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To WI from the southeast

You can also copy and paste the following address into Google Earth or Google Maps
Washington County Fair Park West Bend, WI 53095
(uploaded the file) Please let me know if you have problems with the upload.
 

Attachments

  • BMW MOA Rally 2007.kmz.zip
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Waaay down south

I will be riding from South Fl. Looking for riding company, departing Jul 08 or 09, anyone going in that direction?
Remi
 
Skirting the SW corner of Chicago

Here is a route I wrote coming from the NW (of Chicago) to Bemmerville (Lima OH). Reverse it to get to I39 & I80 (or nearby) from the North Central area of Indiana (and to the SE). I take it often (with some variations) when heading to Bemidji MN (and Dells rally) to visit my Son and family. If there is interest I will rewrite it.
----------------------

Getting Around Chicago, on your way to Beemerville

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Getting Around Chicago, on your way to Beemerville (5/7/2005)
tom42n@kconline.com

Are you traveling to Beemerville from North and West of Chicago and dread thinking
about the mess around the Southwest, South, and Southeast corner of Chicago,
including Northwest Indiana? Do you lay awake at night thinking about the jammed
construction stops, the hungry toll stops, the BIG eighteen wheelers riding your tail light,
all the way around Chicago and well into Indiana. Would you like the peace and Zen of
following the ÔÇÿlittle black linesÔÇÖ through the open midwestern countryside to Beemerville?
. . . . Then this route is for you.

The closest US Route south of I80 is the Lincoln Highway (US30) but it is almost as
bad, in this area and cluttered with stop lights and malls. Then comes US24, but it is a
little too far south. So letÔÇÖs go between US30 and US24 and follow the ÔÇÿlittle black linesÔÇÖ.
I have been this route, from Winamac, IN several times while heading to Minnesota to
visit my son and his family, as well as heading to the Wisconsin Dells Rally. I have also
directed others along this route.

Lets begin at I 80 and Morris IL. This is a good place to start because I 80 takes a slight
jog to the NE toward the South side of Chicago and continues on into NW Indiana. And
IL47 crosses I80 at this point. The approximate lat/lon coordinates are: N41?? 23.218',
W88?? 25.488'. We are heading to Bemmerville, Lima OH, which is at: N40?? 43.578',
W84?? 03.297. Lima OH is almost straight East of Morris IL. About 4 ?¢ degrees (230
miles) to the east and slightly, 1/2 degree, south, (45 miles or so). .

The travel plan below is organized as ÔÇ£The RouteÔÇØ, followed by ÔÇ£Alternatives and Side
TripsÔÇÖ. This route will take you across wide open spaces with open fields of corn, soy
beans, pasture and other crops, along rivers, along rolling state highways, through
several small towns of middle America. The largest city, which is circumvented via
Interstate, is Ft Wayne (home of BMW Dealer- Woodson Motorsports
http://www.woodsonbmw.com).


ÔÇ£The RouteÔÇØ
The route attempts to optimize the following-, a) minimal route changes, b) reasonable
shortest & fastest, b) follow the little black lines (State or US, marked Highways,
minimize county roads). The route with road change intersections and approx. mileage,
which you should be able to follow on your state maps, follows: (leg number with
approx. leg mileage is shown in parens to the left of each leg description).

(Leg # - /cume miles) Direction to, next turn, (nearby)
(Start) I 80 exit 112 to IL 47 South, Exit 112, left, turn right (south),
(Morris IL exit)

(Leg 1- 8/8 miles) go south on IL 47 to IL 113 East - turn left. , (south of Morris IL)

(Leg 2- 34/42 miles) go easterly and southeasterly on IL113 East to IL 17 North -
turn right. (in Kankakee IL). Partly along the south bank of the
Kankakee river.

(Leg 3- 14/56 miles) go easterly on IL 17 North (joins IL 1 east of Kankakee, IL) to
IL 114 - turn right (at Momence IL)

(Leg 4- 8/64 miles) go east on IL 114 East to IN 10 East - go straight (at IL/IN state
Line)

(Leg 5- 15/79 miles) go east on IN 10 East to IN 110 East - go straight (south of
Demotte IN)

(Leg 6- 3/82 miles) go east on IN 110 East to US 231 South - turn right (southeast
of Demotte IN)

(Leg 7- 8/90 miles) go south US 231 South to IN 14 East - turn left (north of
Rensselaer IN)

(Leg 8- 106/196 miles) go east on IN 14 East to I 69 North - turn left (West side of Ft
Wayne IN) bypass around Ft Wayne to US 30 East.

(Leg 9- 11/207 miles) go northerly on I 69 North to I 469 South (north side of Ft
Wayne)

(Leg 10- 15/222 miles) go southerly on I 469 South to US 30 East (East side of Ft
Wayne)

(Leg 11- 42/264 miles) go southeasterly on US 30 East to OH 309 East (east of Lima
OH)

(Leg 12- 15/279 miles) go easterly on OH 309 East to Allen County Fairgrounds
(Beemerville) East of Lima.

(End) Beemerville

Total Miles is about 280. My Router (DeLorme) says this route is about the same
distance as the interstate route and takes 7 1/4 hours, about 1 1/4 hours longer than the
interstate route (I80/IN49/US30/I75). And of course your YT&DMV.

