Prairie Fever

Located only 30 miles west of downtown Chicago, the Fox River Trail has plenty of good things going for it. As this pathway hugs the Fox River for 33 miles between Aurora on the south and Algonquin to the north, it passes more than a dozen community parks and forest preserves. These quiet riverside parks offer great views of the big winding river.

In Elgin, the Fox River Trolley Museum sits alongside the trail. In Geneva, the 300-acre Fabyan Forest Preserve contains a restored Dutch windmill that dates back to the 1850s. Also alongside the trail at Fabyan are a pristine Japanese garden and the Villa Museum, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

The Fox River Trail

Along with the natural and historic attractions, the trail also passes through a string of enjoyable downtown areas. Some of the towns—particularly Elgin, Geneva, and Batavia—have done great work in creating attractive urban riverfront areas with flower and sculpture gardens, pedestrian bridges, and scenic walkways.

A runner in Norris Woods

Since you’re never far from one of the nearby towns, there is usually a variety of restaurants, ice cream parlors, and watering holes not far down the trail. In East Dundee, you can choose between two locally-owned trailside coffee shops.

The Dutch windmill at Fabyan Forest Preserve.

If you’re keen on a longer trip, the Fox River Trail allows you to connect with a handful of other Chicagoland recreation trails. Heading north, for example, will connect you with the Prairie Trail, which will take you all the way to the Wisconsin border.

And finally, the gamblers among us will be happy to know that the Fox River Trail might be the only long recreation path in the nation with two riverboat casinos located steps from the trail.

Japanese Garden at Fabyan Forest Preserve

Nearly the entire Fox River Trail is paved; only a few short sections are covered with crushed gravel. The trail is eminently reachable via Metra trains.

All photos by Ted Villaire.

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• Winter biking? Go for it

As a cyclist, what should you do if you’re in a crash with a car on Chicago streets? My friend Jim Freeman knows. He’s a personal injury lawyer whose clients are primarily Chicago cyclists and pedestrians. Recently, he answered some of my questions about steps to take after a crash, bike safety, and local bike laws. Here’s what he had to say.

What are the steps a cyclist should take after a crash?

1. Call the police.

2. Get witness and driver information. Do not depend on the police to get information from witnesses. In almost every case that comes to me, the client will say, “There were lots of witnesses, but I didn’t get any information from them. It should be on the police report.” In most instances, I get the police report and there are no witnesses listed. In a case where the question of fault depends on your word against theirs, an independent witness makes all the difference. So be sure to get any witness’ phone numbers and addresses.

3. Seek medical attention. If there is even the slightest possibility of an injury, you should request an ambulance and go to the emergency room. Adrenaline runs high after a crash, so you might think you are fine; but often there are latent injuries that are not immediately apparent. From a legal standpoint, it’s a good idea to seek medical attention at the scene of the crash.

4. Preserve evidence and take pictures. Your bicycle, clothing, helmet, and anything else damaged in the crash is evidence and should be preserved. Do not swap parts from your damaged bicycle. Leave it in its present condition and take pictures of the damaged bicycle and any visible injuries.

In your experience, what are the most common reasons for car vs. bike crashes?

About a third of my bicycle cases are “doorings.” Another third of my bicycle cases are “left turns” in which a cyclist is cut off or struck by a vehicle approaching from the opposite direction attempting a left turn.

Regarding bike- and pedestrian-friendly laws, how does Chicago compare to other cities?

The State of Illinois has some of the nation’s worst laws for cyclists. Cyclists are given a second class status. We are permitted to use Illinois roadways, but we are relegated to hugging the right hand curb, and we must yield to auto traffic under most circumstances.

As a city, Chicago has gone a long way to promote cycling through infrastructure improvements and legislative improvements such as The Bicycle Safety Ordinance passed earlier this year. The Illinois Vehicle Code was clearly designed with only motorists in mind, not cyclists. The changes really need to come from Springfield to improve conditions for bicyclists statewide.

Some states have much more favorable laws such as the stop sign/yield, red light/stop laws, which more realistically consider the practical differences between cyclists and motorists.

What are the most important strategies for avoiding crashes on a bike?

