Map of All Rides

Click the image below to see an overview map of all the routes we've ridden so far this year, or at least the ones I've been able to log with my GPS watch. We've covered quite a lot of ground!

On the IPP and FRT: 9/19/2010

Oops on the part of Mr. Group Leader. My little navigation error this past Sunday added an extra four miles to our trip...on top of the extra two we voluntarily committed to riding before discovering my error. Even though Marie can now be proud of getting her first 30-miler out of the way, and Don can be surprised that his first two trips with our group averaged over 30 miles, I was feeling pretty bad about the whole thing. And now Marie has suspended me from leading a ride this coming weekend. Lucky for me my parents are coming into town and I wouldn't have been available anyway.

So here's what happened. I thought the group should make at least one visit to the Illinois Prairie Path (IPP) this year before the weather got too cold. This is a very significant trail in the Chicago area, and one I had not previously ridden. So I planned a trip starting at a junction of the IPP and the Fox River Trail (FRT) in Aurora. We started riding northeast on the IPP, then headed back northwest after crossing under I-88. These two legs of the triangle brought us back to the FRT just south of Batavia.

My plan was to ride a mile or so north of Batavia along the FRT and then turn around, following the FRT back to our cars. Total distance would have been about 24 miles. But I also mentioned that an extra mile north would get us all the way into downtown Geneva. The extra mile up and back would bring the total to 26 miles.

Trouble is, I got confused and thought the original plan (24 miles) was to ride a mile or so north of Geneva, and the bonus mile or two (each way) would take us into St. Charles. So I told Marie and Don that if we rode steadily, didn't take long breaks, and didn't have mechanical troubles, we could just make it to St. Charles and then back to our cars by 4:30 PM. So the extra four miles added 20 minutes to our trip, and we got back around 4:50 (after taking no breaks and riding too fast to enjoy much conversation).

The IPP itself, or at least the Aurora spur, was not the most scenic path we had ridden. I'd call it more "utilitarian." It got us from Point A to Point B. Here's an example of what I mean (with B&W to emphasize the true beauty of this segment):



Luckily the Batavia spur was a lot nicer:

And the Fox River Trail was its usual interesting self, complete with a trip past the amazing Fabyan Windmill:


So in total we rode 30 miles, with relatively few breaks and not as many enroute conversations. I think the remaining few rides of the year will be shorter and more conducive to visiting. The fun and fellowship to me are the most enjoyable things about these rides. We don't want to go so far and fast that fitness becomes the only thing we have left. Heck, on this ride we didn't even have time to stop for ice cream! I promise to do better in the future.

Here's our ride summary from Garmin:

Down the Old Plank Road

Beautiful weather, a great bike path, and an excellent turnout made for an enjoyable day of riding along the Old Plank Road Trail (OPRT). We were very glad to welcome Don to his first ride with the group, and also were quite happy that Ken and Pat's daughter Kathryn agreed to join us. The others along for the ride included Jason, Marie, Pat, Nelson, and me (Eric L).

We started the ride at the western end of the trail just off Washington Street in Joliet. I had ridden the trail one time before, but it had been a couple of years. I remembered it having quite a few road crossings but otherwise being a very enjoyable ride. That was the case today, and fortunately on a Sunday afternoon most of the roads we had to cross weren't very busy at all.

The trail itself was pretty busy with families out for a stroll, old ladies walking their dogs, and old men passing us on their bicycles. Luckily it was almost perfectly straight and mostly flat, so you could ride at a pretty good pace and still see quite a ways ahead.

As we sort of anticipated and planned, our cycling group ended up splitting into multiple pieces, each according to their preferred distance:

• I think Pat and Kathryn had hoped to reach the 10-mile halfway point at Frankfort, but ended up making just about 10-12 miles round trip, in large part due to an unfamiliar bicycle for Kathryn.
• Marie headed back after resting with the guys at Frankfort, ending up with a total of about 22 miles.
• Don, who says he has hardly been riding much at all in recent years, turned in a 38-mile performance after riding 19 miles out and then heading back due to time constraints. We may need to check and see if Don is telling us the truth about his recent riding habits.
• Nelson, Eric, and Jason rode all the way to Western Avenue in Park Forest. Round-trip they totaled 41 miles...or actually 40.98 despite Eric's attempts to reach 41 by doing circles in the parking lot. (Stupid rounding errors. I thought I had it!)
  

