The prairie path starts around 1st Ave. in Maywood.

I did an organized ride up around Union once -- the roads were beautiful and mostly car-free.

If you don't mind driving an hour or two, there is a rails-to-trails trail up near Kettle Moraine that's nice.

The areas west of Naperville, around Dragon Lake F.P. and Plainfield, are mostly nice even if the speed limits are kind of high.