Hi all. All you north shore people who do centuries to Kenosha I have a question. I was riding the Mcclorry path and noticed a healthy population of both roadies and recreational riders. Then, I got to the Great Lakes Naval Station. Suddenly everybody dissapeared. The trail then crosses under 137 and the Union Pacific tracks and continues north as a limestone path. I was only on it for a short while, but I started getting the feeling like I just left the green zone:eek:

My question is there a better route? I know the Desplaines river trail is nice and a few miles west, however, I don't think it is suitable for a road bike.

Old Elm to St. marys all the way to 132 gurnee, east on 132 to Delany road which will take you all the way to 21st st.East on 21st st to Kenosha rd/47th ave. North on Kenosha RD and it will take you to Kenosha.


Follow the first half of this ride.
http://www.vcrbiketeam.org/maps/deeplake.pdf
Kenal0

Looks like a good route. I'll definitely try it. Thanks.

That is pretty much the route of the North Shore Century.
Kenal0

I commute from Pleasant Prairie to the Great Lakes Naval Station and you're right, there is night/day difference right at Great Lakes. Using my route I would continue on Sheridan Rd north. Before you reach the section of the Amstutz expressway you turn left onto Genesse St momentarily and back to Sheridan which I continue down until Greenwood/Sunset Ave which I will take west past Lewis to McAree which jogs north to Yorkhouse. I take Yorkhouse west past Grand Ave to Delany (this is a smooth open section). North a bit to Wadsworth and jog west to Kilbourne. I live off of Kilbourne/H. I think for a long straight stretch it is a pretty nice road if for its quiet nature and decent elevation changes.

That would have you west some however, near Lake Andrea.
If traffic is light you could take Sheridan the whole route and roll through some interesting towns and be near Lake Michigan.

I have probably ridden the northern section of the McClory trail as much as anyone here, but I would tend to avoid it for the most part now. Dull and limestone.

Old Elm to St. marys all the way to 132 gurnee, east on 132 to Delany road which will take you all the way to 21st st.East on 21st st to Kenosha rd/47th ave. North on Kenosha RD and it will take you to Kenosha.


Follow the first half of this ride.
http://www.vcrbiketeam.org/maps/deeplake.pdf
Kenal0

I was planning on mapping this out so I could one day trek it but, your overly vauge directions and lack of stating what city these roads, allyways, highways, avenues, or streets exist in.

Heres about as far as I can get...
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=http://hypercube33.homeip.net:81/001.kmz

You have the portion north of 132 correct. What is your starting point and I can better assist this route.
See if this helps
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=http://hypercube33.homeip.net:81/001.kmz
Then click the my maps tab to see the route I filled in. Check of the "To Kenosha" box

Kenal0

I'm actually already in wisconsin. I'm mearly trying to map out your suggested routes as the PDF file sucks and the word-based directions are icky. So I am making a map, for when in the future I can do a thing like that topo map website and make graphs of elevation etc.

Cheers.

I tried the route on Saturday. Was a pretty nice ride. From the Skokie Valley Bikeway I went west on Old Elm/Everett to St. Mary's. Saint Mary's to a series of side streets just south of Buckley. Then Oplaine North to Old Grand. Old Grand to Delany. Delany north to Wadsworth. Wadsworth west to Kilborne. Then North on Kilborne into Wisconsin. A pretty nice route. The only unpleasant area I'd say is Delany around Rt 41. It is a 4 lane busy street. About 93 miles round trip from my house.

That route is like a Bike Highway on Sat and Sun morning.
Kenal0

Definetly a route I want to take then perhaps someday this fall :) Sounds like a great way to meet fellow bikers, even some of you on here?

You have the portion north of 132 correct. What is your starting point and I can better assist this route.
See if this helps
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=http://hypercube33.homeip.net:81/001.kmz
Then click the my maps tab to see the route I filled in. Check of the "To Kenosha" box

Kenal0


Er, since its not showing up under the search, I'm going to please ask you to do this:

Open your MyMaps, and then open your additions - either send me the KMZ (PM me for email?) or post a link to your map - top right just above the map. Thx!

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=112305245886992130253.000436f91adb112451553&z=11&om=1

Does this work?
Kenal0

By any chance does this trail have white dotted lines and is basically friends with power lines (from what I'm looking at on Google, the power lines are like 5ft from the trail?)

That is correct. However you are only on that path for 6 miles and the path is in excellent condition. It is also well protected on each side by shrubbery which makes for a nice break from the wind. You can skip the path and go up Ridge road which is just to the west of the path and avoid the power lines.

Kenal0

My soon-to-be-wife's best friend lives in wheeling so I'm barking up the tree to get her to bike this tour with me.

Mkay. Here is my current (unfinished) version!
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=http://hypercube33.homeip.net:81/Chicagoland_To_Kenosha.kmz

I've added some topography from toporoute or whatever. I'll finish it perhaps tomarrow with a key, better organization, and what not. Feel free to give me more stuff to map or point out corrections.

I prefer the Skokie Valley bikeway to the Greenbay/Mcclory path to the east. It is paved, uncrowded, and easy to follow with fewer crossings. The Mclorry path is part limestone and forces you through metra parking lots and confusing side streets in Highland Park. I don't mind the powerlines so much. You can really get some nice speed riding in on it. They are in the process of extending it to rt 176 by tunneling under some train tracks. It currently ends at Laurell ave. There is also talk/planning of extending it south along the same abandoned freight train tracks as far south as Glenview rd into Cook County.
The only problem is getting to it at the south end. From the North Branch Trail you have to ride on Lake Cook road for about a mile, unpleasant. I road on Skokie Blvd which is equally unpleasant by that huge shopping mall, which is where Performance Bike is. I had people buzzing me and threatening to call the police. I just ignored them. Let them call the police and report me for riding a bike on the roadway.