The best thing about the OPRT would have to be downtown Frankfort, approximately the halfway point of the trail (11 miles from the western end). This is by far the nicest 'rest area' we've had on our rides so far this summer. There are trail-side restrooms with flushable toilets and running water, drinking fountains for refilling water bottles, nice benches for resting, a bike shop if you need assistance, and best of all, a convenience store that sells frozen treats!

Here's Jason working to offset some of those calories he was burning on the 41-mile ride:

And yes, that is a sandwich of ice cream stuffed between chocolate chip cookies. (Ken and Pat, don't you wish you were with us during that stop?!?)

And here's a photo of the trail area itself in Frankfort:

I really commend the town for making this a very nice place to stop and rest.

And finally, the ride summary itself, taken with my fancy "Forerunner 205" gadget which turns out to be not so nearly as fancy as Nelson's new "Forerunner 305" gadget:

Last but not least -- if you dare -- click on the following video to hear the song that was stuck inside my head the entire time we were riding today:

Going in Circles

Marie, Jason, and Eric L. visited DuPage County's Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve on Saturday afternoon to check out the hiking/biking/skiing loop around Argonne Labs. One goal was to see whether this 9-mile circle would be suitable for a family outing with younger kids or less-experienced adult riders. Conclusion: perhaps not.

The ride was slightly more challenging than we had anticipated, mainly due to the frequent elevation changes that required controlled braking on the downslopes and frequent gear adjustments on the upslopes. In other words, you couldn't just put your head down and ride.

We were planning to go around the loop twice, but after the first lap we spent quite a bit of time in the parking lot trying to adjust our derailleurs so we could actually reach the gears we wanted to use. (We should have checked out this website first!) Not having any success, we decided to call it a day and to enjoy the rest of the beautiful afternoon at home.

Here's the ride summary, on which you can zoom in and see lots of little loops in the parking lot as we rode around testing our derailleur adjustments:

And just so people don't get the wrong idea about this route, it was actually a pretty neat area. Having enjoyed the scenery and the ride itself, and having familiarized ourselves with the route, we probably would have made the second loop if not for spending so much time on bike adjustments.

In addition, as we rode through the forest preserve surrounding Argonne, we naturally started to wonder what exactly does take place at Argonne National Laboratory. As it turns out (and to no great surprise) its history is pretty interesting. To quote:

Argonne National Laboratory is a direct descendant of the University of Chicago’s Metallurgical Laboratory, part of the World War II Manhattan Project. At the Met Lab on Dec. 2, 1942, Enrico Fermi and his band of about 50 colleagues created the world’s first controlled nuclear chain reaction in an abandoned squash court under the stands of the University of Chicago’s Stagg Field. By the end of February 1943, Fermi’s reactor had been moved to the then-remote Argonne Forest section – named for the Argonne Forest in Europe where a major battle was fought during World War I – of the Cook County Forest Preserve. The small laboratory that grew up around the reactor became known as “the Argonne Lab.”

....

In the late 1940s, Argonne moved to its current location in southwest DuPage County, Ill.

So now we can say that our cycling group is not solely about fun, fellowship, and fitness -- we also have an educational component to our mission! Perhaps an upcoming trip could be planned around an outing to Fermilab?

8/22/10 Ride Wrap-Up: Plainfield to Oswego

Marie and I tried a somewhat different type of route today than we have been used to this summer. Instead of a dedicated tree-lined bike path, we decided to make the trip from Plainfield to Oswego on open roads. We started at the nice park on 127th Street (officially known as the Northwest Community Park) and made our way up to Collins Road and eventually into downtown Oswego. Depending on the time of day, traffic along this route isn't too bad. On a Sunday afternoon we saw quite a few cars but this is a popular route for bikes, so all the vehicles slowed down and gave us a wide berth. On weekday or weekend mornings the traffic is much lighter.

