Bicycle Friendly

  • HOME
  • Lake Michigan Trail
  • Maps
  • Mississippi River Trail
  • Books
  • Contact

Lake Michigan Trail Summary

July 2, 2015 By Rolf Stengl

To finish the route, I rode north up the Lake Front Trail. I took a detour to Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs baseball team, and found that off-route riding in Chicago was fine. Wrigley Field is in the middle of a residential neighborhood, Wrigleyville, which bills itself as “Chicago’s proudest neighborhood”, not because of baseball, but because it is a gender friendly place.

Wrigley Field baseball stadium

Wrigley Field baseball stadium

Then I was off to the end of the trail.

North end of the Lakefront Trail

North end of the Lakefront Trail

The route then heads through Loyola University, Chicago, and west down Devon Ave to the North Branch Trail on which I started. Devon Ave is interesting because it has about three miles of Middle Eastern, East Indian, and Jewish stores and restaurants. I was surprised to find such a heavily ethnic area, and it struck home that Chicago, like America in general, has people from all ethnic backgrounds, living together under the title “The United States of America”.

Visit Chicago and you are sure to find something that interests you. I did a total of 6 days of sightseeing there. On the last day, I found the Rapid Transit Cycle shop and talked to the owner about touring bikes. I use a 2007 Dew Deluxe urban hybrid, which has served me well, and I’ve concluded it’s still the best bike for the riding I usually do.

Rapid Transit Cycle Shop in Wicker Park

Rapid Transit Cycle Shop in Wicker Park

Down to the numbers, I was gone exactly 5 weeks. Riding the route took 29 days, of which 4 were rest days. I missed about one day of the route in the Door Peninsula, but my mileage came out pretty well equal to the official length. I rode 1,376 miles / 2,214 Km, for an average of 55 miles / 88 km per day. I had 7 days of over 60 miles, with 2 days of 68 miles.

In the past, I have aimed for 2 rest days in a row every 5 days or so, but this year I only took single rest days, and I ended up more tired than I would have liked at times. I was concerned with getting back for the return flight, and I wanted to spend more time in Chicago because I liked the place. This illustrates the typical result of a schedule, even a generous one, rather than riding with no time limit. All things considered, 5 weeks worked well, and I had enjoyable riding most days, with the extra time I wanted in Chicago at the end.

North Milwaukee Ave - Chicago mural (Lake Michigan Trail Summary)

North Milwaukee Ave mural

Total cost for the 5 weeks, including Airfare, Travel Insurance, Phone USA roaming plan, Accommodation, Food and Sightseeing, was CAN $5,198.67.

This is $1,039.70 per week, and $148.53 per day.

Compare that to 9 weeks on the Mississippi River Trail last year at $5,187.39, or $577 per week, and $82 per day.

The difference is because I used far more motels in the urban areas around Lake Michigan and to avoid overnight rain. Also the Canadian dollar has dropped in the last year, so you have to take every American cost and multiply it by 1.25 to get the Canadian equivalent. Still, I think I got good value.

I had five weeks of challenge, education and entertainment. I was on a daily fitness program, and found myself enjoying an endorphin high for almost the entire time. I freed my mind from the norms of home life, got lots of quiet time to mentally free wheel, and was sightseeing all day long.

Some riders I met complained about the unusual amount of overcast and rain. I rode in the rain on three days, and only one had rain most of the day. The frequent overcast provided perfect cycling temperatures. Yes, I was tired and frustrated at times, but such is the norm on any trip. It’s a challenge, and that’s one of the reasons I do it. It’s satisfying to leave home for the unknown road ahead, and to survive with a smile at the end. Which I did.

Thank you for your emails and for joining me online.

Next Page »
long distance, self-supported bicycle trips

riding the Mississippi River Trail
from New Orleans to Lake Itasca
. . . and then home to Canada

riding the Lake Michigan Trail, from Chicago around Lake Michigan

along the LMT

Buckingham Fountain Burnham Greenway Trail Chesterton Chicago Chicago Lakefront Trail Duck Lake State Park Erie Lackawanna Trail Gary Indiana Glen Arbor Grand Haven Hart-Montague Trail Holland Jackson Park Kenosha County Path Kohler-Andrae State Park Lake Michigan Little Travers Wheelway Long Beach Ludington Mariners Trail Michigan City Muskegon New Buffalo Nuclear Energy sculpture Oak Leaf Trail Oak Savannah Trail Old Grand Haven Road Ozaukee Interurban Trail Pentwater Petoskey Point Beach State Forest Prairie Duneland Trail Rapid Transit Cycle shop Robert McClory Bike Path Saugatuck Sleeping Bear Dunes Snug Harbor South Chicago River St. Joseph The Bean Three Sisters University of Chicago Washington Park Willis Tower Wrigley Field

Lake Michigan Trail (LMT)