Headlights. Illinois law requires bicycles to be equipped with a white headlight and a red rear reflector. For some reason, cyclists in Chicago think it is acceptable to forgo headlights for a red rear light. If you are only going to have one light it should be a white headlight—not a red rear blinky.

Lack of headlights kills more cases than all other factors combined. If a cyclist is involved in an accident with a motorist at night and the cyclist doesn’t have proper lighting equipment, the cyclist can expect to be blamed for the accident.

Keep your eyes open and ride defensively. Understand that many motorists haven’t learned to look for cyclists. Assume they don’t see you or anticipate your presence. Stay out of the “door zone” and look into rear view mirrors of parked cars as you ride by. If you see someone in the car assume they are about to open their door.

What’s your background in cycling and lawyering?

I grew up in a small town in downstate Illinois. Like all the neighborhood kids I had a number of bikes over the years. In grade school I acquired my first road bike and started to spend time taking day trips in the country. The first few years of my undergraduate education were spent in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri, so I took up recreational mountain biking. I moved to Chicago in 1996, which lead to my first urban cycling experience.

In 2002, when I moved to Logan Square, I discovered the joys of urban cycling and bicycle commuting, and I began to think of the bicycle as transportation rather than recreation. I became a religious year-round bicycle commuter and started racing. I also took a basic bicycle maintenance class, which marked the beginning of a more professional understanding of bicycle mechanics. In 2007, I took First Fixed, Second Overall in the Tour Da Chicago alleycat series, and I started teaching adult wheel building classes at West Town Bikes.

After graduating from law school, I worked for a plaintiffs’ firm, representing injured people for two years. Then I went to work for a defense firm where I worked for insurance companies defending people or corporations alleged to have caused injuries.  After four years of defense work, I left to start my own practice.

I originally thought I would have a diverse practice, but fairly quickly I started getting calls from injured cyclists. Now, I have a busy practice consisting of different personal injury cases, but the overwhelming majority of my work involves advocating on behalf of bicyclists and pedestrians.

Read Jim Freeman’s blogs: The Streets of Chicago and Chicago Bicycle Laws.

A good bicycle map is essential to cycling in the city. Such a map will point you to less-trafficked roads, roads with bike lanes, and roads with an ample shoulder for riding. It’ll also tip you off to cycling paths, and, in some cases, local bike shops.

While cycling around the city, the map I use the most is the free Chicago Bike Map. This map shows bike lanes and preferred routes for the entire city. It’s free and incredibly useful—what more could you want? The downside of this map is that it’s made from very low quality paper and starts to fall apart almost immediately.

Other local cycling maps:

Chicagoland Bicycle Map. Produced by the Chicago Bicycle Federation, this map is now in its 4th edition. It shows the best cycling routes through a particular area; the routes are then rated according to ease of use. Since this map costs $7 (CBF members receive the map for free), I decided to push the envelop on geekiness and have the map laminated. (While lamination renders a map practically indestructible, it does make folding cumbersome.)

Illinois Official Bicycle Map: Chicago and Northeastern Illinois.This map, published by the Illinois Department of Transportation, takes a different approach compared to the CBF map. Instead of showing a preferred route through a particular area, it shows suitability of all roads within a given area. This map loses much detail, though, once you get into areas with densely situated streets. Another freebie, this map is one of a series of nine cycling maps produce by IDOT focusing on the entire state of Illinois.

Northwest Indiana Bike Map. Just released in the spring of 2008 by the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission, this map fills a much needed gap in local cycling resources. The single time I’ve used this map, it proved enormously useful. It looks and feels much like the CBF map in that it shows a minimum number of preferred routes through a particular area.

If you live in or near Illinois, you’ve likely heard of Galena–a small historic town in the northwest corner of Illinois not far from the Mississippi River. The town, perched on the side of a hill above the Galena River, is chock-full of restaurants, shops, and attractive historic architecture. Galena claims a few museums, including one devoted to its most famous resident, Ulysses S. Grant. Not surprisingly, the town is one of the region’s major tourist destinations.

The rolling hills near Schapville

What the throngs of visitors to Galena often fail to fully experience is the countryside surrounding the town. Hands down, it’s the most scenic terrain in northern Illinois. The big hills and valleys, small dairy farms, lush woodland, and streams flowing through small limestone canyons offer a sharp contrast to the Prairie State’s nearby fields of corn and soy. All this combined with fairly quiet roadways that twist and curve like wriggling snakes make the Galena area a top-notch road biking destination.

