The Chainlink

Hey chainlink friends,

I took a fun epic bike ride to visit the ongoing bike youth program at the Growing Power farm at Altgeld Gardens yesterday.  The plan (successfully and enjoyably executed, btw) was to make a long loop from south shore to the gardens to working bikes and back home by using all three bike paths.  I intend to make this a weekly trip, but I have one issue: if I get off the burnham greenway at 130th (it sort of unceremoniously ends, right?) and ride through  Hedgewisch I have to ride past the ford plant at torrence.  I discovered yesterday that it isn't really safe to bike due to the heavy volume of cars, trucks and construction and there is no sidewalk either.   Google maps recommends biking down Doty road, but that's sort of a truck route too, is it ride able?  It would also remove crossing the bishop ford on ramp (I could live my life and never do that again as well) Otherwise I may have to cut west to michagin or so.  It's out of the way, but may be the best option.  

I'd love any insight or ideas.  Thanks!

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Just before the Burnham Greenway unceremoniously spits you out onto Avenue O, you can hang a left off the path to get to the park road that runs around Wolf Lake - follow that south and it will spit you out onto 130th by Avenue N and you can make your way around neighborhood streets in Hegewisch from there. 

He needs from hegewisch to 130th and Dan Ryan.  My recommendation is go to Sibley (147th) Via Avenue O and Ride west to Indiana avenue north and come up that way.  Its much Safer then say 103rd / 111th / 115th and Michigan way. Until 130th construction is completed in 3 years its going to be a cluster over there constantly.

Oh and just a note 130th after the construction is completed will have a bike lane in each direction all the way to the bishop ford (where the red line extension will end)

This is what Perimeter Ride uses to go from Wolf Lake to Pullman.

ETA: New Google maps is a little rough. It wont let me post a URL of a route map, apparently.

What I meant to show you was: From Wolf Lake, go West on 126th, North on Torrance, West on Stony Island Ave, Southwest on Doty Ave. Ride past the overpass over Bishop Ford then go North onto on ramp and West on 111th.

Going west on 130th across the Bishop Ford is very hazardous - lots of big trucks, and not a lot of road space. I've had to do it on occasion, and I don't recommend it.  There is NO route to Altgeld that doesn't involve at least one hazardous section.  Doty is rideable, with occasional craters, which tend to be very visible.  You generally get plenty of warning of trucks coming. There's also lots of golf traffic near 111th-115th.

I've mapped a few options here.  No matter which way you go, there will be industrial sections with truck traffic, and areas with high speed traffic. It's tough to completely avoid those areas if you're riding any distance on the far south side.  I've included much of the Major Taylor Trail, which is very useful for going from Altgeld to Working Bikes.  I included place markers for some parks along the way that have bathrooms and drinking fountains.

" There is NO route to Altgeld that doesn't involve at least one hazardous section. "

That's entirely true, Anne!  I really appreciate all the suggestions and will pass this maps along to our instructor, sarai, as well.  It's tricky making fun group rides that actually leave the development.   What's the major taylor trail like south of 127th?  

For what it's worth, I really enjoyed the major taylor part of my ride yesterday.   someday I might have to be more of a friend to that path...

What's the major taylor trail like south of 127th? 

Closer to 127th, the space is a bit narrow, between a wall dividing the trail from industrial property and people's yards.  Then the trail rises towards the bridge over the river.  This section has a lot of native plants and gets a bit overgrown at times. We often see wildlife and boats from the bridge.  Whistler Woods is shady and beautiful - lots of frogs in spring, plenty of birds, deer and other wildlife.

For what it's worth, I really enjoyed the major taylor part of my ride yesterday.  

Glad to hear it.  I've enjoyed a lot of rides there over the last several years.

someday I might have to be more of a friend to that path...

We're always glad to see folks riding there, on one of our rides or otherwise. 

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