Every campus community has their own unique traditions or experiences, but only one has Professor Timothy Gilfoyle’s Midnight Bike Ride.
On one September evening for the past 34 years, Loyola University Chicago history professor Timothy Gilfoyle has turned the city of Chicago into a classroom.
Open to all members of the Loyola community, Gilfoyle gathers a group next to Madonna della Strada Chapel at 9 p.m., before putting pedal to the pavement and setting out on a guided ride through the city as he paints a picture of Chicago’s storied history.
“At the turn of the 20th century, Chicago was the ‘shock city’ of the world,” said Gilfoyle. “It’s a pleasant shock to explore the history of Chicago at night a century later.”
While most of the city is asleep, Gilfoyle and company take advantage of quiet streets and usual Chicago hot spots.
The adventure begins on the Lake Shore Campus and hits over 20 landmarks throughout the course of the evening, including the Uptown entertainment district, Wrigley Field, Lincoln Yards, Goose Island, the Montgomery Ward complex, the Chicago Fire Academy, Grant Park and Michigan Avenue before finishing on the lakefront to watch the sunrise.
Over 100 riders participated in this year’s Midnight Bike Ride, including sophomore history major Julia Nubel.
“It was a true privilege to get to participate in Professor Gilfoyle’s Midnight Bike Ride,” said Nubel. “I planned on leaving after a couple hours, but a sense of camaraderie formed among the bikers, which motivated me to stick it out until sunrise. I would suggest it to anyone just for the sheer fact you get to ride down Michigan Avenue, and other iconic sites, with no cars or crowds in sight. With Professor Gilfoyle’s guidance, I was able to experience the city like never before.”
The original intention of the Midnight Bike Ride was to introduce students to major themes in American history by visiting historic Chicago sites. While that intention still exists, the ride has evolved over the years to become a staple of the Loyola experience.
An experience and tradition that is unique to Loyola.
Original source can be found here.