One of the best rides in the area heads into the hills north of Galena and then runs east along an old stagecoach route to Apple River Canyon State Park. From the park, it loops back to Galena along a series of quiet scenic roads offering plenty of far-off views. Saddle up for this 57-mile ride at the Tourist Information Center in Galena.

Getting the lead out

In the 1830s, as a result of its booming lead mining industry, Galena’s population of 1,000 far outnumbered the 100 residents who lived in the swampy town of Chicago. The lead mines and associated commerce catapulted Galena into one of the busiest Mississippi River ports in the 1850s. Many of the buildings from the era still stand. Indeed, 85 percent of the town’s buildings–including the entire downtown district–are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

All this history and picturesque architecture can turn Galena’s Main Street into a half-mile long traffic jam. If you’re biking on a summer weekend, you’ll likely feel some relief as you head out of Galena and leave its crowds behind.

Apple River Canyon State Park

Following the Stagecoach Trail

A mile or so outside of Galena, you’ll encounter a few short downhills, but mainly your pistons are pumping upward. While continuing a gradual climb, don’t forget to raise your head to see the expansive views of the farms and woodland to the south and north. Soon, the road descends and you’ll fly across the Galena River. Start climbing again, and far-off views in nearly every direction compete with the need to watch the road in front of you.

As West Stagecoach Trail dips and bobs, you’ll see old farmhouses, swaths of dense woodland, and occasional gatherings of Holsteins in green fields. This scenery probably hasn’t changed much since this road served a 40-mile stagecoach route between Galena and the town of Lena to the east. Local historians say the stagecoach operated from the mid-1830s until the mid-1850s when the railroad arrived in the area.

Into the canyon

Heading south from West Stagecoach Trail, the route zigzags along a few quiet farm roads on the way to Apple River Canyon State Park, which hosts fine picnicking spots and a small limestone canyon carved out by the Apple River. This is a perfect place to unpack the sandwiches from the pannier, admire the surroundings, and give your hardworking, hill-climbing legs a bath in the cool river.

South of the park, Townsend Road immediately takes you on a sometimes gradual–and sometimes screaming–descent for a couple of miles. Pure joy. By now, you’ll see a pattern emerge: the longer descents often lead to a river or stream crossing–in this case, the Apple River.

Riding the ridge

In Schapville, look for the Zion Presbyterian Church, a wood country church built in 1886. Beyond Schapville, the road mounts a ridge that occasionally offers jaw-dropping views of far-off countryside. The scenes bring to mind idyllic pastoral paintings of 19th century America: a series of overlapping hills adorned with lush greenery, happy farm animals, and the occasional garnet-colored barn.

The road gradually descends about 350 feet before crossing Smallpox Creek. Two minor climbs bring you back to West Stagecoach Trail, over the Galena River, and back into town.

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The Route

Most of this 57-mile loop ride follows quiet roads. West Stagecoach Trail is busier and traffic can move fast, but motorists seem accustomed to cyclists and provide a wide berth while passing. Near Galena, roads seem to change names randomly.

1. From the Galena Visitor Information Center, head north out of town on Main Street.
2. Bear left on North Council Hill Road.
3. Continue straight ahead as North Council Hill Road turns into West Council Hill Road.
4. At West Stagecoach Trail, turn left.
5. After passing through the small village of Apple River, turn right on North Canyon Park Road.
6. Left on East Sweet Home Road. Right North Canyon Park Road. Right on East Townsend Road.
7. Right on North Scout Camp Road.
8. Left on East Schapville Road.
9. Left on North Elizabeth Scales Mound Road (County Route 4).
10. Right on West Rawlins Road.
11. Continue straight ahead on Guilford Road as West Rawlins Road turns to the right.
12. Left on West Stagecoach Trail to return to Galena.

If you’ve still got energy to burn after returning to Galena, consider taking a spin on the 3.4-mile Galena River Bike Trail, which starts at the parking area near the visitor center. The smooth crushed gravel trail runs along the river and adjoining wetlands, and ends just shy of meeting up with the Mississippi.

