From NYC I flew to Chicago. My first ‘issue’ (aside from the chain issues) occurred when checking into my flight at Newark Airport. Since I’m traveling for work and traveling business class I had read on the United website that I would be able to travel with one ‘special’ piece of luggage. Well, that’s not actually the case, and I was charged an extra fee for the bike case. Not the end of the world, but if I were traveling on a budget, I’d have had an issue…
I was only in Chicago for one day, so I woke up early and, since my hotel was right on the East Chicago River, next to the Riverwalk, I was able to ride on bicycle or bicycle /pedestrian paths for the whole of the ride. From the Riverwalk I headed south along the bike path that runs along the lake. It was a terrific way to start the day, though it was very cold (+/- 0c).
Chicago Riverwalk
From the Riverwalk the ‘Lakefront Trail‘ runs north and south along the lake. It is a fantastic resource for people in Chicago and was terrific to ride. I head south and the path sweeps along the river around the various museums and park land. The surface varies from very smooth to less than ideal, but for the most part it is very nice. As I head south there were a few bicyclists heading the other way, and they all seemed to be working very hard. It was not until I decided I had ridden far enough and turned around that I realised why… The wind out out of the north was pretty nasty. I was glad I was on a recumbent!
Lakefront Trail along Lake Michigan
As I head back north toward the city the view of the cityscape were great. I was stopped by someone who saw the bike and was interested in recumbents. We chatted for a little while (I recommended a trike based on his requirements), and then I stopped to take a shot of the city.
Chicago skyline – Willis (Sears) Tower is on the far left
All in all it was a great way to ‘see’ Chicago, and to start the day. Next stop, San Francisco. A gps trace of the ride below.