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Permalink Reply by Larry Mysz on March 6, 2011 at 10:17am

Naomi,

 

See the ChainLink Tourers group ( http://www.thechainlink.org/group/chainlinktourers ) for links to good places to learn about touring.

 

Here are a few possible places to go.    There are several suggestions on The Chainlink for routes 1 and 2.   Maps and Cue sheets for routes 3 and 4 are discussed on the League of Illinois Bicyclists site.  bikelib.org

 

1. To Indiana Dunes (Chesterton, IN) on day 1, overnight at a motel or camp at Indiana Dunes State Park,  return on day 2.  If you can manage one more day, hang out on the beaches or take a short ride to new Buffalo, then return on day 3.

 

2. Around the south end of the Lake to Indiana Dunes, up to Muskegon MI, take the ferry across the Lake to Milwaukee, bike down to Kenosha, then home ... or take Metra from Kenosha home.

 

3. The Grand Illinois Trail from Chicago to Moline to Galena, to Rockford to Chicago.  The south part is mostly on trails and canal tow paths.

 

4. Follow Old  Route 66 to St. Louis, then take Amtrak back.

 

There are lots of options for trips.  You have to decide how you want to travel.  Some folks like to hammer out big miles on a trip, stopping only to eat and sleep.  Others like to stop and smell the flowers, or spend a day in an interesting area. 

 

You have to decide how you want to eat and sleep.  You could camp (low cost but you have to haul tent and sleeping bag) ) or you could stay in motels (costs $ but convenient)  You can either fix your meals or eat in restaurants ... maybe a little of both.

 

 

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Permalink Reply by Alex on March 6, 2011 at 10:33am

Indiana - depending where you're headed, I think a few people have posted routes to NWIN before (including myself). To Kenosha you have trail and road options that are both nice. Never gone further west in Northern IL than Ottawa-ish, so couldn't help with Dubuque (though I'd like to ride out there some time). If you want to ride trails, you can always take Metra to Joliet and ride the I&M Canal Trail out, it heads to Starved Rock and maybe to points west.

 

I will say that riding N/S through Central Illinois can be mind-numbingly boring. Flat, straight as an arrow, and if you get a good headwind coming at you it's enough to make a grown person weep. There's something to be said for that kind of experience, but there's also something to be said for putting your bike on an Amtrak train for an extra $5. Once you get to Southern IL it gets more interesting. You can put your bike on any Amtrak Illinois service train for a few extra dollars, which I think is great. A lot of nice riding in the St. Louis/Metro East area, Missouri also is nice. 

 

What to expect/prepare for is pretty dependent on where you're headed and how long you're taking. Day rides are pretty straightforward, are you thinking of loaded touring for longer trips? My only rule for any long-ish ride is this: if there's a brewery within range, stop at the brewery. Everything else depends.

 

Now I have to start planning my spring/summer rides. Thanks for the reminder!

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Permalink Reply by Naomi Ruth Jackson on March 7, 2011 at 10:53am

Michigan is never out. In fact I may do a ride there before attempting to cross over Illinois. If I can manage to work my way into some of these long rides then the next goal would be to bike from Chicago to the UP, and if possible circle Lake Michigan.

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Permalink Reply by BalloonBiker on March 7, 2011 at 11:07am

Personally, I prefer to take the Metra to the end of the line and then bike from there.  I find that in the suburbs ringing Chicago, traffic is a hinderance and tends to be angry.  Once I get out into the "country"  traffic is much calmer and I feel much more at peace.  Often there aren't dedicated bike lanes, but when traffic isn't bad, that isn't needed.

 

One of my favorite rides of last summer was taking the Metra to Harvard, IL and then biking up to Kettle Morraine State Park in Wisconsin.

 

You also might check out the Randoneuring group:  http://www.thechainlink.org/group/chicagorandonneurs

 

Good luck!

 

 

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