I'm thinking of making a ride up to the Wisconsin state line and was planning on taking Sheridan Road out of the city. Has anyone taken this route before? How safe is Sheridan Road for cyclists?

Thanks!
Liz

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You dont want to go thru Ravines in Glenco and Sheridan Rd. Up by Zion is dangerous, I chose to ride on the grass when I was there. There is trail maps, ha ha your crazy, and I like that,.
Sheridan is crap north of Highwood.

You can get to Wisconsin on the McClory trail, but north of North Chicago its crushed gravel. Going through North Chicago and Waukegan is always going to suck.
As for my own experience with Sheridan Road, I was coming southbound on a fully loaded Falcon touring bike when I was practically buzzed by a couple of clucks around Winthrop Harbor. When you have a full camping load, including tent, sleeping bag, spare clothing, and Coleman Peak 1 stove, you can't maneuver out of the way so easily. I'd swing over to Lewis or Green Bay (Ill. 131). BTW, does the Mc Clory Trail in Lake County have a convenient exit to Wadsworth Road and Illinois Beach State Park?
Sheridan road from Wilmette through Highland park is a veritable cycling super highway. As cutifly notes, at Glencoe you have to detour for a short bit (left on Tower, then make a couple of rights any you are back on Sheridan). I would also detour around Highwood by cycling through Fort Sheridan. Leaving Fort Sheridan at Old Elm and Sheridan, auto traffic picks up speed, and I sometimes get on the path, but at the old abandoned Barat College in Lake Forest, I often get off the path and take Sheridan -> Ringwood -> Mayflower -> Spring -> Lake -> Woodland back to Sheridan. North of Lake Bluff, I'm not so familiar with. I have taken the path once from Kenosha to Lake Bluff, and it wasn't all that bad, but I was running fat (inch and a quarter) tires on the crushed limestone.
I'd be happy to lead a Border Run, I know all those roads really well. What about this Saturday?
,,or you could just do the north shore century this sunday which goes from evanston to kenosha.
Thanks for the offer Anne! This Saturday will not do, but perhaps sometime in the near future. ;)

Anne said:
I'd be happy to lead a Border Run, I know all those roads really well. What about this Saturday?
Here's a book I found useful on the subject:

Biking on Bike Trails Between Chicago & Milwaukee (Paperback)

http://www.amazon.com/Biking-Trails-Between-Chicago-Milwaukee/dp/09...

Looks like amazon has a high price on this book, but I picked up my copy at South Shore Cyclery in Milwuakee. They had a few copies in May. It's got great turn by turn directions, and advice on scenic vs, direct routes, road/trail conditions and more. It might be a bit of overkill, actually, but I was happy to have it when I was riding from Mil. to Chi. this year.
aaaaarrrrrrgggghhhhh...yeayyychd;lkah;lkj;lkj................ sigh. Sorry. This is something I've gotta get used to hearing. Have a look at my page and pop open the KML in Google Earth. Very pleasant ride. We've been on it the whole way. Links to Evanston from LFP are on the Chicago bike map which is online and totally free.

If you get the book, please get it from the library. Don't waste any cash buying it.

Joe TV said:
Here's a book I found useful on the subject:

Biking on Bike Trails Between Chicago & Milwaukee (Paperback)

http://www.amazon.com/Biking-Trails-Between-Chicago-Milwaukee/dp/09...

Looks like amazon has a high price on this book, but I picked up my copy at South Shore Cyclery in Milwuakee. They had a few copies in May. It's got great turn by turn directions, and advice on scenic vs, direct routes, road/trail conditions and more. It might be a bit of overkill, actually, but I was happy to have it when I was riding from Mil. to Chi. this year.
Whoa! Matt! Are you okay? Sorry to offend. Winky Emoticon.

Matt M. said:
aaaaarrrrrrgggghhhhh...yeayyychd;lkah;lkj;lkj................ sigh. Sorry. This is something I've gotta get used to hearing. Have a look at my page and pop open the KML in Google Earth. Very pleasant ride. We've been on it the whole way. Links to Evanston from LFP are on the Chicago bike map which is online and totally free.

If you get the book, please get it from the library. Don't waste any cash buying it.

Joe TV said:
Here's a book I found useful on the subject:

Biking on Bike Trails Between Chicago & Milwaukee (Paperback)

http://www.amazon.com/Biking-Trails-Between-Chicago-Milwaukee/dp/09...

Looks like amazon has a high price on this book, but I picked up my copy at South Shore Cyclery in Milwuakee. They had a few copies in May. It's got great turn by turn directions, and advice on scenic vs, direct routes, road/trail conditions and more. It might be a bit of overkill, actually, but I was happy to have it when I was riding from Mil. to Chi. this year.
I lived/BMX'ed all of these routes & trails. If ya wanna know any good routes or have questions about paths I'd be more than happy to direct you into the routes of my childhood.
Sheridan is pretty good--I've done the whole route that way. Sheridan is Hwy 32 in Wisconsin. There are two patches of Sheridan/32 that suck 1) just north of Illinois State Beach in Zion...crappy surface, lots of gas stations, etc., high traffic, and 2) just north of downtown Racine--a crushed limestone path parallels Hwy 32 in Racine. I would get on the path for that part of 32 north of downtown Racine if the traffic bothers you. I always find that part unpleasant.

Coming out of Chicago, I'd recommend...
--Taking the signed bike route up to Evanston (see Chicago bike map)
--Getting on Sheridan in Evanston...I think part was repaved recently
--Getting on the bike path that parallels the Metra tracks...I think it starts in Highland Park. Just watch the Metra tracks as you cross over them, and you'll see where you can pick up the path.
--Getting on Robert McClory, which will take you to North Chicago
--Following Sheridan/32 all the way to Milwaukee

That gravel path will take you all the way from Zion to Kenosha if you opt for that. Sheridan/32 really is not that bad though, except for the two bits I mentioned.

Hope this helps!

Elizabeth

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