Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Yasmeen on January 21, 2018 at 8:54am

So glad to hear you are ok. Sorry you crashed!! Ouch! Be safe. 

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Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on January 22, 2018 at 4:42am

That's a good spot to avoid in winter. PERIOD. Even on warmer days, it can get slick there. I'm glad it wasn't worse.

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Permalink Reply by Juan 2-3 or more mi. on January 22, 2018 at 8:47am

Yeah, there should be a regular mention about riding dead man's curve. I've fallen there as well.

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Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on January 22, 2018 at 9:10am

Lots of people have fallen there in winter. Sometimes people slide into the lake or slide close to the edge. Yes, it happens.

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Permalink Reply by Mark on January 22, 2018 at 9:39am

The snow and ice has melted from the bike path portion, but there is still a fair amount of sea weed, small stones, and other debris that has washed up over the past few weeks.  Also, there are two 30-ft sections between Chicago and Ohio where chunks of asphalt were uprooted from the bike path portion and in the process of being scooped up and relocated to the base of the flyover ramp.  It could be a while until those repairs are made.  It is still rideable on the running path portion to get around those sections, but lots of algae or whatever as you get closer to the lake edge.

Be careful out there!

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Permalink Reply by Velo Celt on January 24, 2018 at 6:06pm

If you ride the path regularly you pretty much need to avoid that entire stretch from Lakepoint Tower northwards past the curve from essentially December through about March/early April. I've been riding the LFT to work now for about 6 or 7 years and when it gets cold enough for regular forming of ice or snow, I avoid that area and ride the inner drive until I can jump back onto the path by going under LSD by the Drake Hotel. Or, depending on where you're going avoid it altogether and go west on Oak then pick up Rush or State to go northwards before cutting back over onto the path at say Fullerton or somewhere south of the zoo. I tried to ride that a couple years ago when it was icy and got off and tried to walk my bike along the ice. I seriously thought I was going to die that morning. Fell down on the ice and the only thing that stopped my bike and myself from sliding down that incline and ending up in the lake was my kickstand digging into the ice. I basically crawled back to a dry patch, dragging my bike, the whole time thinking it was a really sucky way to die. Seriously - F*** that whole section of path in wintertime. It may sound like I'm exaggerating but your life isn't worth trying to shave a few minutes off your commute. 

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