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This article first appeared in the August 2008 issue of Silent Sports magazine. A more complete description of this ride will appear in Road Biking Illinois, to be published in 2009 by FalconGuides press.

You’re on your way home from work and a coworker notices your bike helmet tucked under your arm, and says, “You’re a cyclist?” You nod and perhaps mention one of the many benefits of pedaling to work. Then your colleague says something you’ve likely heard number of times: “I’d love to ride to work, but the traffic is too dangerous.” How should you respond? Do you dismiss your colleague’s fears and tell him or her to quit whining and get riding? Do you tell this person that biking is not for everyone and leave it at that? Or do you suggest ways he or she may become more comfortable biking in traffic?

For those with an interest in earning songs of high praise from their cycling friends, here are suggestions offered by a handful of local cycling instructors on how you can provide encouragement and guidance to the up-and-coming cyclists in your midst.

1. Understand their fears. When someone is afraid of riding in traffic, the first step is confirming his or her concerns, said Dave Glowacz, author of Urban Bikers Tricks and Tips: Low-Tech and No-Tech Ways to Find, Ride, and Keep a Bicycle. Glowacz said this approach typically opens the door to more conversation: “I say ‘Yeah, it is scary, but there are a lot of people who do it and don’t have any trouble,”

“I acknowledge that it’s a valid feeling no matter how realistic their concerns are,” said Randy Warren, a Chicago Bicycle Federation (CBF) program specialist who heads up the federation’s Commuter Challenge. Warren suggests asking if there are specific situations that are most scary for this person, and then offering some solutions–or providing him or her with relevant resources.

2. Suggest a mentor. Sarah Kaplan, a cycling instructor and bike mechanic, said novice riders can learn a lot by riding with more experienced riders. Many urban biking skills–such as positioning oneself at a stoplight, making left turns at a busy intersection, and riding through traffic jams–are better understood when seen, she said. If the colleague lives within a reasonable distance of you, Kaplan suggests commuting with this person until he or she achieves a greater level of comfort. Also, she said, you may try to connect your colleague with other bike commuters who could ride with this person or advise him or her on local routes.

3. Expand their comfort zone. “Suggest that they ride in a places that are comfortable and then expand their territory slowly,” said Glowacz. Your colleague may want to start out on a quiet bike path, and then slowly move onto quiet streets, he said, and then busy streets with a bike lane, and then busy streets without a bike lane. Eventually, said Glowacz, “Most people can achieve a level comfort riding in most places.” Still, he warns, some people will never feel comfortable riding in car traffic.

4. Send ‘em to school. Chicago cycling instructor Eric Willms said beginners will become more self-assured if they know basic skills such as riding predictably, being visible, using a helmet, and keeping a safe distance from parked cars. Bicycle safety classes offer an introduction to these topics from trained individuals. Willms and other biking instructors said that people who participate in a good bike safety class consistently express how much safer and more comfortable they feel riding in a variety of traffic conditions. Cycling courses also typically touch upon other topics essential for novices, such as bike selection and fit, basics of bike handling, and maintenance.

5. Offer resources. Give your colleague a copy of the free Chicago Bike Map and explain why it’s important to stick to bike-friendly roads. Point out the Safe Bicycling in Illinois guide and CBF resources such as Bike to Work Guide, Chicagoland Bicycle Map and Safe Bicycling in Chicago, all found at the CBF website.

While fear of traffic is likely to be the most common obstacle holding people back from bike commuting, a variety of other concerns may crop up. These could involve anything from parking to cleanup to clothing to the plain ol’ fear of being different. Some of these concerns you could help with; others are addressed in the resources listed above. And, of course, whatever amount of guidance you provide for the would-be cyclists around you, don’t forget to brag about your efforts with your cycling friends.

This article, authored by Ted Villaire, appeared in the July 2008 issue of Windy City Sports magazine.

Want to experience the thrill of hoboing without the danger of getting mugged while sleeping in a dirty train car? If so, an overnight trip on local rail trails may be just what you need.

Well, yeah, it’s true that you’re not going to find any trains along local rail-trails. But you will find that these long linear paths provide an adventurous way of seeing the countryside and experiencing a taste of local history.

