Winter Commute Routes: North to Loop and back

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Permalink Reply by Christie on December 22, 2010 at 9:23am

Those are similar routes to what I take, though I go to Wells and Wacker, not Millenum Park.  I started taking Clark home from work because it was less busy than the path in the summer, and it was also more direct.  I now take Lincoln home because it's a bit wider though it adds some distance and Clark can get busy with the bars in Wrigleyville.   (Heading north on Dearborn I take the left at Schiller because there's a light, go across Clark and Lasalle and take the right onto Wells which turns into Lincoln.  Then depending on lighting and conditions I take Southport, Ravenswood or Damen north to Wilson.)  Going in to work I also take Clark to Wells, but basically I think the downtown part is just a little more difficult by nature - its more crowded with cars, people, stoplights, etc.  I used to take Clark all the way to Adams and that is decent too and would get you closer to Millenium Park, though I must say while the street is fairly wide, it doesn't have a marked bike lane and I think cars tend to drive faster in some parts.

 

Not sure about Columbus...

Permalink Reply by pistola on December 22, 2010 at 9:37am

I rode the lakefront bike path last Friday from Oak Street to Wilson.  The section between Ohio and North Ave is almost unridable, but good cross training ground.  If you've ever wondered what its like to ride on a ice rink this is pretty much it.

As far as riding downtown, I only have to ride to Michigan and Erie and I usually take Lincoln to Clark, then I turn left at North Ave and take State St. down to Erie.  I like State st. because it's residential btw North and Division. It does have a couple of speed bumps however.  On the way back I usually end up taking Rush to Division to Wells to Lincoln. 

Since you're going to the bike center, you might try taking clark to the river bike path and then east to Stenson.  I'm not sure if the bike path is plowed there however.