in: chitownclark; chitownclark > 2008-06-17;
| # Posted 2008-06-18 21:15:31 | |
| fthfl stwrd rudy: | Do you uss. do back to back 4 hour rides without it phasing you at all? I know i'd be hammered. |
| # Posted 2008-06-18 23:18:23 | |
| chitownclark: | Yeah. I'll have to admit I was tired and saddle-sore afterward. But the first day was mostly beautiful bike paths, so it didn't seem too bad.
We're planning a 4-day ride over to Michigan's wine country and back in August. Most of that will be on busy US Route 12 around the bottom of Lake Michigan. Now that will be a bit grim. Sari never likes the traffic. And biking through downtown Gary is worse than anything in St Louis. But once we get to Berrian County the biking roads are pure heaven...can't wait! |
| # Posted 2008-06-18 23:56:20 | |
| fthfl stwrd rudy: | Ugh, you're a brave man. I looked up your route and there don't seem to be any alternatives. No ferry from Chicago either. If I were doing that leg, i would probably take the train, but that would require my breakaway frame. |
| # Posted 2008-06-19 03:31:04 | |
| chitownclark: | There's really only one train a day that stops in New Buffalo, and at an inconvenient late hour.
The 80-mile ride to Michigan isn't really too bad. US Route 12 used to be a major throughfare connecting Chicago to points east. So it is one of those wide cement highways with a good shoulder. The point is, you've got to ride aggressively for the first couple of hours. We leave at 5am and ride the lakefront bike path for the first hour. By 6am we're entering Indiana, against the Chicago-bound rush hour traffic, and by 8:30 we've cleared Gary and have stopped at a truck stop for breakfast...with only two-lane roads left. By noon we're in a pleasant garden having lunch in New Buffalo, with only a 6 mile ride to the B&B and a rewarding dip in the Lake. The following two days we have our bikes, and lots of places to enjoy: sand dunes, hang gliding, antiquing, wineries, lunch in country restaurants, running on the beach at 7am, and swimming in the Lake every afternoon. I love the sense of adventure that you get with bike touring. Have you ever considered riding across Missouri, or at least as far as Columbia? |
| # Posted 2008-06-19 04:39:10 | |
| fthfl stwrd rudy: | South and north. I've thought about riding to the great parks we have, Hawn State Park and Cuivre River. We had a meet at St. Francois, and Dave Frei and Jeff Sona rode down, have been thinking about getting their route. There is the Katy Trail but its a little monotonous, but yes I have considered it. I have even thought of riding to Colorado. Food, lodging and clothing logistics have deterred me so far, on a budget and organic/vegetarian.
I 'toured' in Michigan actually, for the O meet last year. I rode north from Ann Arbor to the first meet site, camped, rode to the second meet site about 50 miles east and then back from the park near Detroit to Ann Arbor to catch the train back to St. Louis. Just pulled off the trail to sleep in my sleeping bag under a pine tree. It wasn't that hard actually, but it took a lot of planning - and then improvising. I wrote a little essay about the last leg of the ride which I'd be happy to send you if you are interested. Ok, remembering how cool that was, you've definitely inspired me to go again. Your trip sounds great, enjoy and be safe! |
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