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Skirting The SW Corner of Chicago to Lima

T

tom42n

Guest
If you are coming from the the West / North West (NW of I80 & I39) at or above about Lattitude 41 degrees North, there is a good liesurely way to skirt the race track around the SW corner of the Chicago/ Lake Michigan.

As soon as I get an old write up cleaned up I will post it. If you can't wait email me at tom42n@kconline.com. Essentially south side of Kankakee river to Kankakee then to IN 14 and US30 strait east to Lima. I live right on the route in Indiana.

TomEA
 
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/PARKS/R2/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/properties/park_tippecanoeriver.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:
-DanZÔÇÖs- On the shore of beautiful Bass Lake. DanZÔÇÖs]s is bout 10 miles North of
Winamac just east of US35 on IN10. Contact fellow BMW MC rider
dzimbric@mchsi.com for details.
-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.

(if you would like an MSWorks formatted copy of this document, contact me at tom42n@kconline.com)
 
RT 30, through Chicago Heights, not fun...................


wish i'd had these directions last fall, hahah
 
Very cool. Iron Mike and I were on some of these roads today. Something about going to the Sturgis Rally by way of lots of other ways...
 
Sturgis

I was planning on hitting Stugis myself. But too many things on my list to get ready to leave on a 'visit my kids' trip to Juneau AK and Portland OR- flying on Tuesday morn. Besides the wx was too nice for a Sturgis Rally. . . . no cold, blowing, rain. /Tom42n ;)
 
thanks for the info

Tom- thanks for the badly needed info regarding an alternative to Chicago traffic; on the way out I am already set up for the Lake Michigan Ferry; I do plan on your route on the return to "God's County"; hope to run into you at Lima or any year at Sturgis....
 
Can we have tom's route posted as a sticky?

Please?
I have been looking at the lake ferry option from Milwaukee;also driving the Youper and crossing the Mackinac Bridge.

Anything to avoid Rounding the Horn!!!ah the horror!!
 
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.


This is well worth a stop to see. My dad and I took a ride up there a few years ago and there were some very interesting things to see.
 
YB in IN said:
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.


This is well worth a stop to see. My dad and I took a ride up there a few years ago and there were some very interesting things to see.

See side trip No.3 in Tom's post and yes there are some beemers in the museum.
 
BradfordBenn said:
Well someone owes me a beer now, cause I just made this a sticky :thumb :brad
Your beer is in the refridgerator in the shop. Come by and drink it before I do. :drink :wave

We just put the pontoon in the lake today. Bring momma and the kids.
 
selil said:
This is why you might consider alternative routes http://pws.indot.org/pws/nw

Since I live in the middle of all that I might ride on around the construction and get some pictures of the holes with no bottom.... Hmmm the GS riders might like that though... How about four hour delays for construction. Never ending traffic jams.. Semi Trucks two deep nose to tail and giggling drivers talking about putting motorcycles into the dirt.... Aww the glory of a commute on the north shore of Indiana

These are the reasons I never visit Sam in Indiana, always have to go someplace else.
 
dzimbric said:
Your beer is in the refridgerator in the shop. Come by and drink it before I do. :drink :wave

We just put the pontoon in the lake today. Bring momma and the kids.

Hmmm I am gone for the next few weeks. Something about work getting in the way of riding.
 
Bob Ulrich said:
Here's something else to consider, especially if you use the IN114 alternate. Stop at Mr. Dave's in North Manchester for a pork tenderloin sandwich. I was with a group from Cincinnati on our way to the Mini Rally this year, when we stopped here for lunch. :thumb

Bobhttp://www.roadfood.com/Reviews/Overview.aspx?RefID=652

Ooh, hope I get the link right!

sounds like a road trip for me soon! I love pork tenderloin sandwiches. Lettuce tomato and mayo, MMMMMMMMMMMMM
 
Chicago traffic

I posted this on the st.com forum, I see that you guys are on top of this! Chicago is terrible to ride through! Here is what I wrote:
OK, so if you want to go to Lima and you live west of Chicago, what's the best route?
I'm gonna give some advice (wanted or not) as I live in Construction, Indiana and ride through it everyday.
1. Try to ride around Chicago. I don't mean on I-294, I mean around like through Indy or take the ferry across Lake Michigan from Milwaukee. The traffic is horrible and I-80/94 is under big time construction from I-294 junction in Illinois to I-65 in Indiana. They are adding lanes. Lots of jogs, 1000s of trucks. Any mishap means that you will be parked for hours. I-90 is also a mess as they close lanes all the time and traffic from I-80/94 tries to find an alternative. I-90 goes through the city and is a toll road, not a good place to ride!
2. If you must go this way, travel at off peak hours. This means 7PM to 5AM. The road gets positively jammed during the day
3. If you are real good at map reading or GPS'ing (my new word ), try to take secondary roads south of the city. Suggestions in Indiana are state road 10 or 2. These both connect with I-65 and are not bad as motorcycle roads.
4. Try Rte. 30 as an alternative to the slab when you get east of I-65. Slower, sure, but an easy ride through a few smaller towns until you get to Fort Wayne where you jump on I-69 and circle around the city to the north and get back on 30. From I-65 to Lima is about 3 hours.

I hope this saves someone from sitting on the I-94 parking lot. Ride safe. Rob
 
Don't let this thread die.

Just a post to keep this thread alive, Chicago constuction has weekend road closures on 394 and 94. :clap :clap :clap
 
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