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Is there a safe way to get through Chicago on a bike?


Flyinfool

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I do have an iPass and I have registered all of my vehicles including the bike and its trailer to it. I was planning to stick the Ipass to the inside of the trunk lid. It should work thru plastic.

 

It is looking more like my target departure time will have to be Friday around 4 AM. I guess I will need to add more additional lighting to the bike and trailer. Or would I be better off leaving Milwaukee at 6-7pm Thursday night. That will put me in Chicago around 8-9pm, and at Dons at around 3-4am. But then I am trying to pick a campsite and set up camp in the dark while a couple of people might be trying to sleep.

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Just starting to do some of the early preplanning to head out to Dons MD.

I just hope that there are no crisis again this year that make me stay home again.

 

The plan was to start out very early on Friday morning and be coming back thru late Sunday night. My original plan was to leave home around 6am but after reading some of these posts I may consider bumping that up to 3 or 4am to clear Chicago/Gary by 6:30

According to my mapping software it is about 8.5 hours ride if I stick to the interstates. If I detour to avoid dieing in Chicago/Gary traffic then it will push out to 9+ hours. If the weather is HOT then I will need more stops to keep my marshmallow butt from melting.

I want to make it to Dons early enough on Friday to rest up for the ride out to dinner.

It would also be nice to be able to set the tent up before it gets to dark.

 

I still have so much to do and so little time left to get it done in........

The more I work on stuff the more I find that should be done.....

June is coming fast.

 

Jeff when it gets closer let's talk. Eusa1, Cherrie, (his wife) me and Shirley are all going so maybe we can hook up and ride out together. I will probably meet Mike in Peru and we could meet you in Gary someplace

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I do have an iPass and I have registered all of my vehicles including the bike and its trailer to it. I was planning to stick the Ipass to the inside of the trunk lid. It should work thru plastic.

 

It is looking more like my target departure time will have to be Friday around 4 AM. I guess I will need to add more additional lighting to the bike and trailer. Or would I be better off leaving Milwaukee at 6-7pm Thursday night. That will put me in Chicago around 8-9pm, and at Dons at around 3-4am. But then I am trying to pick a campsite and set up camp in the dark while a couple of people might be trying to sleep.

 

 

Trying to sleep?? They should know better!!

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I drive truck in Chicago daily. I can tell you if you aren't downtown by 5am you're in trouble. I would leave at 3 from Milwaukee area. Get through the city and stop for breakfast when you get to the other side. I've seen to many motorcycle crashes in heavy traffic in Chicago. Good Luck!!

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3 am or pm?

 

Pm.

 

It was this past summer when I stopped in at work. Was planning on being out of Waukesha around 12-1pm but a small incindent slowed me down. Rhonda was on her Victory.

 

Traffic was thick but there was a few places where it picked up and you were able to go for a few miles. Actually it seemed better than Toronto's rush hour.

 

Brad

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Or you could take a little extra traveling time and take the 43 to the 39 south to El Paso IL. pick up state rte 24 and head east till you are in Indiana. then you will be clear to go any direction you want. The more distance I can put between me and any city is the only way to go. I hate diving in traffic.

 

I went across on 24 on our way home from Cody, nice trip 4 lanes most of the way

and divided hwy in some sections. We did not want any part of the big city 2 up pulling a trailer.

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Jeff,

 

Just take the route that I told you about and don't worry about it, you'll be fine. hwy#355 is the second skirt around the city. And according the the mapping that I use, it's only a little over 6 1/2 hours to Don's from your place.

 

Hope that you make it. Now get at that list of yours. :080402gudl_prv:

Steve

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Jeff,

 

Just take the route that I told you about and don't worry about it, you'll be fine. hwy#355 is the second skirt around the city. And according the the mapping that I use, it's only a little over 6 1/2 hours to Don's from your place.

 

Hope that you make it. Now get at that list of yours. :080402gudl_prv:

Steve

 

You are forgetting about my marshmallow butt and I have no idea what to expect for gas mileage pulling a fully loaded trailer at freeway speeds so I have planned for 100-130 mile legs to stop for gas.

 

Taking #355 will add about 35 miles and a half hour to the trip, but that does look interesting as a route with less traffic.

 

6.5 hours for 420 miles would require an average speed of 64MPH. I will need at least 4 gas / butt stops, and a breakfast stop and a meet up with others stop, and maybe even a lunch stop. Hey I did not get this wonderful physique by missing ANY meals.

 

It is still early for planning, I will have to see where the road destruction projects will be along the route and who all I will be meeting up with along the way.

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I'm planning a trip up that way and coming back down through the U.P. this summer and had been eyeing 355 and avoiding also avoiding gary. This seems to confirm my inkling

 

zinger

 

Jeff,

 

Just take the route that I told you about and don't worry about it, you'll be fine. hwy#355 is the second skirt around the city. And according the the mapping that I use, it's only a little over 6 1/2 hours to Don's from your place.

 

Hope that you make it. Now get at that list of yours. :080402gudl_prv:

Steve

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Pm.

 

It was this past summer when I stopped in at work. Was planning on being out of Waukesha around 12-1pm but a small incindent slowed me down. Rhonda was on her Victory.

 

Traffic was thick but there was a few places where it picked up and you were able to go for a few miles. Actually it seemed better than Toronto's rush hour.

 

Brad

I'll never ride a bike through Toronto on 401 again. I rode through on a Saturday afternoon and will never do that again. That is one busy road and the people up there drive like maniacs.

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I'll never ride a bike through Toronto on 401 again. I rode through on a Saturday afternoon and will never do that again. That is one busy road and the people up there drive like maniacs.

 

:rotf:Gotta move along with traffic or get out of the way. Have you tried driving through Montreal that can be nasty ?

 

Brad

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