For a longer rail-trail trip, most people prefer to saddle up on a bike. This is because hiking more than a couple of miles along a gently graded and straight-as-an-airplane-runway trail often induces the desire to nap. And, of course, schlepping your camping supplies is simplified immensely on a bicycle.

Camping options alongside local rail trails come in various styles, and range from a fire pit and small patch of grass to pitch your tent to red carpet treatment with spacious campsites, picnic tables, nearby hiking trails, and–rejoice–restrooms.

Most cyclists choose to ride rail-trails out-and-back. Some opt for leaving a vehicle at one end of the trail. However you do it, here are few options within a 3-hour drive from Chicago.

Rock Island State Trail

Initially running from Chicago to the Quad Cities, the Rock Island Railroad Line soon branched out to 14 states and played an important role in bringing white settlers west. The railroad acquired nearly mythical status by way of a folk song first recorded in a southern prison in the 1930s, and later recorded by everyone from Lead Belly to Johnny Cash to Pete Seeger.

North of Peoria, a section of the Rock Island Line has been transformed into a 26-mile-long path. Five miles outside of Peoria, you’ll encounter Kickapoo Creek Recreation Area, a spacious trailside campground within an oak savanna. The park’s campground is specifically for Rock Island Trail users, as well as people who are willing to walk a half mile from the nearest parking lot. While you’re there, take a hike along several trails that run through a restored prairie and alongside a stream.

Don’t miss: The graceful old trestle bridge over the Spoon River at the north end of the trail.

Distance: 26 miles one way

I&M Canal Trail

Completed in 1848, the 96-mile-long Illinois and Michigan Canal provided the final shipping link between Chicago and the Gulf of Mexico. As a result, Chicago became the largest grain market in the world. Mules were guided on a path alongside the waterway as they pulled canal boats halfway across the state.

Better described as a mule trail than a rail-trail, I&M Canal Trail now runs from the outskirts of Joliet west to the town of LaSalle. From end to end, the I&M Canal Trail wanders through a variety of landscapes: dense woods, marshes, prairies, riverbank, agricultural land, and small towns. Primitive campsites appear along the side of the path, as do small public campgrounds in the towns of Channahon and Morris. The best camping spots are alongside the Illinois River at McKinley Woods. (Call first: As of the late June, 2008, a couple sections of the I&M Canal Trail were closed–but not impassable–due to erosion damage.)

Don’t miss: Between Channahon and McKinley Woods, the route traces a thin sliver of land between the canal and the wide and mighty Illinois River.

Distance: 61 miles one way

Hennepin Canal Trail

After it was finished in 1907, the Hennepin Canal never gained the prominence of the nearby I&M Canal. The growth of railroads, the waning production of Illinois coal, and the dredging of the Illinois River all conspired to make it obsolete. Nine small campgrounds are spaced out along the 62 miles of the main Hennepinn Canal Trail running from north central Illinois to the outskirts of the Quad Cities (camping is not allowed along the 29-mile north spur of the path to Rock Falls).

Along the way, don’t expect to see any towns. But you will see big soft shell turtles basking on logs, great blue herons fishing along the banks, and kingfishers and hawks looking for meals from above. Small wooded bluffs often appear alongside the east half of the canal, while wide-open corn country dominates the west half.

Don’t miss: 32 locks that were used to raise and lower the boats on the canal and six aqueducts that carried the canal and its traffic across rivers and streams.

Distance: 91 miles one way (including the north spur)

Glacial Drumlin State Trail

Named for the many glacial mounds bulging up from the Wisconsin landscape on the eastern half of this trail, the Glacial Drumlin Trail runs from Waukesha to Madison. It cuts through a half-dozen towns and skirts the edges of numerous lakes, ponds, and wetlands. Plenty of farmland appears along the way. At the west end of the trail, you’ll meet up repeatedly with Koshkonong Creek and cross the southern tip of Rock Lake. Near Lake Mills, keep an eye peeled for a herd of bison.

The Sandhill Station State Campground, less than a mile south of the trail near Lake Mills, offers walk-in campsites near the shore of Mud Lake. Keep watch for the campground’s namesake bird, an enormous grey crane with a red spot on its forehead. At the west end of the trail on the outskirts of Madison, cyclists can continue pedaling on the Capital City Trail; the east end of the trail connects with the Fox River Trail in Waukesha.

