This Department is conducted in the interest of Bicyclers, and the Editor will be pleased to answer any question on the subject. Our maps and tours contain many valuable data kindly supplied from the official maps and road-books of the League of American Wheelmen. Recognizing the value of the work being done by the L.A.W., the Editor will be pleased to furnish subscribers with membership blanks and information so far as possible.
Copyright, 1896, by Harper & Brothers.
The route given in the next three weeks will be one of the best trips in the vicinity of Chicago, extending from Chicago itself to Joliet, thence to Ottawa, and thence to La Salle, and return. Like the great majority of trips taken from Chicago, this one depends largely upon the time at the rider's disposal, for you may either start from Chicago itself, or if the time is too short you can take the train for Ottawa and ride from there, or it is possible to get off the train at Joliet and ride on. But if time is not so important a matter, it is by all means best to ride all the way from Chicago. A choice of roads leads out of the city. You can go by the Archer Road to Joliet viâ Summit, Mount Forest, Willow Springs, Sag, Lemont, Romeo, and Lockport. In going the other way, take the Washington Boulevard west to Des Plaines Avenue, and then south to Riverside. This route leads along the old Illinois-Michigan Canal, Des Plaines River, and the new drainage canal, and it gives an excellent opportunity for you to examine the work on this large engineering undertaking.
There is still one other route to Joliet, which is a good road if the weather is good, but which after rain it would be unwise to attempt. This route is as follows: Start south on Western Avenue, or go down through Pullman City, turning westward to arrive at Blue Island. Here it will be necessary to make inquiry for the Blue Island and Orland Road, which runs southwest through Orland Station on the Wabash railway to Joliet. Part of this secondary route is not on the map, but it can be traced from Orland through Alpine, Hadley, and on into Joliet. The most attractive route, however, is the second one—that is, through Riverside, Summit, Willow Springs, etc.
On this first stage to Joliet the road to Summit is easily found, except that on passing through Summit a sharp turn to the left should be made, instead of crossing the track and the canal, up a hill, the road then being perfectly clear through Mount Forest and Willow Springs to Sag Station, with one hill about midway between the two latter places. At Sag Station turn to the left and run down to Sag, less than a mile away; then, turning sharply to the right, run to Lemont. Thence, keeping always on the southern and eastern side of the tracks and the river, follow the road to Romeo, with a hill as you enter the town, and run thence through Lockport to Joliet. The distance is close upon forty miles. If the trip is made in a day, a good place to stop is at Sag. If, however, the wheelman decides to run to Ottawa in one day, Joliet would make a stop a little less than half the distance; though this run to Ottawa of about ninety miles is a little too much for the average rider, and Joliet being a good place to stop overnight, he is advised to make a two days' trip of the journey. In case Joliet is too far, there is a good hotel at Lockport, six or seven miles nearer Chicago than Joliet, and the stop might be made there, although that leaves a long ride for the next day.
Note.—Map of New York city asphalted streets in No. 809. Map of route from New York to Tarrytown in No. 810. New York to Stamford, Connecticut, in No. 811. New York to Staten Island in No. 812. New Jersey from Hoboken to Pine Brook in No. 813. Brooklyn in No. 814. Brooklyn to Babylon in No. 815. Brooklyn to Northport in No. 816. Tarrytown to Poughkeepsie in No. 817. Poughkeepsie to Hudson in No. 818. Hudson to Albany in No. 819. Tottenville to Trenton in No. 820. Trenton to Philadelphia in No. 821. Philadelphia in No. 822. Philadelphia-Wissahickon Route in No. 823. Philadelphia to West Chester in No. 824. Philadelphia to Atlantic City—First Stage in No. 825; Second Stage in No. 826. Philadelphia to Vineland—First Stage in No. 827; Second Stage in No. 828. New York to Boston—Second Stage in No. 829. Third Stage in No. 830; Fourth Stage in No. 831; Fifth Stage in No. 832; Sixth Stage in No. 833. Boston to Concord in No. 834. Boston in No. 835. Boston to Gloucester in No. 836. Boston to Newburyport in No. 837. Boston to New Bedford in No. 838. Boston to South Framingham in No. 839. Boston to Nahant in No. 840. Boston to Lowell in No. 841. Boston to Nantasket Beach in No. 842. Boston Circuit Ride in No. 843. Philadelphia to Washington—First Stage in No. 844; Second Stage in No. 845; Third Stage in No. 846; Fourth Stage in No. 847; Fifth Stage in No. 848. City of Washington in No. 849. City of Albany in No. 854; Albany to Fonda in No 855; Fonda to Utica in No. 856; Utica to Syracuse in No. 857; Syracuse to Lyons in No. 858; Lyons to Rochester in No. 859; Rochester to Batavia in No. 860; Batavia to Buffalo in No. 861; Poughkeepsie to Newtown in No. 864; Newtown to Hartford in No. 865; New Haven to Hartford in No. 866; Hartford to Springfield in No. 867; Hartford to Canaan in No 868; Canaan to Pittsfield in No. 869; Hudson to Pittsfield in No. 870. City of Chicago in No. 874. Waukesha to Oconomowoc in No. 875; Chicago to Wheeling in No. 876; Wheeling to Lippencott's in No 877; Lippencott's to Waukesha in No. 878; Waukesha to Milwaukee in No. 879.