Favorite autumn rides

It's Halloween, it's Halloween, it's Halloween! (The Shaggs, 1969).  I can feel my favorite season creeping in, something about the cool air in the mornings and evenings.  Does anyone care to share their favorite fall bike areas, routes, and trails, in the Chicagoland area or anywhere else?  I'm always looking for things to do and places to go in southwest Michigan, for example.

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Permalink Reply by Eric Pounder on September 19, 2019 at 10:58am

Someone will probably suggest the Apple Cider Century.  To which I will counter that those roads are horrible and made me vow not to ride it again.  I had planned to do the century last year, but cut it short due to the poor maintenance of the roads.

Permalink Reply by Bill Zalenski on September 23, 2019 at 9:36am

I disagree, my friends and I do it every year, I think the roads are fine... yea sometimes you run across a bum road, but that's par for the course for any ride I've done. I go for the cider, scenery, friendly people and great support!

Permalink Reply by Bill Zalenski on September 24, 2019 at 10:02am

Understandable about the crowds. It is a 5,000 people ride after all. My sister and I try to start as early as we can to avoid some of that. But if you don’t like to deal with large groups of people then I understand!!

Permalink Reply by Tricolor on September 20, 2019 at 9:35am

Take a week off and bike from Pittsburgh to DC while the leaves are in color and the weather is cool. 5-6 days on the road and overnight Amtrak rides each way.

https://gaptrail.org/

Permalink Reply by Tricolor on September 20, 2019 at 10:59am

I did it a few years ago. Highly recommended. Go Pittsburgh to DC, not the other way. Starting in DC would require more uphill and it throws off the train schedule.

Permalink Reply by Jared on September 23, 2019 at 1:58am

Des Plaines river trail is lovely in the fall as long as its not flooded.

Permalink Reply by Tooscrapps on September 25, 2019 at 8:14am

It was flooded at 294 & downtown Des Plaines on Saturday. We forgot it rained a ton up in the north suburbs last weekend.

Didn't make further north past Des Plaines, so I can't speak for the rest of it. However, based on previous soggy rides, I would say it was impassable.

Permalink Reply by JeffB on September 25, 2019 at 5:36am

If you want to stay local, Graceland and Rosehill cemeteries have some of the best color in the city.  

Biking is allowed in Graceland now, but its relatively small, so its worth walking it to check out the interesting monuments. Great for photos.

Biking is technically disallowed in Rosehill, but no one has ever stopped me or said anything.  Its a little larger, so it makes for a nice quiet ride. 

I like to cut through on my way to the NBT, which is also nice for color viewing. I like zipping into Miami Woods when its all yellow and I'm coming down from the bridge over Oakton and Caldwell.

Permalink Reply by Tooscrapps on September 25, 2019 at 8:16am

I'm riding from Freeport to New Glarus next weekend on the Janes Adams and Badger State trails. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Permalink Reply by MagMileMarauder on September 25, 2019 at 3:15pm

Why not start at the Harvard Metra stop? Drops you near a trail which you can take to Beloit, then road to Brodhead, WI, to New Glarus by trail

https://goo.gl/maps/DQrURyF6FzYFs2wc9

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