Spring Bike 2015

It pained me to leave my bike behind in Peoria when I got on the bus toward the suburbs for spring break.  But thankfully I have a good doctor who knew exactly how to make me feel better.  Dr. Dan, dentist by day and my biking buddy by night, offered to let me borrow one of his bikes for the week.  Bike sharing is caring!  Thus, Spring Bike 2015 commenced.

• Day 1 – Chicago’s Northwest suburbs aren’t Panama City Beach, but I found some sand in South Barrington.

Dr. Dan and I took a spin through Paul Douglas Forest Preserve in Hoffman Estates to kick off my spring break riding series.  We went beyond the bike paths to ride on rural roads and through really nice neighborhoods when we stumbled upon a subdivision called “The Coves.”  There was no swimming or sun tanning, but we had found a little piece of paradise.

• Day 2 – Forest preserves are some of my favorite places to explore in the suburbs.  There are so many in Cook County, but I frequent a few in particular.  Busse Woods, or Ned Brown Preserve, is closest to my house and has one of largest paved loops around.  I adore winding through the wooded areas and cruising by the lakeshore, but I was especially excited to use the recently opened bridge, which eliminated the need to cross a busy intersection.

The bridge allowed me to enjoy an uninterrupted eight miles inside the beautiful Busee Woods.  I loved seeing so many people on the bike paths on this picturesque Sunday afternoon.

• Day 3 – My next stop on the local forest preserve list was Deer Grove in Palatine.  I picked up the Palatine Trail just a few miles from home and sailed all the way to this cyclist hotspot.  Featuring an array of wildlife and wetlands, the area is a scenic backdrop while biking its rolling hills.

I didn’t see any deer this time, but I truly felt immersed in nature here.  It was the perfect place to find peace before heading to my first job interview later that afternoon.

• Day 4 – On St. Patrick’s Day, I hit the natural beauty jackpot…I unexpectedly discovered the sparkling Penny Road Pond.  As someone who picks up every penny I see on the ground, I felt like this was a extra special spot.

While green beer was probably flowing at the nearby Penny Road Pub, I was in awe of the small patches of green signifying spring that surrounded Penny Road Pond.

Upon my return, I got lucky again when I found a covered bridge.  I’ve always wanted to bike through one, and St. Patrick’s Day 2015 was the day it would finally happen.

It was fitting that I crossed a covered bridge on my final suburban ride of spring break because I “covered” many miles during my brief stay at home.
Thanks for a fantastic four days of riding, suburbs.  Spring Bike 2015 will be continued in the cornfields around Lake Holiday.  We’re packed and ready to hit the road yet again.