Urban exploration

I'm wondering if anyone could offer some suggestions for routes around the city for some interesting urban exploration.  I'd like to get out and ride around taking pictures of anything interesting.  Perhaps some interesting architecture/infrastructure, or something with historical significance.  All suggestions welcome!     

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Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on July 28, 2010 at 9:42am
I love the area around where Milwaukee and Elston meet near Chicago Ave (not near Devon)....
Permalink Reply by igz on July 28, 2010 at 9:47am
i second this...esp if you like the industrial side of urbanism. railways, factories, graffitti, hookers, vacant lots, natural reclamation growing from vacant buildings, debris and refuse (def bring a patch kit), barbed wire, feral animals, and usually a pretty awesome view of downtown

Jason W said:
Personally I like the near west side industrial areas to tool around. Some good urban scenery for picture taking, not a lot of traffic. Curbs and other assorted stuff to jump in case you're into that.
Permalink Reply by Chris Hainey on July 28, 2010 at 9:53am
Give Pershing or 35th is great for this as well:

i second this...esp if you like the industrial side of urbanism. railways, factories, graffitti, hookers, vacant lots, natural reclamation from vacant buildings, debris and refuse, barbed wire, feral animals, and usually a pretty awesome view of downtown
Permalink Reply by JeffB on July 29, 2010 at 3:23am
If you're in this area, be sure to check out Stearns Quarry Park on Halsted btwn 27th and 29th. They converted an old limestone quarry. Kind of cool

H3N3 said:
The cool bridges north and west of Chinatown . . . the impossibly high-stacked container city on 47th west of Halsted; the Illinois Manufacturing District (former stockyards) -- Morgan or Racine from 35th down to 43rd or so . . . anything along the Canal corridor . . . Lumber street as it "secretly" comes off of the Roosevelt bridge . . .
Permalink Reply by Primitive Don on July 29, 2010 at 3:41am
I rode by there on my way to Bubbly Dynamics last evening and wondered what that was. Pretty cool.

JeffB said:
If you're in this area, be sure to check out Stearns Quarry Park on Halsted btwn 27th and 29th. They converted an old limestone quarry. Kind of cool
Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on July 29, 2010 at 7:02am
I disagree. I can totally see how they don't want people zipping around the cemetery on their bikes. And yes, it would attract people who would use the blacktop as an bike path.

John Gieger said:
That's ridiculous. I don't think Graceland is anti-bike, though. Also an awesome ride, albeit smaller.

notoriousDUG said:
Nope. I was kicked out once.

They told us we were welcome but not our bikes; they were 'obtrusive.'


Jared said:
They allow bikes there? The one time I tried to ride through Graceland I was promptly told bikes weren't allowed. Cars are though. Go figure.

Melanie said:
This may sound odd or morbid, but I enjoy riding through Rosehill Cemetery; which is easily accessible from Ravenswood Avenue as there is an entrance off of there. Some famous people are interred there as well as some really interesting monuments, statues, and some really pretty ponds and such. It's a nice quiet ride. Just watch out for the gate closing times, as you can get locked in there if you're not careful.
Permalink Reply by ChristopherMCA on August 1, 2010 at 11:34am
chicago photo safari's has this bike safari thing

it seems kind of touristy and costs money but it might be fun

http://a3.acteva.com/orderbooking/listRecurringEvents.action?recurr...

Personally I would go to milwaukee in between western and damen next to that Aldi you can find this hill that you can walk up and find these abandoned elevated train tracks that go through the area
Permalink Reply by Ricardo Cervantes on August 1, 2010 at 12:19pm
I've heard of this. Isn't this the place they want to convert into an elevated park similar to one in NY? Thanks for this tip....this one is definitely going on the list.

mexi said:
chicago photo safari's has this bike safari thing

it seems kind of touristy and costs money but it might be fun

http://a3.acteva.com/orderbooking/listRecurringEvents.action?recurr...

Personally I would go to milwaukee in between western and damen next to that Aldi you can find this hill that you can walk up and find these abandoned elevated train tracks that go through the area
Permalink Reply by Ricardo Cervantes on August 1, 2010 at 12:24pm
Gritty urbanism is right up my alley....I'm not a visitor.

Clark said:
Well I think most visitors really aren't ready for all that gritty "urbanism." I prefer to tour the more traditional strong points of our area.

With my visitors from elsewhere, I like to get them up very early Sunday morning, when there are few cars on the road. We bike up the Lakefront to Hollywood, enjoying the sunrise reflecting off the Lake. Then north through Evanston to the Northwestern land-fill with views south to the Loop, hanging in the early-morning mist above the Lake. Past the Baha'i Temple to a sumptuous breakfast at Walker Bros on Green Bay Road in Wilmette (13 miles from Lincoln Park).

Then if time permits, bike over to Wilmette Beach and rent a Hobie Cat for an hour of sailing and sun. Then west to the Botanical Gardens for a quick tour of the Japanese Garden. Then south on the bike path to Devon-Caldwell, and home via Elston or Bryn Mawr, stopping for a beer and lunch in Wicker Park. Total ride: about 40 miles.

Chicago is a wonderfully diverse city. But most of my out-of-town visitors just aren't ready to appreciate the kind of things we do every day. Do you think that's a cop out?
Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on August 1, 2010 at 3:15pm
They are really strict at Graceland.

Jared said:
They allow bikes there? The one time I tried to ride through Graceland I was promptly told bikes weren't allowed. Cars are though. Go figure.

Melanie said:
This may sound odd or morbid, but I enjoy riding through Rosehill Cemetery; which is easily accessible from Ravenswood Avenue as there is an entrance off of there. Some famous people are interred there as well as some really interesting monuments, statues, and some really pretty ponds and such. It's a nice quiet ride. Just watch out for the gate closing times, as you can get locked in there if you're not careful.
Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on August 1, 2010 at 3:16pm
It's a very cool new park. Just opened last year, but some of the landscaping wasn't done until this year.

Primitive Don said:
I rode by there on my way to Bubbly Dynamics last evening and wondered what that was. Pretty cool.

JeffB said:
If you're in this area, be sure to check out Stearns Quarry Park on Halsted btwn 27th and 29th. They converted an old limestone quarry. Kind of cool
Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on August 1, 2010 at 3:18pm
Yeah, the future Bloomingdale Trail.

Ricardo Cervantes said:
I've heard of this. Isn't this the place they want to convert into an elevated park similar to one in NY? Thanks for this tip....this one is definitely going on the list.

mexi said:
chicago photo safari's has this bike safari thing

it seems kind of touristy and costs money but it might be fun

http://a3.acteva.com/orderbooking/listRecurringEvents.action?recurr...

Personally I would go to milwaukee in between western and damen next to that Aldi you can find this hill that you can walk up and find these abandoned elevated train tracks that go through the area

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