Roll Call -- Great Lakes area locals
 

Hey, with the new regional sub-forums, it would be great to know where everyone in the region is located.

I'll get it started.

I live near Elgin, about 40 miles NW of Chicago. Usually ride around the farm roads of the ever-developing Kane County. Tons of club 'charity' rides start around here in the summer.


Check in everyone!

dude you know Where I live..... OK not everyone does so here it is Cross Plains, Wisconsin just west of Madison with lots of hills for road and trail.

I live in Zion, Illinois. I ride anywhere between North Chicago, IL, and Racine, WI, but my usual route is a 40 mile loop centered around Pleasant Prarie. I often hang out at Crank Daddy's in Milwaukee and use their indoor training set-up, too. I ride year round, day or night, seven days a week. I usually ride solo as my work schedule is about as irregular as can be, but am always looking for partners or group rides as well.

Take care,
T

I live in Elgin IL. I commute to work 2-3 days a week and try to get 1-2 more rides in per week, but have been failing miserably of late. My biggest ride to date is a 50 mile leg of the Udder Century earlier this year. Unfortunately, my rotating work schedule has prohibited me from joining the BFNIC on any other rides lately, but I hope to catch back up after October 9th when I change shifts again.

Hey, cool sub forum. I live in Plainfield, IL, but I ride where the BFNIC takes me. So far this year that has taken me to way up North to towns like Union and into Wisconsin, down through Flatsville (Joliet/Beecher), and across Indiana!! My normal rides take me 30 to 50 miles west of Rt 59 towards the likes of Plano and Oswego, Silver Springs State Park, Sandwich, and so on. If you are in my area lets ride. Later.

Hey guys, I'm living in Toledo, OH for the moment. I do maybe 1/3 of my riding across the border in MI.

If anyone is ever in the area, let me know and I'll tell you some good routes that will keep you out of traffic. If you're looking for a hill, though, you're out of luck.

I live in Lake Forest and ride solo most of the time. I ride up to the Wisconsin border and down into the north side of the city. I ride mostly along the lake for my longer rides. I have ridden with a few of the guys from here and hope to ride with more on Sunday. Definitely makes a ride go by much faster.
Kenal0

Dekalb Illinois, home of Cornfest,...http://cornfest.com/..... come on out this Sunday and see Survivor for free ( I hear they might actually have a few of the original members!)

River Forest IL here - 10 miles due west of downtown Chicago. I average about 4K/yr mostly commuting and group rides. I saw this happening yesterday - it's very close to me. It was fun to watch - like a big erector set.

--------------------
New bridge to connect CTA Blue Line and Prairie Path
--------------------

By Victoria Pierce
Special to the Tribune

August 23, 2006, 7:57 PM CDT

Two cranes carefully lifted separate spans of a pedestrian bridge into place over the Des Plaines River Wednesday, speeding the day when thousands of bicyclists, lawyers and residents of the western suburbs will be closer to their destinations.

The bridge, which is expected to open in the fall, will link the Illinois Prairie Path with the CTA's Blue Line.

Cyclists will be able to take the Blue Line to the last stop in Forest Park where they can pedal as far as Elgin or Aurora. Likewise, west suburban bicyclists will be able to tour the lakefront without using their cars to get downtown.

And for many employees and patrons of the Maybrook courthouse {lt}add2{gt}{gt}in Maywood, the bridge will provide a short walk from the "L" line to the courthouse on the west bank of the Des Plaines River in Maywood.

"A lot of people take the train to get to the courthouse. They'd either have to hop on a bus or take a long walk around. That's a huge convenience factor," said Maywood Village Manager Robert Nelis.

Although crews from K&K Ironworks in Chicago deftly maneuvered the sections into place and bolted them together Wednesday, the 190-foot bridge won't be open until a path leading to the iron structure is built and several security measures are completed, said Forest Park Village Manager Michael Sturino. An Illinois Department of Transportation spokesman said the bridge likely will be opened in late October.

