With spring possibly sprung by this time, I think it's time to schedule my Annual Spring Ride to Two Brothers Roundhouse in Aurora.

The meeting point:

• 9:00 AM at UIC and Halsted station to take the Blue line to Forest Park then ride the IPP to Aurora and drink and eat lunch at Two Brothers Roundhouse. We will leave no later than 9:15 on the Blue Line toward Forest Park
• 10:00 AM at Forest Park Blue Line station
• If you are riding all the way from the city, then please make sure you make one of the above meeting points.
• Call/Text me if you're running behind

Bring water and snacks for the trip there, a jacket to keep you dry and warm. Plus, you are responsible for fixing your own bike mishaps - bring spare bike tubes, tires, pump, tire levers and whatever else you'll need to get you up and going again.

Route:

We'll take the Illinois Prairie Path. The bulk of the trail is crushed limestone for ~30 miles. Bring a cross bike or a gravel grinder bike or even a mountain bike! Portions of the trail and certainly the underpasses will probably resemble small lakes. Fenders would probably be appreciated by the riders behind you.

If you've got a road bike with tires thinner than 700x28, I'm sorry! I guess you can follow the alternate paved route here.

The ability to maintain a minimum average of 10-12 mph on your bike is required and is a an expectation that we will need to be met. If you are slower, you may be able to ride with slower riders and are responsible to get there on your own. This ride is really meant to go on the IPP and it will be dirty. Some part will be un-ridable and must be walked!

The lunch crowd should be dying down by 1 PM and we'll have some time to enjoy our food and possibly a bomber or two before heading back to Chicago.

Some will take the train back to Union Station and some will choose to ride back. You are free to do either - Bring bungy cord(s). I'll probably ride back!

Metra will run every two hours from 2:20 - 8:20 pm. After that, the last run will be at 11:20 pm.