From Chicago's magnificent lakefront to the mountain trails of the Shawnee National Forest, no state has more varied terrain for the cyclist than Illinois. Large, full-detail maps guide you confidently on city streets or prairie back roads, and concise, entertaining trail descriptions make your bicycle adventure come alive. Includes 60 rides for cyclists of all ability levels, tips on where to find water, snacks, lodging, repairs, fascinating notes that help you appreciate the nature and history along the trail, and much more.
The "Bike and Brew America" series pairs a region's best mountain bike trails with its finest brewpubs. Each chapter is organized by state, with this edition covering North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. Included are an introduction to each state's bike and brew character, trail data and brewpub details.
f you think the Midwest is nothing but flatlands covered with cornfields, then you need to hop on your bicycle and rediscover the startling diversity and beautiful scenery of the states of Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. Thanks to this indispensable book, you can select a B&B as your base of operations and set out to explore the countryside using the maps and cue sheets for at least two rides that begin right from each inn's driveway. From the unexpected highlands around Marietta, Ohio, to the beautiful emerald necklace of Cleveland's urban parks, from the woods and lakes of Michigan to the quintessential small towns of Indiana, there is a destination for you in Bed, Breakfast & Bike. The lodging choices run the gamut, as well. You'll find restored Victorian mansions, rustic lodges, sprawling farmhouses--even a vintage sternwheeler moored in the Muskingum River! The authors have personally selected each of the 27 inns and B&Bs in these pages, and provide you with a thorough description of the accommodations and dining options. To help you remember your trip, there's a chapter full of recipes culled from the inns so that you can replicate that stunning breakfast that fueled you up the first hill.
On rails-to-trails bike paths, city streets, and winding country roads, the bicycle seems ubiquitous in the Badger State. Yet there’s a complex and fascinating history behind the popularity of biking in Wisconsin—one that until now has never been told. Meticulously researched through periodicals and newspapers, Wheel Fever traces the story of Wisconsin’s first “bicycling boom,” from the velocipede craze of 1869 through the “wheel fever” of the 1890s. It was during this crucial period that the sport Wisconsinites know and adore first took shape. From the start it has been defined by a rich and often impassioned debate over who should be allowed to ride, where they could ride, and even what they could wear. Many early riders embraced the bicycle as a solution to the age-old problem of how to get from here to there in the quickest and easiest way possible. Yet for every supporter of the “poor man’s horse,” there were others who wanted to keep the rights and privileges of riding to an elite set. Women, the working class, and people of color were often left behind as middle- and upper-class white men benefitted from the “masculine” sport and all-male clubs and racing events began to shape the scene. Even as bikes became more affordable and accessible, a culture defined by inequality helped create bicycling in its own image, and these limitations continue to haunt the sport today. Wheel Fever is about the origins of bicycling in Wisconsin and why those origins still matter, but it is also about our continuing fascination with all things bicycle. From “boneshakers” to high-wheels, standard models to racing bikes, tandems to tricycles, the book is lushly illustrated with never-before-seen images of early cycling, and the people who rode them: bloomer girls, bicycle jockeys, young urbanites, and unionized workers. Laying the foundations for a much-beloved recreation, Wheel Fever challenges us to imagine anew the democratic possibilities that animated cycling’s early debates.
This series of two-color guides includes comprehensive state-by-state guides to walking, jogging, bicycling, and cross-country skiing along rail-trail systems. Written by locals with expert knowledge of their states, these easy-to-use books provide mile-by-mile descriptions of the most popular rural and urban rail trails. They include: Full trail profiles, including length, access points, difficulty rating, and surface type Detailed trail maps At-a-glance icons for easy identification of rail trails that best suit one’s interests Information on wheelchair accessibility; availability of parking, rest rooms, and places to eat along the trail; location of ranger stations, visitor’s centers and depot museums; and where to rent bikes
Hidden in and around Minneapolis and St. Paul are some great roads, trails, and bike paths that are fun to explore. Best Bike Rides Minneapolis and St. Paul describes 40 great recreational rides in the metro areas. With most rides between 5 and 30 miles—including road rides, rail trails, bike paths, and mountain bike rides—it’s easy to find an interesting place to ride. Each route includes complete directions, a map, a text description of the area you’ll be riding, the GPS coordinates of the start/finish point, and color photos of one the ride’s features. Also included is information on local restaurants, lodging, maps, bicycle shops, other facilities for cyclists, and community resources. Features: • Detailed maps and directions • Rides that explore the city as well as the surrounding area. • A variety of rides, from 5-mile trail rides to 60-mile destination rides and everything in between • In-depth information about each ride, including length, terrain, traffic conditions, and road hazards • Interesting facts about each area • Options to create longer or shorter rides
Launched as a lark in 1973, RAGBRAI has developed into the world's largest, longest and oldest bicycle touring event. Thousands of cyclists from all fifty states and dozens of countries ride across Iowa for a weeklong festival. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of hospitable Iowans welcome, feed and shelter this rolling carnival, showcasing their communities. Greg Borzo has gathered hundreds of stories that reveal the essence of this unique event. He has also gathered a lavish collection of photographs and cartoons--vintage and contemporary, most never published before--that illustrate RAGBRAI's kaleidoscopic character.
Written for the cyclists of all stripes, Best Bikes Rides Near Chicago marks the debut of a new series that offers a diverse array of scenic tours in some of America’s largest urban destinations—from easy excursions for the Sunday cyclist to challenging treks for the veteran. Here, veteran author and cyclist Ted Villaire presents 35 diverse rides in and around the Windy City. As amply demonstrated by this guide, Chicago’s heritage as a transportation hub has reaped huge rewards for local cyclists. Twenty miles of lakeshore parkland and an elaborate system of leafy boulevards connect a series of mega-parks throughout the city. Coupled with this is an ever-expanding cycling infrastructure featuring more than 100 miles of bikes lanes. The Illinois Prairie Path, which runs between the Des Plaines River and Wheaton, was one of the first linear trails in the nation converted from a railroad line—and today it is part of the most extensive collection of rail trails in the Midwest, perhaps the nation.