Among the safety measures will be lighting and emergency call boxes. The bridge also will be able to accommodate a patrol car if an emergency arises.

"There's a full-blown Sheriff's Department right by the courthouse," Sturino said.

The villages of Forest Park and Maywood are already envisioning the possibilities the bridge will bring to their communities.

Forest Park is looking to attract recreational cyclists to the village's main stretch of shops and restaurants on Madison Street, Sturino said, noting that bicyclists like to explore new areas.

"We're really excited about it," he said.

Nelis said Maywood sees the potentialfor easy access to downtown Chicago. And the village has long hoped toredevelop the 30-acre ComEd facility between 1st Avenue and the courthouse into a shopping district. Access to transportation and proximity to the Prairie Path will be important factors for economic redevelopment, he said.

Fans of the Illinois Prairie Path are also happy the final link will be in place -- after many years of discussion.

"The No. 1 question I'm asked in Oak Park is how do we get to the Prairie Path?" said Paul Aeschleman of Oak Park, a board member of the not-for-profit Illinois Prairie Path organization that cares for the trail.

The route to the path from the Oak Park, Forest Park and River Forest areas is now a convoluted combination of side streets. With the bridge connecting the two sides of what was once a railroad right of way, that route will be much easier to pick up, Aeschleman said.

"It will certainly improve usage," he added.

Aeschleman said he has met over the years with local officials in Forest Park and Maywood about getting a bridge. He credited state Rep. Karen Yarbrough (D-Maywood) with finally securing the $540,000 needed for the project.

The Illinois Department of Transportation is building the bridge, although the project required an intergovernmental agreement between Maywood, Forest Park, Cook County, the CTA and the state.

Lafayette, Indiana here, about 2 hrs from the Windy!http://ziza.ru/smiles/ziza.ru_smiles_39.gif

Just outside of Dayton, Ohio.

A lot of folks from Illinois I see. I spent some of my formative years in Bolingbrook, up in Will county. That's where I learned to ride like Evel Kneivel on my 5 speed Stingray (about 35 years ago). :D

Milwaukee, a great place on a great lake - oops! that's not our slogan anymore! :(
Milwaukee, land of beer, brats, da Brewers (only 4 games outta the wildcard slot!) and cheese! :)

Voted by Forbes mag as the 'drunkenest city in America'....That ain't water in our water bottles!

I'm in Caledonia, about a mile from Wind Point lighthouse. Im usually out riding the flat (for the most part, with some rollers) roads of western Racine Co, usually 30-50 mile loops out to the Wind Lake area...

Naperville, Illinois
 

I live about 30 miles west of Chicago in Naperville, Illinois. Most of my rides this year has been out the door onto the Pairie Path which heads west to the Fox River and up past Elgin, Illinois or south to Aurora, Illinois. Also just started to ride on the roads with the local bike group.:)

Oakland County

Hammond Indiana, just south east of Chicago.

Hello from Jefferson WI. 1/2 way between Madison and Milwaukee.

Ride often , Ride safe

Trash man.

Chicago here.... My commute in the AM is 12 miles straight down grace to the lake front path,
home is 8.5 down Elston ave (too many people on the lake after work go figure)

South of Cleveland, Ohio

Down river Michigan

Smack dab between Wooster and Massillon

St. Charles, Il here. Southern part of beauteous Kane County. I've ridden some of those farm roads, and done a few of those organized rides in that area. I ride the Fox River trail a lot (5 minutes from my house). Without a map, I get lost on those roads in your area, but its some nice riding. Do you do much weekend riding?

I live in Royal Oak — a suburb 10 miles north of Detroit. The roads around here blow for the most part.

For 6 years I lived in Oak Park, IL and commuted to a job up in West Dundee. I wish I was riding then—all around West Dundee/Barrington/Elgin and up to NIU seems like it would have been great for riding.

I live in Ann Arbor, Michigan, about 25-30 miles West of Detroit.