North Branch Trail - North Extension to the Green Bay Trail GPS plot and Pictures

I just rode up to the new extension. There were a lot of people already using it even though the official opening is September 13.

You can see my ride east along with some pictures I took:

http://ridewithgps.com/trips/3318338

Tom

Views: 377

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on August 27, 2014 at 4:33pm

How did you get past the fence that is in the portion of the path right off the road by the gate as it dumps onto Lake Cook Road?

Looks like they still need to put down more gravel to bring up the shoulders, and do some landscaping work. I don't know what the hold-up is. It's already late from the original schedule.  But bicycle infrastructure is always the lowest priority it seems.  

Permalink Reply by Tom Z on August 27, 2014 at 4:35pm

They had the fence open across the trail.

You are correct... They still need to build up the shoulder, in fact I watched a CBG employee almost trip and fall because of it.

James BlackHeron said:

How did you get past the fence that is in the portion of the path right off the road by the gate as it dumps onto Lake Cook Road?

Looks like they still need to put down more gravel to bring up the shoulders, and do some landscaping work. I don't know what the hold-up is. It's already late from the original schedule.  But bicycle infrastructure is always the lowest priority it seems.  

Permalink Reply by Andy J on August 28, 2014 at 7:11am

I actually checked this out on Sunday. Coming from Green Bay, the fence was down so I rolled in from the east, hoping to connect to the Botanic Garden and then the NBT. The fence was up on the Botanic Garden side, so I had to double back a few feet and come in through the road.

The trail itself is lovely; smooth, surrounded by greenery, and the bridge is a nice touch. But I'm a bit worried.

Coming from the east (Green Bay) like I did, the trail has a fairly steep downgrade. Coupled with the smooth pavement and twisty corners, I can foresee folks bombing down this trail, putting slower moving traffic at risk (think families with strollers).

I love the idea of the trail, and it looks great, but a solution has to be put in place to slow folks down, otherwise there will be trouble.

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on August 28, 2014 at 7:39am

The trail is no more steep or twisty than many of the sections of the NBT South of the Botanic Gardens.

Permalink Reply by Fran Kondorf on August 28, 2014 at 9:39am

Tom, thanks for posting this update.

I'm looking forward to heading up there to ride this new stretch as well.

Permalink Reply by skyrefuge on August 28, 2014 at 10:02am

It's a 40 foot drop at 5-6%, which is bigger than anything else on the NBT I can think of except for maybe the 2 big bridges. The bridge over Lake Ave. is straight with lots of visibility on the approaches, so not really comparable in danger. But yeah, the one over Oakton/Caldwell is a bit nuts with its curved ramps (WTF!?) and close-in concrete walls.

At first I thought the way the trail loops away from Lake Cook Rd. at the east end (at least as shown on Tom's GPS, I haven't ridden it yet) was an attempt to decrease the grade of the hill, but no, the hill is west of Green Bay Rd. The GPS shows that part as mostly-straight, but I suppose if the trees are close enough the slight wiggles can be enough to ruin visibility.

James BlackHeron said:

The trail is no more steep or twisty than many of the sections of the NBT South of the Botanic Gardens.

Permalink Reply by Bob Kastigar on August 29, 2014 at 6:03am

This is a great addition and convenience - and it's already up on Google maps!  I've ridden this way on Lake-Cook road, and the trail addition is a convenience.

If you looking for a longer ride from Chicago consider going west, about the same distance on Lake-Cook Road.  Just past Skokie Blvd. there's a ramp up to the Skokie Valley bike path which runs all the way north to the North Shore bike path at Rt. 176.  Return east on this path to the McClory path south to the Green Bay Trail and back to Chicago.

If you bonk, you can always take Metra back too.

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on August 29, 2014 at 7:02am

Thanks, I didn't even know that trail was there Bob.  Last week I took the McClory up to Lake Bluff and Hwy 176 and rode that connecting path all the way West to the Middlefork Savanna Preserve and then back the way I came, although going through Fort Sheridan rather than taking the bumpy sidewalk-style McClory path around to the West of it.  I must have ridden right by the Skokie Valley path next to 176 and didn't even notice it.  From my place in Logan Square it was around 64 miles but I think taking your North Branch trail routing would add a few more as it is not as straight of a shot as the GBT, pushing 70+ miles which sounds like a good distance for an afternoon ride IMHO.

How harrowing is this connection on Lake Cook going West?  I never liked riding on Lake Cook before this new path was built and usually avoided the NBT because of that fact (The seven-mile slog up or down Elston at the other end isn't much fun either.)

Looking at Google Maps satellite view of Lake Cook going West from the gardens it seems a bit fast and 4-lane-ish, especially over the expressway with the on and off-ramps which always seems to up the pucker-factor for me.  Are there stoplights at Lake Cook or merges?  The latter really sucks to cross on a bike.  

Bob Kastigar said:

This is a great addition and convenience - and it's already up on Google maps!  I've ridden this way on Lake-Cook road, and the trail addition is a convenience.

If you looking for a longer ride from Chicago consider going west, about the same distance on Lake-Cook Road.  Just past Skokie Blvd. there's a ramp up to the Skokie Valley bike path which runs all the way north to the North Shore bike path at Rt. 176.  Return east on this path to the McClory path south to the Green Bay Trail and back to Chicago.

If you bonk, you can always take Metra back too.

Permalink Reply by Bob Kastigar on August 30, 2014 at 3:17am

James BlackHeron said:

How harrowing is this connection on Lake Cook going West?  I never liked riding on Lake Cook before this new path was built and usually avoided the NBT because of that fact (The seven-mile slog up or down Elston at the other end isn't much fun either.)

Honestly, I usually ride west on the sidewalk.  At the entrance to the expressway I get back on the road, taking the lane, and then getting on the trail just past the stop light at Skokie Blvd. 

This is great for adults but I'd be uncomfortable taking kids along this route.  That's the advantage of the off-road eastbound path along Lake-Cook Road back to the Green Bay Trail.

If you're really feeling adventurous, go west on the North Shore Bike Path along Rt 176 to the Des Plaines River Trail and then ride north - almost all the way to the Wisconsin border.  There's a lot of wiggling along this trail, and you loose the pavement.  This is also not a good idea after heavy rain because the under-bridges may flood.

You're not too far from Kenosha and there are infrequent Metra trains there too.

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on August 30, 2014 at 4:12am

I will have to try this.  As much as I am used to riding in traffic in the city around the Logan Square/Avondale area, ranging northward to where the Channel and Northbranch trails start, eastward to the lake, and as far south as the loop and sometimes beyond when I ride down to Working Bikes, roads like Lake Cook still can intimidate me.  Perhaps it is just the unfamiliarity that spooks me where much more dangerous roads near me don't bother me because I have internalized their danger and now ignore it as just part of my regular riding landscape.  

RSS

Groups

© 2008-2016   The Chainlink Community, L.L.C.   Powered by

Disclaimer  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service