One reason I wanted to make this trip was to show the group how to reach the Fox River Trail from Plainfield. If you look at the May 29 ride around Plainfield that Jon and I did, you can see that we started at the church and rode to the park on 127th. So if you know how to ride to the church, you can get to 127th and then into Oswego. From Oswego you can catch the Fox River Trail which takes you to the Virgil Gilman Trail, the Illinois Prairie Path and Great Western Trail, and so forth. Basically you can ride all over Chicago!

Now we just need to find a route to the I&M Canal Trail from downtown Plainfield. Proposals are welcome! ;-)

8/14 - Rock Run Trail to Joliet Junction Trail Loop

Since we weren't quite able to find the "loop" part of the Rock Run Trail/Joliet Junction Trail Loop on our first attempt and our second attempt was rained out, Marie and Jason decided to try this route again. It was a pretty hot day, but was a good 16.5 mile ride. We DID find the Larkin connecting route off of the I&M and got on the Junction Trail to complete the loop! :-) Overall, it is a very enjoyable path that is almost all paved with only a little riding next to roads. Click on this link to see the map.

Rock Run Trail to Joliet Junction Trail Loop

Posted by: Jason

Two Recent Rides

Schedules are gradually starting to get busier as we wrap up July and head into August, but the group did manage to arrange two rides this week. The first was this past Sunday with Marie and Nelson, and the second was Friday evening with Ken, Pat, Marie, Larry, John, and me (Eric).

Since I wasn't along for the ride on Sunday, and since they were not using "one of those fancy gadgets" (in Marie's words), I am guessing at the route they took based on Marie's description. They started at Gaylord Road in Crest Hill, rode to the I&M at Theodore Marsh/Rock Run, followed the I&M to Rockdale, and then returned on the same path. I believe they were trying to find the connection at Larkin that would take them back in a loop, but were not able to find that. The total distance by my calculations was around 24 miles. Here's a map of the route I think they took, so Nelson and Marie can correct me if I'm wrong:


View Larger Map

I had not been aware of that trail before, and learning about new trails is one reason I really like having this cycling group.

The week's second ride, on Friday evening, basically ended in the dark (thanks to yours truly) though it was a really nice cool evening for riding, and the rain managed to hold off long enough for us to finish. The route started at McKinley Woods and headed west to Morris along the I&M Canal Trail for a total distance of 22 miles (based on my fancy gadget). Here's the map:



So with a total of 46 miles, Marie gets the prize for riding the longest distance with the group this week!

I&M Canal on 7/17/2010

We had another great ride along the I&M Canal this weekend, following the same plan as our previous visit to this trail. Overall we rode about 18.6 miles Saturday afternoon/evening, which isn't too bad considering the heat indices this week. Luckily, a nice cooling breeze is created as you ride along, and much of the trail is nicely shaded:



Our turnout for this ride was excellent! It didn't match the magnificent seven from last Wednesday morning when Tim was towing two tikes, but we did have a total of six cyclists this time. And we were pleased to welcome Nelson on his first of what we hope will be many rides with the group! Here's a snapshot of the whole crew as we were finishing up for the day:



The stats for the ride are shown below. If you click on the link and take a look at the chart of our speeds during the ride, you'll notice that our fastest pace was during the last couple of miles. This was when Pat was out in front and the rest of us were trying to catch her.


