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Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on May 20, 2010 at 5:06pm

I recommend posting Google's suggested route and letting people give you recommendations on how to change it in places.

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Permalink Reply by Matt AKA Jimbo/BMXican on May 20, 2010 at 5:49pm

I've never done the ride but I have done a little research on it. My family and the majority of my friends live out there so I've been trying to find a good route for a while now as I go out there almost every week. I even posted a Discussion a while ago with no luck. A former co-worker use to take Irving all the way when he missed the train but he was a little off if you know what i mean. I wouldn't recommend it. Mapmyride.com has a route Route but I hate that site due to the ads. From what I learned you either need to go a bit north of O'Hare or a lot further south then head north again. I've never seen a route that went along Irving's side streets but I'm guessing that would be Ideal since it's a straight shot and along the Metra just in case. Hope that helps and if you do make the journey or are planing to do so let me know. I'm planing to do the ride either way with nothing but a extra tube and my internet equipped phone.

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Permalink Reply by Tony Adams on May 21, 2010 at 3:37am

Tank-Ridin' Ryan said:

I recommend posting Google's suggested route and letting people give you recommendations on how to change it in places.

This is a very good suggestion. Chicago is a very long town so unless we know where you are starting from it is pretty hard to help.

In general, I suggest trying to go through Busse Woods Forest Preserve if it is at all on your route. There are some beautiful woods and a big lake there and the break from suburban motor vehicle traffic can be hugely refreshing. Also, try to swing by the Elk Pasture in there to see some Elk!

Here is a link to the trail map . It is well worth the extra time to do the whole 11 mile loop.

Speaking of maps, I never ride out there (the suburbs) without one. The residential neighborhoods can sometimes make for some nice riding, but they generally don't follow a grid and it is easy to get one's direction mixed up. The ATA map does a good job for the most part in the burbs of sorting out the bad from the good bikey routes. It is well worth the $7 or whatever it costs if you are gonna be riding around here outside of the city. One can order the map here.

2. The Schaumburg Souplantation & Sweet Tomatoes is somehow only about 20% as good as the one in Glenview. I'd skip it.

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Permalink Reply by Gort 12-mile Pinklegneep on May 21, 2010 at 4:37am

I've biked out to Elk Grove before. The roads get chewy as heck and will probably eat skinny road tires. Once you work your way out to the west side, you can take Grand out to Franklin to Green, take York/Elmhurst road out to Higgens, that'll take you along more or less to Schaumberg. But it's a bit of a hairy ride for extended stretches of fast cars and slagheap shoulders.

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Permalink Reply by Moc Artsy on May 21, 2010 at 4:53am

My brother used to ride out regularly from Rogers Park. He would take either Dempster or Touhy all the way out. Touhy/Higgins goes into Elk Grove Village. Dempster to Algonquin is probably the safest route to Schaumburg. Golf Road is a little more dangerous, though I used to ride it often as a kid.

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