First trip straight from the driveway!
08-31-07, 12:05 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
First trip straight from the driveway!
Last Saturday my wife and I rode our first ever over night leaving directly from the driveway
Since we started bicycling 2 years ago, any trip of over 25 miles involved driving a car somewhere first. A typical day trip might have us driving to the Chicago Lake Front, loading our bikes on a train to the far north suburbs, and bicycling 50 miles back to the car.
Overnights involved 2 cars. We would drop car A off at one end of the route, and drive car B to the other. Then we’d bicycle back to car A with an overnight night between. If we used only one car, someone would meet us at the end of the route and drive us back to our car.
But there were no cars last Saturday and Sunday. We did the A B C Quick Check in the garage, jumped on the bikes, and headed out in a light rain for the Indiana Dunes State Park, 50 miles away. It was bright and sunny by the time we got half way there. We overnighted in Chesterton, IN and biked home Sunday.
We’re finally learning how to pack for these things, too. We used absolutely everything we packed in the trunk bag and panniers, except for repair stuff like tools and tubes, and night riding stuff, like lights and reflective vests.
This was also our first back to back 50 miler. It was great!
Look out world. Here we come!
Since we started bicycling 2 years ago, any trip of over 25 miles involved driving a car somewhere first. A typical day trip might have us driving to the Chicago Lake Front, loading our bikes on a train to the far north suburbs, and bicycling 50 miles back to the car.
Overnights involved 2 cars. We would drop car A off at one end of the route, and drive car B to the other. Then we’d bicycle back to car A with an overnight night between. If we used only one car, someone would meet us at the end of the route and drive us back to our car.
But there were no cars last Saturday and Sunday. We did the A B C Quick Check in the garage, jumped on the bikes, and headed out in a light rain for the Indiana Dunes State Park, 50 miles away. It was bright and sunny by the time we got half way there. We overnighted in Chesterton, IN and biked home Sunday.
We’re finally learning how to pack for these things, too. We used absolutely everything we packed in the trunk bag and panniers, except for repair stuff like tools and tubes, and night riding stuff, like lights and reflective vests.
This was also our first back to back 50 miler. It was great!
Look out world. Here we come!
08-31-07, 12:56 PM
#3
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Sounds fun, I would like to try that I think, but I don't think my wife would be to excited about it. I feel lucky that my wife likes to go on 20 mile rides with me, so I guess that makes you real lucky. Do you camp at night or motel or B&B?
08-31-07, 03:43 PM
#5
el padre
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Oh the joys of biking. Yes, sounds like you have found a way to enjoy and get the exercize that we all need. No, I don't see biking only as exercize, that would really be a downer. Glad you are stretching your limits and enjoying at the same time... That is the key,,,,enjoyment. peace
08-31-07, 05:29 PM
#6
just keep riding
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That does sound like fun. I want to try out something like that. There is some interesting stuff on the Rivendell site about S24O (sub 24 hour overnight) camping.
https://www.rivbike.com/article/bike_...ing_vs_touring
https://www.rivbike.com/article/bike_..._one_night_out
https://www.rivbike.com/article/bike_...ing_vs_touring
https://www.rivbike.com/article/bike_..._one_night_out
08-31-07, 09:44 PM
#7
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Glad to see you enjoyed your ride out. I live in Chesterton and work in Chicago. It is a great little town with lots of places to ride.
08-31-07, 11:06 PM
#8
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Sounds like a great experience. I've been in that area a few times.
I don't envy anyone who has to start out from within the greater Chicago met area, even as far out as Chicago Heights. I've been through there on Rt 30 when its been choked with traffic, and other times when its been okay.
How was your route to the Dunes?
I live out in the countryside, 2 miles from a town of 300. One could ride south from my home 35 miles to the Illinois border and not go through a single town, not even one with a populaton of 100.
I don't envy anyone who has to start out from within the greater Chicago met area, even as far out as Chicago Heights. I've been through there on Rt 30 when its been choked with traffic, and other times when its been okay.
How was your route to the Dunes?
I live out in the countryside, 2 miles from a town of 300. One could ride south from my home 35 miles to the Illinois border and not go through a single town, not even one with a populaton of 100.
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"Too often I would hear men boast of the miles covered that day, rarely of what they had seen." Louis L'Amour
There are two types of road bikers: bikers who are faster than me, and me. Bruce Cameron - Denver Post
"Too often I would hear men boast of the miles covered that day, rarely of what they had seen." Louis L'Amour
There are two types of road bikers: bikers who are faster than me, and me. Bruce Cameron - Denver Post
09-01-07, 06:44 AM
#9
Senior Member
Thread Starter
RoMad ... It's been much easier for us to stay in motels than camp on the bike trips. And yes, I feel very lucky that my wife is interested in cycling. The biggest suprise was when she bought into making that Grand Illinois Trail trip last year.
fenderoffender ... We really enjoyed Chesterton
Tom ... About 60% of the trip was on railtrails with some jogs thru cities. We went through Glenwood, Lansing, Munster, used the Erie Lakawana Trail to Hobart, and the Prairie-Duneland Trail to Chesterton. I'll post a route later in the day.
fenderoffender ... We really enjoyed Chesterton
Tom ... About 60% of the trip was on railtrails with some jogs thru cities. We went through Glenwood, Lansing, Munster, used the Erie Lakawana Trail to Hobart, and the Prairie-Duneland Trail to Chesterton. I'll post a route later in the day.
09-01-07, 08:16 AM
#10
just keep riding
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For some reason I assumed you were talking about camping. Moteling would be fun too, and definitely easier. But what I really want to try someday is to manage to carry just what I need for minimalist camping on a quick overnighter. The chances of my wife joining me for such an adventure would be nonexistent.
What I do think she would go for is a trip where she drove to a motel and waited for me to ride. I'm sure she would do that if our son rode with me.
What I do think she would go for is a trip where she drove to a motel and waited for me to ride. I'm sure she would do that if our son rode with me.
09-01-07, 08:25 AM
#11
My other car is a bike
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I love this idea! Recycle, can you give us some pointers on what to pack?
RoMad: Try to find a nice ride that takes you to a romantic B&B, and I think you'll find your wife may be more interested than you think.
)
RoMad: Try to find a nice ride that takes you to a romantic B&B, and I think you'll find your wife may be more interested than you think.
)