Finally, a little something different:

Fox River Trail Ride Summary - 07/14/2010

It was a nice ride in the heat today along the Fox River Trail, with our biggest crowd yet! We were pleased to have a total of seven people, including two special (non-pedaling) guests:


Pedaling participants included the two Erics (me and Mr. W) plus Tim, Pat, and Ken. We started in downtown Oswego and rode to where the Fox River Trail intersects with the Virgil Gilman Trail. At that point there is a break between the southern section of the trail and the longer part that heads north out of Aurora. Tim and the youngsters headed back to Oswego while the rest of us continued on relatively quiet (and surprisingly well-marked) side streets through Aurora to where the trail picks back up. About 10 miles into the trip, around North Aurora, we paused for a brief rest and then headed back south. That portion of the trail is nicely shaded in many locations, as you can see:


The total distance was just over 20 miles. Since the trail in Oswego briefly runs along residential streets, I didn't start my GPS watch until we got to the dedicated path. But for the return trip I left it running all the way into the parking lot just so people can see where everything is located. Here's the summary:


It was great that Ken and Pat could finally join us! We look forward to riding with them again soon. And hopefully we'll find a time and route for some of the others that have expressed interest but haven't been able to make it out yet. The more the merrier!

Virgil Gilman Ride Summary: 10 July 2010

Marie, Jason, and Eric L. met this evening for a ride on the Virgil Gilman Trail. And while we had not decided beforehand how far we would ride, we ended up riding the whole thing end to end. (Maybe we thought Marie would make fun of us if we quit early.) So round trip it was just about 23 miles. Luckily the weather wasn't too hot, the wind wasn't too strong, and the bugs weren't too thick.


Overall it is a really nice trail, though the easternmost 4-mile section has a lot of road crossings. The nicest part starts at Terry Ave and runs west to Waubonsee Community College on Hwy 47.

Here are a couple of photos taken during the ride. Forgive the mild blurriness in one. It was taken from a moving bicycle. And also forgive the landscape shot of the thunderstorm. That's the kind of photo you have to stop for when a meteorologist is along. We were just pleased it didn't thunderstorm on us!




The Gilman Trail intersects with the Fox River Trail which runs north out of Oswego. A nice ride (but longer than our one tonight) is to start in Oswego and catch the western 2/3 of the Gilman Trail out to the college. A really nice ride is to start in Plainfield, ride to the Fox River Trail in Oswego, and then catch the Gilman Trail to the college. But that's about 50 miles round trip. We'll stick to the shorter stuff for now! (Unless anyone is interested....)

For those who might be free during the week, we're looking at another ride Wednesday morning. The route hasn't been selected yet, so if you are interested and have a favorite trail in mind, go ahead and email the group!

Ride #3 - Fort Heggs Trail 6/21/10

In celebration of Jason's new bike, a gently used Trek Navigator 200, Jason Hawkins and Tim Scates took a ride this past Monday. We started at church and explored the Fort Heggs Bike Trail, which is a paved trail going from PHS-CC, down past Renwick Park, and ending just past the Streams Rec Center. It was a very nice and easy ride that would be great for a family bike outing. We pedaled around a bit and ended up going around 8 miles. I tried to map it on Google since I don't have a fancy GPS watch... I hope it works! :-) Let Jason know if you want to go out again... He is eager to break in the new bike and has a lot of time during the day!!!


View Jason and Tim's Ride in a larger map

Ride Wrap-Up: 6/13/10

We had a great ride on the I&M Canal Trail today with Jason Hawkins, Eric Wellman, and Eric Lenning. Sure we got a little wet, and thus a little muddy, but overall it was a beautiful ride and a really nice distance around 18 miles. And to be honest, riding in the rain is kind of fun!

Second Ride Coming Up

A second bike ride is in the works for this Sunday afternoon (13 June 2010) at 2:00 PM. We'll plan to ride the I&M Canal Trail from Empress Road in Joliet to McKinley Woods. Total distance will be around 18 miles round trip.

The closest address I can find for the parking lot on Empress Road is: 9945 Empress Road, Joliet IL.


View Larger Map

First Ride is in the Books!

Jon Proulx and Eric Lenning met this morning for the first ride of the Plainfield UMC Cycling Group. The route, a mix of streets and bike paths, made for a nice leisurely trip around northwest Plainfield on a beautiful May morning. Our distance was right at 12 miles.

