Ride to Milwaukee

So, with the weather (hopefully) turning nice pretty soon I wanted to feel out if there would be anyone wanting to join up with a ride into Milwaukee.

Last time I did this it was in a freaking blizzard, but the route is pretty straightforward, and there's lots of really cool stuff to do in our neighbor to the north: palominos, art museums, cafes...

when: TBD but leave Chicago together early on a saturday, and take the amtrak back from milwaukee with our bikes in the PM (they charge you for a bike box to do this but it's not too bad)

ride will end at palominos but we can figure out some cool stuff to do after a deep fried meal before we bike to the amtrak station!



I say date TBD because it would have to be a relatively mild day (60s?) with hopefully not too bad of a headwind.

If you would be interested in joining up let me know. I treat these sorts of rides like roadtrips by bike so we would stop for food along the way and probably shoot for a somewhat decent speed (14-16 mph), but would take rest stops as needed. this would not be a "prove how fast you can finish a century" ride

I'm gonna ride it fixed gear this time and any other intrepid souls are encouraged to do the same!

Me in the middle of my last cold ride up there:

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Chris on April 14, 2009 at 5:18am
Rural Route (note: I have never taken this route personally but used google street view to scope out what looks like a nice quiet route with decent pavement)


View Larger Map
Permalink Reply by Matt M. 18.5KM on April 14, 2009 at 10:37am
Been seeing ads for "The Ride for AIDS" which says it's going to Wisconsin from Evanston.... June 6 & 7

http://www.rideforaids.org/the_ride.shtml

Naturally it's totally supported and riders go 85 miles each day for a total of 190 miles...... Of course they're asking for riders to go around and ask for money.
Permalink Reply by mike w. on April 14, 2009 at 1:54pm
Sheridan is still torn up in Wilmette... The rest up there seems okay as of last Saturday.

Bill G said:
Chris,

...Have you checked Sheridan through the Winnetka area? Some time last year they started a complete rebuild of the road, earlier this year (the last time I tried to get through there) it was still like a warzone...

.
Permalink Reply by lauren sailor on April 14, 2009 at 3:50pm
Chris said:
IMPORTANT PLANNING INFO:
Thanks to everyone who came out to the planning meeting! below are soem of the details we hammered out for the chainlink ride to milwaukee PLEASEREAD THE ENTIRE POST AS WE NEED SOME THINGS FROM YOU:
1. the event will be postponed if there is a headwind greater than 11 MPH/ it is raining (70% or more chance). In the event of postponment I will send out an e-mail the night before.

I will post more details (addresses of start/emd point/maps/train tables etc) early next week. Also, Ill share tips for the long ride, like my cheap homemade chamois cream.

you'd cancel a ride for 11 mph headwinds, seriously?! will you also supply everyone with training wheels?

not to be a snot—i know it can be less fun to ride into a heavy headwind, or in cold rain if you're unprepared—but 11mph is nothing!!

and a word to the wise, never ever accept "cheap homemade chamois cream" from a stranger, no matter how soothing he claims it'll be.
Permalink Reply by Ali on April 14, 2009 at 3:57pm
Lauren has good points...Just teach people to ride in a formation and you will be surprised how easier a headwind will be compared to riding by yourself...

-Ali
Permalink Reply by lauren sailor on April 14, 2009 at 4:14pm
not to encourage pacelines for touring—you see a lot more when you're not staring at the tail end of the rider in front of you. they are more efficient, though, if that's what you're looking for.

i imagine i won't make the ride (whenever it is) because of school, but summer will be here soon enough. milwaukee invasion 2.0, anyone?

Ali said:
Lauren has good points...Just teach people to ride in a formation and you will be surprised how easier a headwind will be compared to riding by yourself...

-Ali
Permalink Reply by Chris on April 14, 2009 at 5:32pm
1) I agree, there is no such thing as bad weather, only soft people. I rode to Madison with a 20 MPH headwind the whole way (yeah, needing to stomp on your pedals to move downhill at mile 150? fun!)

That having been said, group consensus was not to make this a shitty weather ride. Those were the parameters the group set up. basically, the idea is this will be a social ride, and hopefully encourage a few folks to discover the joys of longer distance rides!

