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Permalink Reply by Duppie on June 1, 2013 at 2:45pm

I did Centennial trail into Joliet today and back home to Chicago using Old Plank trail (GIT route). Both were in good shape, but that was before the rain that hit tonight.

Let me know if you want specifics on the route I took

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Permalink Reply by Duppie on June 1, 2013 at 3:22pm

I actually continued on to Midewin National Tall grass Prairie. 12 miles south of Joliet. Total of 147 miles. I'm training for RAIL

I got on at Willow Springs rd. The northern trail is closed, but there is also one on the southside of the canal. I took that without a problem. Both trails merge a few miles further south.

peter moormann said:

Hey Duppie

Sounds lake a long ride you took.

I thought the Centenial Trail was on lockdown,  cause its closed at Williow Springs Rd.

Where do you get on it  at 83?

Pete

Duppie 13.5185km said:

I did Centennial trail into Joliet today and back home to Chicago using Old Plank trail (GIT route). Both were in good shape, but that was before the rain that hit tonight.

Let me know if you want specifics on the route I took

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Permalink Reply by Tim Heckman on June 1, 2013 at 4:20pm

Here's my route from Oak Park to the Willow Springs trailhead.  I'm busy tomorrow, or I would love to join you.

http://app.strava.com/activities/52533802

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Permalink Reply by mark stetson on June 1, 2013 at 5:16pm

I just get a map of the USA with that link. 

How much of the I&M path is raised?  I've only ridden the west end of it (LaSalle area), and I remember it being not much above the canal and puddled even during more or less normal weather.  We've had around 8" of rain in the last week at this end.

peter moormann said:

Here is my favorite ride on the I&M.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF&msa=0&msid=
209655197656373391469.0004de2019350e6c75e41

Its on a raised levee so it drains pretty well after rains.

Good packed crushed limestone surface makes for pretty fast cruising 15-16 mph on 32's.

I will be riding at 9 on Sunday if you are interested hit me off list.

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Permalink Reply by mark stetson on June 1, 2013 at 5:40pm

I found the Centennial Trail, but how do you get down to it?  It looks like you can't get on the trail from the north until Willow Springs Rd., is that right?  Is Archer safe to ride? 

Duppie 13.5185km said:

I did Centennial trail into Joliet today and back home to Chicago using Old Plank trail (GIT route). Both were in good shape, but that was before the rain that hit tonight.

Let me know if you want specifics on the route I took

 

I

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Permalink Reply by Duppie on June 2, 2013 at 3:57am

Here is the route I took.

http://app.strava.com/activities/57602283

You have to go south over the canal and then naviagate around the 7-Eleven that is there. A little confusing but manageable.

The hardest part on the trail that I encountered is when you enter Lockport at Thornton. I could not see the contiuation of the path and ended up on S State St, a busy 4 lane highway. It was the only time I actually had to pull out a map.

As far as getting to the trailhead, the route I took was very enjoyable, but it was a Saturday morning between 7-8 am. I would expect the traffic to be much heavier on a weekday.

There is some more useful and recent discussion on the trail and how to get there in this thread:

http://www.thechainlink.org/group/chicagorandonneurs/forum/topics/t...

mark stetson said:

I found the Centennial Trail, but how do you get down to it?  It looks like you can't get on the trail from the north until Willow Springs Rd., is that right?  Is Archer safe to ride? 

Duppie 13.5185km said:

I did Centennial trail into Joliet today and back home to Chicago using Old Plank trail (GIT route). Both were in good shape, but that was before the rain that hit tonight.

Let me know if you want specifics on the route I took

 

I

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Permalink Reply by mark stetson on June 2, 2013 at 5:03am

My point was that the portion of the trail that's north of Willow Springs road appears to be useless to anyone coming from the north, since there doesn't appear to be any access to the north end of it.

peter moormann said:

The Centennial Trail access is closed at Willow Springs Road for an undetermined time.....years.

You can gain access to the I& M  trail 1/4 mile south

if you go behind the 7 Eleven on Archer and Willow Springs Road.

IMO stay on I&M, Archer is not a good road to ride on as most everyone is driving to fast.

I wish the speed limits were lower on 171 and Archer...people drive like they are on the highway there.

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Permalink Reply by Duppie on June 2, 2013 at 5:08am

If you want to avoid that, take a look at the thread I linked to. Kelly gave some pretty specific instructions on how to hook up with the trail at Kingery Highway.

mark stetson said:

My point was that the portion of the trail that's north of Willow Springs road appears to be useless to anyone coming from the north, since there doesn't appear to be any access to the north end of it.

peter moormann said:

The Centennial Trail access is closed at Willow Springs Road for an undetermined time.....years.

You can gain access to the I& M  trail 1/4 mile south

if you go behind the 7 Eleven on Archer and Willow Springs Road.

IMO stay on I&M, Archer is not a good road to ride on as most everyone is driving to fast.

I wish the speed limits were lower on 171 and Archer...people drive like they are on the highway there.

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Permalink Reply by mark stetson on June 2, 2013 at 5:37am

Dup:  Thanks for that.  It's the kind of info I was looking for.

 

I still don't know whether the I & M is the best way to travel west though.  The last tourist that came out here only rode a mile of it before abandoning it for US 6.   That was before the heavy rains.

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