More than 2,300 cyclists were registered for the Evanston Bicycle Club’s 37th annual North Shore Century bicycle ride for Sept. 18.
Sunday’s weather provided a stunning Lake Michigan sunrise as early cyclists gathered at Dawes Park on Evanston’s lakefront to start the first wave of the rides.
Numerous cyclists started the longer rides about 7 a.m. Many of the participants were seen taking cellphone photos of the sunrise.
The daylong cycling event featured riders from elementary school age to people who were senior most participants. Riders were local or came from locations such as California, New York, England, Ireland and Israel to be a part of the tradition and fitness memory maker.
“The Evanston Bike Club just loves to put on this event,” said Peter Glaser of Evanston, chair of the North Shore Century bicycle ride. “It’s great for the club.
“Our club is the envy of all the clubs in the Chicago area. They don’t understand how we could have 500 members, they don’t understand how we could do probably about 10 to 15 rides a week as a club,” Glaser said.
Glaser said the club has an estimated 30 ride leaders and that people stick with the group for the social aspects including lunch and coffee together during rides.
More than, “160 club members have (this) communal thing that they put on, right?” Glaser said with a smile, “and it gives us all something to do.”
Cyclists choose to ride routes, from a family appeal 15 mile tour to Glencoe, to the Century which is a challenging 100 mile route into Wisconsin.
Riders could also take the 50 or 62 mile routes (the 62-mile route is 100 kilometers, a metric century). The routes feature North Shore suburbs and back to Evanston.
All routes included rest stops featuring home-baked treats made by Evanston Bicycle Club members. Approximately 20 members of the club had been baking and freezing cookies, breads and other goodies to share with Sunday riders.
Rest stops along the route included Glencoe, Highland Park, Lake Forest, Gurnee, Waukegan and Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin.
Among volunteers was Kathy Rosenbluh of Skokie, who was up at 4:40 a.m., to be in place as a volunteer at a refreshment table.
“I was here by 5:05 (a.m.),” Rosenbluh said. “This is the major fundraiser for the Evanston Bicycle Club which is a fabulous club. We use the proceeds to fund worthy projects. We do it once a year and I’m so proud to be
able to help.”
The Evanston Bicycle Club donates proceeds from registration fees to nonprofit organizations in the Chicago area for biking-related activities. Glaser expects the event to raise more than $100,000 with support by fundraising charity riding groups.
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Cody Leistikow of Waterloo, Iowa was an early bird to ride, “the full 100,” and said of seeing the Lake Michigan sunrise, “It was worth waking up.”
Rob Rosenfeld of Highland Park and Jeremy Hafner of Northbrook left after sunrise. For both, this was their first North Shore Century bicycle ride.
“We’ll see how far the legs can take me,” Hafner said.
To ride for a cause, “It does feel good,” Hafner said. “It adds a little extra something to it.”
Karie Angell Luc is a freelance reporter with Pioneer Press.