2) regardless of wind, whoever rides in my group will probably have me teach them the joys of drafting. efficiency is fun, the jury is out on having to stare at my derrier in team kit, however.

3) Ahem, I do not believe I offered MY chamois cream, but rather my RECIPE. What kind of guy do you think I am, huh?

Let's see? any other points of wounded pride I need to respond to?

Lauren, sounds like Milwaukee 2.0 is gonna be a race, it's on! First one to palominos wins fried pickles?

Thanks for the road update mike! I was apprehensive about sheridan's condition as last time i rode it to MKE, it was early in the season.

lauren sailor said:
Chris said:
IMPORTANT PLANNING INFO:
Thanks to everyone who came out to the planning meeting! below are soem of the details we hammered out for the chainlink ride to milwaukee PLEASEREAD THE ENTIRE POST AS WE NEED SOME THINGS FROM YOU: 1. the event will be postponed if there is a headwind greater than 11 MPH/ it is raining (70% or more chance). In the event of postponment I will send out an e-mail the night before.
I will post more details (addresses of start/emd point/maps/train tables etc) early next week. Also, Ill share tips for the long ride, like my cheap homemade chamois cream.

you'd cancel a ride for 11 mph headwinds, seriously?! will you also supply everyone with training wheels?

not to be a snot—i know it can be less fun to ride into a heavy headwind, or in cold rain if you're unprepared—but 11mph is nothing!!

and a word to the wise, never ever accept "cheap homemade chamois cream" from a stranger, no matter how soothing he claims it'll be.
Permalink Reply by Norm Hansen on April 15, 2009 at 1:52am
Spring is the busiest time of the year at work I would not make an early season ride.
If there is intrest in a Milwaukee excursion 2.0 I always go up to milwaukee the second week of July.
I'm looking at a Departure july 5th and return the 8th.

Bike Ride Description
Ride from the Alpine Village to the Brew City
Map
http://www.mapmyride.com/route/us/il/lake%20zurich/335161196
Permalink Reply by mike w. on April 15, 2009 at 6:44am
Hey Chris,
Another thing i just noticed: the map shows the ride going up Ridge ave through Evanston to Green Bay. Bikes are also banned on Ridge in Evanston south of Green Bay/Emerson intersection. Good idea, too; it's gawd-awful narrow and busy. Lots of parallel alternatives though, unlike Lake Bluff.
i'm partial to Clark st. which becomes Chicago ave. in Evanston. It runs into Sheridan by Northwestern. But as i said, there are a lot of good alternative choices of routes through town.

Also,
Permalink Reply by Matt M. 18.5KM on April 15, 2009 at 6:58am
WWLD - -- - -- - What would Greg Lemond Do? ... link to 1998 Chicago-Milwaukee ride announcement here - - http://gl.nidus.net/press.html
Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on April 15, 2009 at 7:06am
Along with Clark turning into Chicago Ave in Evanston, it also turns to shit.

Going up to work, I take Howard west to Custer, Custer north to Oakton, Oakton west to Asbury(crossing Ridge), then Asbury north.

A bit indirect, but nice and smooth all the way.

mike w. said:
Hey Chris,
Another thing i just noticed: the map shows the ride going up Ridge ave through Evanston to Green Bay. Bikes are also banned on Ridge in Evanston south of Green Bay/Emerson intersection. Good idea, too; it's gawd-awful narrow and busy. Lots of parallel alternatives though, unlike Lake Bluff. i'm partial to Clark st. which becomes Chicago ave. in Evanston. It runs into Sheridan by Northwestern. But as i said, there are a lot of good alternative choices of routes through town.
Also,
Permalink Reply by mike w. on April 15, 2009 at 1:34pm
Thanks Ryan,
i usually just go through on Judson and Orrington myself, so it's been awhile since i've done Chicago av....

Come to that, Clark st. (Chicago) is no prize either, but in the early AM it should be no prob.

Tank-Ridin' Ryan said:
Along with Clark turning into Chicago Ave in Evanston, it also turns to shit....CITE>

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