timmyquest

So my mom got a new job and place in Warrenville (wheaton/naperville area). I'm going to be living with her after summer while i look for a job and/or go get my masters. I kind of know the area because my aunt has lived here all my life, however i can't find any country-like roads.

Where the hell do you guys ride? Riding down 38 just doesn't look very fun. I'm use to a 5 min ride out of town and into vast fields of glory or into bull valley.

CyLowe97

Timmy, a bunch of us either live or work in that area. It's time to meet up and ride with the BFNIC.

There are some bike paths, including I think an extension of the Illinois Prairie Path that goes through Warrenville and Wheaton. I don't think riding on 38 (Roosevelt Road, right?) would be much fun, but it's not too far to park/ride on the Fox River Trail from there.

I'm sure some Weatonians, Warrenvillers and/or Napervillians* will chime in.



*Napervillians? If that's not proper, then it should be. It sounds cool.

ceiph

from warrenville what i would do is jump on the western prairie path and take that to batavia and from there you can jump on country roads, or just stay on the prairie path/fox river trail, u can go all the way to elgin, and loop back into warrenville without riding the same path twice.

the problem is where you are is just suburban thats is, the country roads are moving farther and father west

ceiph

wow i just wrote out a long response and error!!!

anyways you dont live by country roads, assuming you dont want to drive than ride, jump on the prarie path, u can take that into batavia and than go find country roads, or you can loop into elgin and back to warrenville using all mup's and never using the same path twice,. the prairie path/fox river trail is a nice system.

but on weekends the river trail is filled with tons of ppl so i try to stay on the prairie path those days

timmyquest

Doesn't that path have crushed limestone? How do road tires hold up on there?

ceiph

wow my posts didnt post to now a double postanyways yes its crushed limestone, but the path nearrest you is fine, the only troble spot is just west of downtown wheaton the path cuts thought a a marsh and the edges have rocks, ive poped my tire once on them, but besides that i really havnt had any problems with my road bike on the paths. just maybe doesnt stay as clean but its almost all smooth enough to ride enjoyably

timmyquest

Well, thanks for the input. I'll have to scope out a way to get to some less "urban" roads. If i have to hop onto a path for a bit, that's fine, but i really don't enjoy riding along paths unless it's going along Lake Michigan...and even that can only be done every once and a while before it gets old.

Thankfully i have until august or so before i gotta really figure this all out.

SmokinMiles

We are going to be neighbors I ride and run in Warrenville...have a good running buddy there....you've got a trail system that will get you out west and many other options rather than 38 which is WAY far north of Warrenville anyway.

You can get out to Fermi while avoiding the crushed limestone if you wish. There are some very low traffic roads that I know.

Near Warrenville you can cut through Fermi Lab (bikers flat, always windy paradise) to connect to asphalt trails/low traffic roads to take you to cycling heaven further west.

I despise Naperville. Depending on where you work, IMHO you'll be better off further west....out where the good people are.....me, Psimet, aham23, CYLowe, Voldemort, Kimbercop and more!!!!!

timmyquest

The reference to 38 was more or less a joke but it is indicative of most of the non-subdivision roads that i've seen, from what i can tell. My aunt lives off of jewel road in winfield, my mom off of winfield road in warrenville. I was shuttling back and forth all week so my perception of the area is strictly from the perspective of a car. I have, however, taken the path that runs by the Trek on County Farm and into downtown wheaton for many years as a kid.

I think tonight after some homework is done i'll get on google earth and do some searching. Again though, until the end of May i'm in Iowa, and then until august i'm in Wonder Lake. So i don't have to deal with the burbs for a few months

atomship47

i like riding the country roads west of rte 47. I usually stay south of rte 30 but sometimes i ride towards dekalb.

another option with the ipp is to take the aurora spur to hit the fox valley trail. on the south side of aurora, that trail hooks up with the gilman trail which takes you towards waubonsee comm college. i usually get off of the gilman trail at prairie road. it's not too busy and gets you out to the country pretty quickly.

fwiw, the aurora spur isn't the most scenic part of the ipp and the fox river trail takes you on surface streets in downtown aurora. again, not the greatest place to ride.

atomship47

p.s. where will you go for your master's (if you go that route)?

atomship47

another thought, the owner of my company rides with the spokes (on washington south of 75th st) group every week. i believe they head out towards the "country" roads between plainfield and oswego...then head out towards yorkville.

i don't know if there is a safe way to get there from warrenville. none come to mind.

Psimet2001 

Can you pinpoint the hookup (google maps link?) between the fox rvr trail and the Gilman? I havve a co-worker who was looking for a way to get between the two without having to take surface streets through DT A-town.

I've ridden both extensively, but I have only ridden the section through DT once and that was close to 7-8 years ago. I get to do the Gilman out from Prairie Rd to Waubonsee a ton with the family. In-laws live right there.

Psimet2001 

+1 - TQ should definitely hook up with Spokes.

atomship47

https://www.oswegolandparkdistrict.org/main_trails.htm

you have to zoom in to see it well. gilman crosses a converted rail bridge by the fox valley pd building on rte31. on the east side of the river (by hazel ave), the fox river picks back up off of gilman.


from this map, it looks like one can hit the aurora branch of the ipp without going thru the downtown area. i'll have to try it.

timmyquest

Currently looking closely at Roosevelt University, Aurora College or something else in the city. I'm after a secondary education certificate so i will end up doing whatever gets me working fastest i think.

atomship47

niu has a good 2ndary ed program.

and it's a nice commute by bike. i ride there every now and again. it's about a 60 mile out/back for me.

i don't know if this means anything or is of any use to you, but i have some executive contacts at AU.

mediamst

Hey Timmy,

I live in Warrenville. Check out Fermi Labs. You can ride loops in there on nice roads or bike paths forever. Also, spokes bike store in wheaton does rides several days a week. Ask them on their ride path. They have a map hung up on the wall there and can show you their route.