thought I would ask here, cause I know some of you are from chicago, and I have no idea where else to do so.
My commute is a eighty foot walk to my studio, and I am pretty rural, so not good with trains and the like.
I am going to Chicago next month, and will be staying in Arlington Heights at a hotel.
Planning on getting there a day or so early so I can do the Art Institute.

So heres my question, I want to take an old bike, was hoping to get it on the train. The cta web site says "Bicycles are permitted on the 'L' (CTA trains) every weekday except from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. (except on July 2 or 4, and in cases of extreme crowding)."

The train the map tells me to take is the UP-NW. Is this a train that I can take a bike on? Want to make sure.

I am planning on taking a single speed so it can get banged around, don't own a folder. I might even be willing to abandon it before the train ride back to the hotel if I had to. I have never left a bike alone in a city, no idea where to lock it when in the Museum, so I am prepared for it to be gone at any time.(it will be a beater built just for this trip). When I usualy ride thru a city its while touring, and then its the "never let the bike out of your sight" thing. At home, I never carry a lock at all. Should start because of gas prices I guess...

My other option was to ride there, but its 28 miles, and as I am not really city savy or good with directions outside of the wilderness that might be bad. Also, for a ride that far I would want a better bike, and I could not enjoy meself leaving that locked up while looking at paintings or getting lunch.

this is all pretty rambling and odd, I know, but any suggestions would be welcome, or other options.