ÔÇ£Alternatives and Side TripsÔÇØ,
Side Trip/Alternative 1
Instead of the south bank of the Kankakee river follow the north bank via IL102.
One way to get across the river is to take I80 to I55 south to CR44 south to,
Kankakee Road, to IL102. There are other ways. Take IL102 to US45 south to
IL17 in Kankakee, just east of the start of Leg 3. This route goes by the Kankakee
River State Park (see below).

Side Trip/Alternative 2
MartiÔÇÖs Restaurant is a neat place to eat. On the banks of the Kankakee River
just north of Demotte Indiana. About 9 miles North of the end of Leg 5. See
http://www.emartisplace.com/ , for more details and directions.

Side Trip/Alternative 3 (Kerstings Motorcycle Museum)
See the many restored motorcycles in Jim Kerstings MC Museum south of North
Judson. For more details see http://www.kerstingscycle.com/muse.html. He is
located on IN39 between IN14 and IN10. The museum is about 22 miles after the
start of Leg 8.then 6 miles North of IN14 on IN39.

Side Trip/Alternative 4 (IN114 may be a little faster)
West of Ft Wayne IN14 flows through the rolling hills and farmland of Indiana.
IN114 at Akron parallels IN14 to the south. It is straighter and flatter and a little
faster. It comes into the start of Leg 9 about 3 miles to the South via US24.

Side Trip/Alternative 5 (Woodson Motorsports)
Need to stop at a BMW Dealer. Continue on East on Illinois Rd at the end of Leg
8 for about 2 miles to Woodards Motorsports. See http://www.woodsonbmw.com
for more details.

Side Trip/Alternative 6 (Bypass downtown Lima)
If you prefer, instead of going through downtown Lima. Stay on US30 at the end
of Leg 9, then South on I75, then East on OH309 to Bemmerville.

Side trips/Alternatives 7 (Overnight Camping and Lodging)
Motels:
There are motels in the following towns/cities: Morris IL, Kankakee IL, Winamac
IN, Rochester IN, Ft Wayne IN. There may be some others.

Campgrounds:
-Kankakee River State Park, about 13 miles South East of Wilmington IL on 102.
More details at http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/landmgt...2/KANKAKEE.HTM
-Tippecanoe River State Park, about 4 miles north of Winamac IN on US35.
Winamac is about 30 miles east of the start of Leg 8 .More details at
http://www.in.gov/dnr/parklake/prope...anoeriver.html
-Broken Arrow Campground: Is a nice private campground about 3 miles North of
Winamac. More details at http://www.hikercentral.com/campgrounds/104771.html

Private Overnight camping:
snipped
-Tom42nÔÇÖs- In the woods or near the sheep, or the chickens, or the dogs, or the
cats at Tom42nÔÇÖs little farm acres. Tom42n is located about 3 miles East then
North of Winamac off of IN14. Contact fellow BMW MC rider
tom42n@kconline.com for details.
 
My cousin and I are planning to make the trip from Virginia. We'd be glad to have some more company. If anyone is interested in meeting up and riding out send me a message!

P.S. On the way too or maybe on the way back we are thinking about going for the IRON BUTT 1000..i think its the one called saddle sore. :buds

hello there I am planning on going to the rally also and would like to ride up with you guys if it is ok please email me at nekosampsongiants@yahoo.com i have a f650gs 06 i would like to make that saddle sore also thanks Tim:usa :bolt :bolt
 
hello

my name is tim and i am going to west bend in july i live in kentucky glasgow nekosampsongiants@yahoo.com so email me ok tim
My cousin and I are planning to make the trip from Virginia. We'd be glad to have some more company. If anyone is interested in meeting up and riding out send me a message!

P.S. On the way too or maybe on the way back we are thinking about going for the IRON BUTT 1000..i think its the one called saddle sore. :buds
 
I 80 update

I may be bringing a car from Philadelphia to Calgary in a few months, and I was wondering how much of a potential problem I 80 would be in the Gary area, and in the area south of Chicago.

Should I just avoid the whole area and go through Indianapolis? :laugh

I would want to stay on the slab for as much of the route as possible, and I don't mind paying tolls.

TIA

Rinty
 
I-80 is done.

And nicely I might add. Nothing more than the normal delays - unless you are counting today's lake effect blizzard down there.
 
Philadelphia to Calgary

I came through there a couple times last summer and it was pretty well all completed... Look in the rearview mirror as you cross into ILL and see the BIG welcome to Indiana sign... how come there is not a BIG welcome to IL sign?

It was pretty smooth sailing....

Tom Anspach Winamac, IN
 
I 80

Thanks guys. When I was doing the preliminary route plan, this section looked to be the most serious potential choke point.

Rinty
 
I may be bringing a car from Philadelphia to Calgary in a few months, and I was wondering how much of a potential problem I 80 would be in the Gary area, and in the area south of Chicago.

Should I just avoid the whole area and go through Indianapolis? :laugh

I would want to stay on the slab for as much of the route as possible, and I don't mind paying tolls.

TIA

Rinty

Let me know your schedule I might just buy you lunch. There is some traffic stuff going on, but it is not bad at all.
 
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