bike Tandem

Jim stands behind the Raven Trike that he rode a hundred mile s a day from Mike McDowell's (pictured on the left) bike shop in Indianapolis
Jim Muellner was originally scheduled to receive Mayor Daley's proclamation at Daley Plaza on Friday May 31 at 1pm. However, that day being a monthly Chicago Critical Mass ride, we convinced the National Bicycle Greenway to change the time to 5:30 when the Critical Mass riders gather at the Plaza.

This turned out to be a good choice, since we had over 500 riders there. I stood up on the Picasso sculpture pedestal with a megaphone, talked a little about the NBG project, and introduced Jim. In front of a 10-ft "Critical Mass Welcomes NBG" banner, we then read the proclamation. Jim accepted it and said a few words to the Mass. The entire event was enthusiastically received by the bikers, and then Jim joined the Critical Mass ride on his trike. He was gracious enough to let my wife Marshia and me ride one of his side-by-side recumbents he had brought to town.

Jim thoroughly enjoyed the ride, which, incidentally, rode on

Lakeshore Drive for about 2 miles. It ended up on the lakefront at Foster Avenue.

After the ride, Jim and Marshia and I had dinner at a Mexican restaurant (including a much-needed pitcher of Margaritas).

All in all, it was a totally successful event! We helped spread the word about the NBG project, it was good to get to know Jim, and I think he may have gotten some sales leads on his line of trike recumbents to boot.

Thanks, Martin, for letting us help with the NBG project. We're all rooting for it's success here in Chicago. Let me know if we can help again sometime.

Jim Redd
Chicago
webmaster,
http://www.chicagocriticalmass.org
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