Chicago bike route map highlights most mellow routes
07-03-18, 07:19 PM
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Chicago bike route map highlights most mellow routes
I like this idea. Hope it spreads to other cities.
https://chicagotonight.wttw.com/2018...-mellow-routes
https://chicagotonight.wttw.com/2018...-mellow-routes
07-04-18, 03:48 AM
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Chicago bike route map highlights most mellow routes
FYA, on his well-documented travelogue on the Fifty-Plus Forum about a cross-country cycle trip, @jppe posted: Cross Country-remind me how to navigate Chicago??
And:Chicago.....AND Gary in the Rear View Mirror!!
FWIW, I have cycled the crazy, haphazard, but delightful streets of Metro Boston for decades, and have freely offered cycling advice, Boston Area Ride thoughts for out of towneras well as a “Cycling Guide to Metro Boston”In addition I started a thread, Tell me About Cycling in Your City
My own personal self-guided cycling in Chicago was limited, but fun.
I like this idea. Hope it spreads to other cities.
https://chicagotonight.wttw.com/2018...-mellow-routes
https://chicagotonight.wttw.com/2018...-mellow-routes
Looks like I could be going through Chicago as early as this Sunday?? I think folks posted on how to safely get through Chicago. I'd like to do the route that takes the paths around the Lake. If someone can find that thread or repost directions I'd greatly appreciate it!!!
I think Hwy 20 takes us through Rockford and just below Elgin but I can jump off sooner if needed.
I think Hwy 20 takes us through Rockford and just below Elgin but I can jump off sooner if needed.
What an epic day!!!
I started in the Andover Park area with my new Chicago cycling map ply Google Maps. Google maps defaults to cycling paths. About 3 miles into my ride I found myself on a gravel trail. I tried to ride it on my road bike but the gravel was just too heavy.
That messed up the whole route towards Lake Michigan so I had to throw out that whole plan....I pulled out the map and found some decent cycling roads over to a great street that would get me to Lake Michigan. Zigged and Zagged all over the place and finally got over to the Lakeshore Trail.
Never again will I ride that trail!!!! It's Sunday on a perfect weather day and everyone was out. There were even Running events using the path. Thousands of others out walking, pushing baby carriages and cyclists. Many Cyclists rode just crazy stupid. Some were heads down riding with aero bars. Many rode like they were using starvation....Walkers and runners were 2 abreast.
I was so driven to get out of all that I didn't take many photos.
Enough of all that.
Really lucky on the overall route. I finished up east of Gary which was much further than I'd planned.
I bet 70 of the 90 miles was on bike paths. I was pleasantly surprised. You can cross the whole Gary area on bike paths. Incredible infrastructure that I wasn't expecting.
I took two large external batteries to use Google Maps on my iPhone and I needed both to finish the day.
I was really anxious about getting across Chicago but that's now done!!
Typical city roads today, with bike lanes [see photos].
I started in the Andover Park area with my new Chicago cycling map ply Google Maps. Google maps defaults to cycling paths. About 3 miles into my ride I found myself on a gravel trail. I tried to ride it on my road bike but the gravel was just too heavy.
That messed up the whole route towards Lake Michigan so I had to throw out that whole plan....I pulled out the map and found some decent cycling roads over to a great street that would get me to Lake Michigan. Zigged and Zagged all over the place and finally got over to the Lakeshore Trail.
Never again will I ride that trail!!!! It's Sunday on a perfect weather day and everyone was out. There were even Running events using the path. Thousands of others out walking, pushing baby carriages and cyclists. Many Cyclists rode just crazy stupid. Some were heads down riding with aero bars. Many rode like they were using starvation....Walkers and runners were 2 abreast.
I was so driven to get out of all that I didn't take many photos.
Enough of all that.
Really lucky on the overall route. I finished up east of Gary which was much further than I'd planned.
I bet 70 of the 90 miles was on bike paths. I was pleasantly surprised. You can cross the whole Gary area on bike paths. Incredible infrastructure that I wasn't expecting.
I took two large external batteries to use Google Maps on my iPhone and I needed both to finish the day.
I was really anxious about getting across Chicago but that's now done!!
Typical city roads today, with bike lanes [see photos].
I just finished replying to this post on the Touring Forum "Where to cycle from Chicago" with this comment...
So I’m starting a thread to catalog cycling possibilities in various cities. If there is enough interest, I’ll list the cities reviewed in this opening post....
So I’m starting a thread to catalog cycling possibilities in various cities. If there is enough interest, I’ll list the cities reviewed in this opening post....
...Even though I’m a Michigan native, I have only visited Chicago very briefly as an adult, and only once for an extended visit. I stayed in Lincoln Park and rented a bike and did a few early morning rides through the neighborhood.
It was a pleasant surprise when I came upon Wrigley Field (that’s the old park of the Cubs, right?) I happen to live near the similar historic Fenway Park in Boston.
I also rode the Lakeshore Bike Path, and I was astounded at how wide and busy it was. Boston’s MUPs, like the City itself are smaller and “quaint.”
It was a pleasant surprise when I came upon Wrigley Field (that’s the old park of the Cubs, right?) I happen to live near the similar historic Fenway Park in Boston.
I also rode the Lakeshore Bike Path, and I was astounded at how wide and busy it was. Boston’s MUPs, like the City itself are smaller and “quaint.”
Last edited by Jim from Boston; 07-04-18 at 04:07 AM.
07-07-18, 04:28 PM
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Apropos of your comment, there was this recent thread on the Northeast Regional Discussion Forum about cycling in two popular New England states for tourism:
I found these handy guides from Maine and NH DOTs and thought they would be helpful to others.
Explore Maine by Bike - this site contains 33 loop tours all over the state, a map of US Bike Route 1, and the East Coast Greenway. Maps and cue sheets are included (navigation is a bit wonky - you have to click on the area of interest first, then on a specific tour, then on the tour's page you'll get links to map & cue sheet on the right hand side)
https://www.nh.gov/dot/programs/bikeped/maps/index.htm - a good number of road loops, and a map of rail trails & their surfaces.
I've done one of the loops and it was very interesting.
Explore Maine by Bike - this site contains 33 loop tours all over the state, a map of US Bike Route 1, and the East Coast Greenway. Maps and cue sheets are included (navigation is a bit wonky - you have to click on the area of interest first, then on a specific tour, then on the tour's page you'll get links to map & cue sheet on the right hand side)
https://www.nh.gov/dot/programs/bikeped/maps/index.htm - a good number of road loops, and a map of rail trails & their surfaces.
I've done one of the loops and it was very interesting.
