I did it and it was a good course in defensive city driving. At first its okay because we are all bunched up for the first leg up to lake bluff. Actually i dont think the traffic was as much an issue as the condition of some of the roads, I should've brought my mountain bike. I did enjoy it though it was great weather and everyone was real nice.

i rode it. the only problem i had was the direction signs painted on the ground. the ride also reminded my why i like mountain bikers better the roadies. it seem roadies have their clicks, if your not with their group they are rude to you. mountin bikers will open their arms to you.

I did it as well. Was a good ride on the whole, with well stocked rest stops. I agree that the only problems were:

1.) the standard of some of the roads (particularly when the ride went into Wisconsin). I feared for my wheels; and

2.) the directions painted on the road were patchy in some places. We ended up doing another 10 miles because of a badly signed turn.

All in all a good ride. I would recommend it.

I agree with the comments above. I would add that while most of the route back was ok, we took some incredibly poor roads (conditions) and poor route choices. Many clubs and teams do a similar route and I understand that organizers couldn't select the exact same route or many wouldn't have registered or done the ride, but there are very concrete reasons those clubs and teams chose different routes.
And I couldn't help but say at several different times: "our route is waaaay better than this one..."

but the rest stops were awesome and the staff were courteous and friendly...great people running the show.

I was mechanical support at a rest stop. I did basically nothing all day and was pretty bored. I helped out at a recent MTB race and had loads more fun as well as a much more appreciative staff and racers. I must say though, I was impressed with the organization of the event. I never really thought about what is all involved during a road race, mainly the communications people, they did a damn fine job.

no kidding! This event is their annual proof to the world that all the stuff they ordinarily use to share dirty jokes with truckers, communicate with aliens or renegade Cubans is actually useful in the midwestern, common sense kind of way.

And yes they do an outstanding job. Last year I needed them and they came through...

I and many others on here have kind of given up on the Nrth Shore Century because of the horrible condition of the roads. They should really start calling it the "Hell of the North Shore Century" in honor of it's Paris Roubaix-esque terrain.

It kind of made me crave some hills and flat open well paved roads.

My wife and I did the metric century route. We enjoyed the ride, but the pavement condition in spots is terrible. You can't really enjoy the scenery on the trip down Sheridan Road back towards Evanston. You're too busy watching for killer potholes.

The rests stops were great. Well stocked and the staff was quite friendly. Last year they had a jazz quartet that played at the last rest stop. I didn't see them this year. I don't know if they stopped playing before we arrived or if they didn't make an appearance at all.

Some riders seemed more concerned about their elapsed time for the ride than their safety or the safety of others. Too many people zooming by without announcing themselves. I particularly liked the lady triathelete in fully aero gear (aero helmet, aero bars and full tri-bike) time trialing along the bike path! That may not have been her best idea, as I saw her again at the last rest stop with a bandaged elbow.

All in all, a good ride. My wife and I will probably do it again next year. We'll probably get there earlier, though. I'd like to finish earlier in the afternoon. Local traffic in Evanston was pretty heavy when we got back. Add to that the riders trying to maintain 20+ mph in residential neighborhoods, and the last few miles were a little crazy.

Al

I did it two years ago after having done three centuries that summer. I dropped out from boredom and disgust with 80 on my odo. The roads were awful while the route ignored better parallel roads. There were lots of twisty-turnies no doubt to run up the requisite mileage. There was no joy in this, just tedium. I have no idea why the Evanston Bike Club stays with this route; I do a nice century from Hyde Park in Chicago, through Evanston and then return from Great Lakes.

i would rather trudge into the wind and through the cornfields of will county before doing this century route ever again. just saying. later.

Sounds kind of formal....should I consult Ms. Manners for the proper anouncement ettique to pass your standards? You DID realize there was a cycling event going on and that other riders were going to be in the vicinity right??

...just sayin...

We ALL like lady triathletes.

Yep Sheridan road and others in the area keep my spoke wrench and truing stand busy this season. It's especially treacherous around Lake Cook Rd.

If you have a spare set of wider or junkier wheel's I'd recommend them for this route. Don't bring your nice Zipps or anything.

Do you have a route map of that handy? It would be a great ride for me.

Thanks,
Ben

No Ms. Manners required, just a simple "on yer left" would suffice. I was expecting other cyclists, but with the Paris-Roubaix terrain that you noted, it was somewhat difficult to watch the potholes and check for overtaking cyclists at the same time. It was nice to know when someone was passing so I didn't make a quick lane change to miss a hole at a most inconvenient time for both of us.

Al