I'll let everyone know when I figure out a date for the next ride. Or if anyone else happens to be planning a ride and wants some company, let the group know.

-- Eric

Proposed Route for 5/29/2010

Here is a rough idea of the route I was thinking about for Saturday morning. It comes out to about 11 miles, which would take roughly an hour depending on whether we stopped or not. Note that I don't plan on riding down Highway 30 from 127th to 135th. There's a bike path that parallels the road, next to the railroad tracks.

The purpose of the ride would be to demonstrate a couple of ways of getting between downtown and 127th Street, from which you can get to a multitude of locations north of Plainfield.


View Larger Map

Welcome!

Welcome to the information page for the Cycling Small Group at Plainfield United Methodist Church!

I was asked if I would organize a cycling group for people who indicated on their Small Group surveys that they would be interested in this activity. Obviously the goals and activities for this group will be designed around the needs and interests of those who are part of the group. I am very interested to hear what these needs and interests might be!

To get the discussion started, here are a few things we might consider pursuing:

• Schedule at least one group ride per week throughout the summer and into the fall. Or perhaps schedule one weekday evening ride and one weekend ride each week. There would be no obligation to participate on every ride, of course. We realize that people are very busy, but we just want to provide as many opportunities as possible. Some people might be more free during the week than on the weekend. Others (like retirees or teachers or meteorologist shift-workers) might plan to ride on a quiet weekday morning. Even if we get just 2-3 people on a ride together, that's more fun than riding alone. If nothing else, this group puts you in touch with potential riding partners.
  
• Become familiar with the many great bike paths around the area.
• Learn safe on-street routes around Plainfield, and routes for riding to various bike paths from the Plainfield area. For example, show people how to ride from Plainfield to Oswego to access the Fox River Trail.
  
• Learn how to navigate between various trails in order to create a longer or more diverse route. For example, show people how to safely and easily ride through Aurora in order to make the connection between the southernmost portion of the Fox River Trail (Oswego to Aurora) and the main portion of the trail (north of Aurora).
• Teach basic bike maintenance and show people what kind of tools and equipment they may wish to carry with them on their ride. Examples: frame pump, extra water bottles, patch kit, spare tube, etc.
• Publicize biking events around the Chicagoland area that members of the group may wish to participate in together. Example: Bike the Drive on Memorial Day Sunday.
• Set various distance goals to complete throughout the year. These could be for a single ride, a given weekend, or a cumulative total. Speaking from personal experience as someone who really only started riding (regularly) three years ago, at first I had no idea what I was capable of. Honestly, 20 miles initially seemed like an infinite trek, but soon I got to where 30 miles was the distance I rode after work if I was really short on time. And the first time I rode 50 miles I thought I was going to keel over. But about 6-weeks later I completed my first Century Ride (100 miles in a day). So there are all kinds of options!
• Plan some longer outings where we ride for a while, have lunch together, and then ride back home (to our starting point).
• Encourage others to join our group. We certainly want to make sure other church members are aware of this activity, but something like this is also a great way to introduce our church to non-members.
  

And just for the record, I am by no means any kind of serious cyclist. The bike I ride is an old Mongoose hybrid that I bought 13 years ago right after grad school when I had no money. It's probably the only Mongoose Crossway to have completed two RAGBRAIs. I don't wear special bike shoes for clipless pedals. And I normally don't wear all the fancy biking clothes. Unlike most bikers, if I'm only going 10-20 miles I'll just wear regular shorts, though for longer rides I do greatly appreciate the padded bike shorts.

What I am trying to say is: everyone is welcome in this group.

We can ride as fast or as slow as we need to. Those who like to ride faster just get a longer break while waiting for those who like to ride slower. It's no big deal either way. The point is to encourage each other and to have a lot of fun. Biking is something that all types of people can enjoy participating in together!

So...with those thoughts shared, let's hear what everyone else has to say. Speak up! Don't be shy!! What specifically are you hoping to get out of this cycling group???