Daily LFP 20-miler, Saturday 50-miler - South Loop

Hi all!

I'm new at CL and new to cycling; started this summer and it's safe to say I have fallen deeply in love with the feeling of flying along the LFP. Currently I'm riding about 20 miles a day, Sun-Thu, @ 15-17 mph with a recovery day on Fri and a long ride (50 miles) on Sat.

My 20-mile route starts on the bridge between Michigan and Columbus, just North of Roosevelt (see graphic). I ride North to the head of the LFP (at Foster), South to approx McCormick Place to complete the route, then mosey back to the South Loop.

I depart between 5:30am and 6:00am*, but I'm happy to adjust/tighten the departure time with advance notice (Email or text me before 9pm the night before) if I know I'm riding with someone. Happy to ride slightly faster or slower as well.

I'd enjoy some CL company for my daily or Saturday long ride. Please let me know if you're interested in joining me!

*Note: leaving this early allows me to avoid the herds of runners I've heard other cyclists grouse about on the path, but this time of year it's usually fairly dark for the first 15 - 20 minutes of the ride - some kind of front-facing light is probably a good idea!

Tags: 20, 50, century, daily, half, long, mile, ride

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Permalink Reply by James BlackHeron on September 20, 2012 at 7:30am

Sweet, welcome to cycling in the Chicago area. If you start early enough at this time of year you can get some great rides on the LFP. It's a nice jaunt for short rides like this.

Don't get TOO used to a clear LFP though. Next spring you'll be looking for someplace else to ride or needing to depart at 3AM to beat the crowds.

Where are you getting the 50 in? Just doing more laps of the LFP?

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Permalink Reply by Chi Lowe 12.5+ mi on September 20, 2012 at 9:11am

Yes - just more laps: Roosevelt to Foster / Foster to 71st / 71st to Montrose / Montrose to Roosevelt. I don't mind the crowds on the LFP for now, and I'm hard pressed to think of another place in the city where I could ride with fewer starts and stops. Are there other good urban routes for this?

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Permalink Reply by Bill Savage on September 20, 2012 at 9:29am

Front-facing lights are ALWAYS a good idea. Even a legal requirement. . . Enjoy your rides, and you might consider making your 20 milers to the south. The view of the skyline is actually better from down around 47th Street, and the LFP is always less crowded south of the Museum Campus.

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Permalink Reply by James BlackHeron on September 20, 2012 at 10:47am

I'm a big fan of the Channel Trail to the Green Bay Trail. But that's because it is pretty close and easy to get to from where I live in Logan Square. And once on the GBT I can always bail out by catching the Metra back home for whatever reason I can't complete the miles I bit off.

There are a ton of good trails. The only problem is getting to them. Many of them go on for more miles than most folks are willing to ride.

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Permalink Reply by kiltedcelt on September 20, 2012 at 8:46pm

+1 for the south end of the LFP. My commute each day is the south LFP from 57th to Fullerton and it's always better south of the museum campus, except around 31st street beach, that can get kinda hairy in summer in the afternoons. Lots of unattended children and other oblivious peds.

Bill Savage said:

Front-facing lights are ALWAYS a good idea. Even a legal requirement. . . Enjoy your rides, and you might consider making your 20 milers to the south. The view of the skyline is actually better from down around 47th Street, and the LFP is always less crowded south of the Museum Campus.

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Permalink Reply by Wolf-Pup on September 21, 2012 at 1:34pm

I'm interested but I'm very very slow. Ask anyone. I can last on long rides, but I roll around at a leisurely sloth pace. We can always start out together and if I'm too slow I'll just get off at downtown or maybe Lakeview?

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Permalink Reply by Chi Lowe 12.5+ mi on September 21, 2012 at 3:31pm

@Yvonne - Good suggestion: let's try it and see if it works. If not, then nothing lost since we'll both get a ride in. Will send you my contact details.

Yvonne Valencia said:

I'm interested but I'm very very slow. Ask anyone. I can last on long rides, but I roll around at a leisurely sloth pace. We can always start out together and if I'm too slow I'll just get off at downtown or maybe Lakeview?