Lake Michigan Trail Summary

July 2, 2015

Touring Chicago Part 2

June 23, 2015

Touring Chicago Part 1

June 22, 2015

Riding into Chicago

June 21, 2015

Riding to Chesterton

June 20, 2015

Good day to St. Joseph

June 19, 2015

Holland

June 18, 2015

Muskegon

June 17, 2015

Ludington, tourist town

June 16, 2015

Fog to Ludington

June 15, 2015

Foggy day to Arcadia

June 14, 2015

Glen Arbor

June 13, 2015

Acme

June 11, 2015

Petoskey

June 10, 2015

Tourist on Mackinaw Island

June 9, 2015

Naubinway & St. Ignace

June 8, 2015

Indian Lake State Park

June 6, 2015

Ford River

June 5, 2015

Good road to Menominee

June 4, 2015

Green Bay

June 3, 2015

Egg Harbor

June 1, 2015

Cold Air

May 31, 2015

Rain

May 30, 2015

North to Point Beach State Forest

May 29, 2015

Milwaukee to Kohler-Andrae State Park

May 28, 2015

Milwaukee

May 27, 2015

Illinois Beach State Park

May 25, 2015

Boating in Chicago

May 24, 2015

Chicago

May 23, 2015

A New Ride Begins

May 22, 2015

Coming soon…

May 6, 2015

Recent Posts

  • Lake Michigan Trail Summary
  • Touring Chicago Part 2
  • Touring Chicago Part 1
  • Riding into Chicago
  • Riding to Chesterton
  • Good day to St. Joseph
  • Holland
  • Muskegon
  • Ludington, tourist town
  • Fog to Ludington
  • Foggy day to Arcadia
  • Glen Arbor
  • Acme
  • Petoskey
  • Tourist on Mackinaw Island
  • Naubinway & St. Ignace
  • Indian Lake State Park
  • Ford River
  • Good road to Menominee
  • Green Bay
  • Egg Harbor
  • Cold Air
  • Rain
  • North to Point Beach State Forest
  • Milwaukee to Kohler-Andrae State Park
  • Milwaukee
  • Illinois Beach State Park
  • Boating in Chicago
  • Chicago
  • A New Ride Begins
  • Coming soon…

Mississippi River Trail (MRT)

Mississippi Slim

July 16, 2014

Dog River, Saskatchewan

July 11, 2014

Into Saskatchewan

July 10, 2014

Leaving nothing behind

July 9, 2014

Wind & rain to Velma

July 7, 2014

Headwind to Harvey

July 6, 2014

The straight & narrow

July 5, 2014

Heading into North Dakota

July 4, 2014

From hills to flat in 30 miles

July 3, 2014

Mississippi Headwaters

July 3, 2014

Update from Suzanne

July 2, 2014

Bemidji in the rain

June 29, 2014

To Bimidji with a tail wind

June 27, 2014

A dam site closer

June 26, 2014

Andy Griffith Kind of Place

June 25, 2014

Simple ride to Crosby MN, 54 miles

June 24, 2014

Bugged in the great outdoors

June 23, 2014

Moving on to St. Cloud

June 23, 2014

Mill City

June 21, 2014

Rain & Shine, to Minneapolis

June 20, 2014

The Jackpot

June 17, 2014

A note on summer

June 16, 2014

Tourist in La Crosse

June 16, 2014

La Crosse with a tailwind

June 15, 2014

Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Campground

June 14, 2014

Town that time forgot

June 13, 2014

Notes on camping

June 13, 2014

Hills & Headwind to Galena, Illinois

June 12, 2014

Liver & onions in Fulton

June 11, 2014

To Rock Island, Illinois

June 10, 2014

To Great River Campground south of Keithsburg

June 9, 2014

Rest in Nauvoo, Illinois

June 8, 2014

Riding in the rain

June 7, 2014

Hannibal, Missouri

June 6, 2014

Pleasant Hill, Illinois

June 5, 2014

“Meet me in St Louis”

June 3, 2014

Chester to St. Louis

June 2, 2014

We are here

June 1, 2014

When you’re hot, the trip is not

May 31, 2014

Riding in the pain

May 30, 2014

Rain

May 29, 2014

to Reelfoot Lake State Park, 80 miles

May 28, 2014

to COVINGTON, 58 miles

May 27, 2014

Takin’ a lickin’ in Memphis

May 25, 2014

To Tunics Resorts, 85 miles

May 23, 2014

I swim in the Mississippi!

May 22, 2014

Tourist Opportunity

May 21, 2014

Roy’s Store is a town

May 21, 2014

To Roy’s Store, 56 miles

May 20, 2014

To Chotard Lake, 48 miles

May 19, 2014

T’Beaux’s

May 18, 2014

To Vicksburg – 60m/100k

May 18, 2014

To Natchez State Park – 44 miles

May 17, 2014

To Red Deer Lake, 62 miles

May 17, 2014

Camping in Morganza

May 16, 2014

To Morganza – 46 miles/76 K

May 15, 2014

Sitting on the levee

May 14, 2014

To Baton Rouge

May 14, 2014

In Paulina

May 12, 2014

On the river

May 11, 2014

Bourbon Street

May 10, 2014

New Orleans

May 10, 2014

Depart Calgary Airport

May 9, 2014

Louisiana

2014-05-15_125927SFW

Mississippi

Mississippi River Trail

Tennessee

Kooky Canuck, Memphis

Kentucky

Mississippi River Trail

Illinois

Mississippi River Trail

Missouri

St. Louis, Missouri arch

Iowa

2014-06-07_182832sfw

Wisconsin

Wisconsin

Minnesota

Minnesota2014-06-19_083135s

North Dakota

North Dakota

Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan

Copyright © 2023 Rolf Stengl · All Rights Reserved