The delayed train meant arriving at 11:30pm in Chicago; by the time I got my bike assembled and packed it was a midnight ride for the mile to the hostel in downtown Chicago. Huge place, very nice, $50, but I only wanted to sleep, get up early for breakfast and get out of town, busy streets even early on a Saturday. Heading west eventually picked up bike lanes, and after 10 miles the Illinois Prairie Path, one of the oldest in the country. Some concrete, some asphalt, but mostly crushed compacted limestone, excellent riding surface.
I followed it to Geneva, about 40 miles west of Chicago, then a few roads to St. Charles for lunch and a long shady break. Then quickly picked up the Great Western Trail, which ends in Sycamore, my destination. Straight, flat, partly shaded path of limestone, through some restored prairie but mostly cornfields. 65 miles to motel, then a barbeque at Norden and Ben's in Dekalb. Their wedding is this afternoon in Sycamore, social event of the season for those of us who are Norden's old college friends.
No comments:
Post a Comment