CHICAGO (WLS) — One pedal at a time, thousands of cyclists from all walks of life and from across Chicago took over DuSable Lakeshore Drive on Sunday as part of the 2025 Bike the Drive, a rare chance to enjoy one of the most scenic roadways each year.

“The buildings, the views, the architecture, you know? It’s my serenity. It’s my therapy,” said Mundelein cyclist Jerry Thompson.

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Starting near the crack of dawn, cyclists packed Grant Park for the official send off at 6:30 a.m.

After that, cyclists enjoyed a 30-mile stretch of DuSable Lakeshore Drive, all the way from Bryn Mawr on the North Side to 57th Street on the South Side, all without having to worry about traffic.

“I love biking. It’s a great community, especially in the city,” said Chicago cyclist Larry Shaw. “Just that lakefront. It never gets old.”

The more than two-decade-old tradition is organized each year by the Active Transportation Alliance, a nonprofit that works to improve walking, biking and public transit across Chicago. It is now celebrating 40 years of service to the city.

“Chicago is referred to as like the melting pot and I think Bike the Drive is a perfect example of that. It is a melting pot on bikes today, so you’ve got riders of all ages, all different parts of the city,” said Clare McDermott with Active Transportation Alliance.

“Other people look forward to Christmas and Halloween. This is what I look forward to,” said Broadview cyclist Belinda Carson.

Carson has taken on Bike the Drive for more than a decade, making the most of this beloved annual tradition with her close friends.

“It’s always been so beautiful to me and riding my bike along the lakefront I look forward to it. In my 20s this is what I used to do get up and ride as the sun was coming up,” Carson said.

It was another bike ride for the books along Chicago’s lakefront. Visit bikethedrive.org for more information.