Yeah, it's annoying because Western is a straight shot but a ****ing death wish to ride on. I usually take Cali or Kedzie, cut over to the North Shore Channel Trail at Lawrence if it makes sense/is daylight (trail isn't that well lit and I don't feel 100% safe on it alone at night). I'm at 6300ish N Rockwell, so just a tad south of your friends. My husband and I own our house, it's awesome but sometimes it sucks being so far north and west. It's kind of a nightmare for public transit.