Don’t miss: Between Dousman and Sullivan, the trail passes through a vast marsh busy with waterbirds.

Distance: 52 miles one way

For the past couple of weeks I’ve been wandering through the southernmost reaches of Illinois gathering information for the outdoor guidebooks that I’m currently writing. In addition to charting a handful of road biking routes and dozens of camping destinations, I also was documenting hiking trails for the Backpacker magazine website.

I was especially eager to explore the Shawnee National Forest, a huge tract of wilderness at the southern tip of the state, known for its rugged beauty. As it happened, rain fell frequently. Floodwater swallowed up a few of the trails and campgrounds I visited. Two campground access roads were blocked with mud slides. My bicycle survived heavy downpours; my boots were frequently caked with mud.

While dodging the worst of the rain, I discovered plenty of scenic spots. The subtle beauty of the cypress swamp at Horseshoe Lake (pictured here) and the jaw-dropping drama of the rock formations at Garden of the Gods were just a couple of places that left strong impressions on me. In coming weeks, I’ll be sharing highlights from my downstate travels.

When I tell people that I wrote a hiking guidebook for the Chicago region, their first question often has do with the whereabouts of local hikes with hills. When I get this question, I often direct people to the Indiana Dunes, the Palos/Sag Valley Forest preserve in southwestern Cook County, and Chain O’ Lakes State Park in Lake County.

If people ask for advice on hilly road biking routes in the area, I find myself on shaky ground. I let them know that I’m in the process of researching a biking guidebook for the Chicago region and have yet to explore many of the local road biking routes. After that disclaimer, I’ll mention possible routes in McHenry County and even more options further north into Wisconsin.

Now, I’m happy to report, I’ve discovered a scenic road biking destination relatively close to Chicago that has a fair number of hills: Barrington.

Scenic vistas of Barrington

Given the bustle of the suburban landscape surrounding Barrington, I was utterly surprised with its rural atmosphere, and found myself congratulating the Barrington residents who fought to preserve their wooded hills, their sprawling marshlands, and widely spaced farms and houses.

One of the highlights of the ride was following River Road—a wavy ribbon of asphalt that parallels the wide and mighty Fox River outside the town of Algonquin. River homes with big porches and inviting yards line the sides of the river along this road.

Another highlight of the ride was pedaling alongside Spring Creek Valley Forest Preserve—4,000 acres of densely tangled woodland, tranquil prairie, and reedy marshes active with birds. Interrupting the savannas and the wetlands are oak- and hickory-laden hills, some of which are steep enough to shift into the granny gear. Mixed in with the woods and open space are horse farms, scattered houses, and the occasional lavish estate.

If you know the area, you know that Barrington is not the average upscale suburb. While average-sized houses do exist, many of the dwellings are better described as mansions, country manors, or in some bizarre cases, castles.

If you go

If you live in Chicago or some of the adjoining suburbs, Barrington is a snap to get to on the Metra. I started from the Metra Station in Fox River Grove on the Union Pacific District Northwest Line.

Some of the roads that were best for cycling were North River Road, Spring Creek Road, Bateman Road, Penny Road, Old Sutton Road, and Otis Road. Many of these run through or border Cook County Forest Preserves.

The full ride description and map will appear the Best Chicago Bike Rides, to be published by FalconGuides.

Thanks for visiting Prairie Fever. My name is Ted Villaire, and I’m a writer from Chicago who delights in open-air excursions. I spend a great deal of time hiking, biking, and paddling.

My activities are typically focused near Chicago or elsewhere in Illinois. Occasionally, though, I’ll venture out into other corners of the Midwest. My outdoor travels allow me to gather information for books and articles. In 2005, I wrote a guidebook for day hiking near Chicago, and currently, I’m writing four more guidebooks focusing on biking and camping near Chicago and throughout Illinois.

I’m glad to reveal that not all of my excursions are work-related. Sometimes, I lace up my hiking shoes simply because I enjoy exploring the local landscape and seeing what’s around the next bend. In any case, through the posts on this page I intend to share my discoveries and offer suggestions on where readers can pursue outdoor wanderings of their own.