The Calumet Region
With hundreds of miles of paved bicycle trails through forests preserves, along the lake front, along abandoned railroads, without a doubt these communities had their act together. A coalition of grassroots advocates and local communities had achieved spectacular goals toward their vision of living in a region where they could step out of their house onto an environmentally friendly, safe route that provided citizens with a healthy way to live, work, and play. They created wonderful connected system of greenway corridors, linear parks and bicycle friendly roads that linked schools, parks, and businesses to residents of all ages and abilities enhancing the resources, health, economics, and quality of life in the area. Where is this Shangrila? Probably not where you would imagine.
Like many enthusiasts I like to take a bicycle with me when I go on vacation or visits friends and relatives in other areas of the country. Being "up close and personal," I know no better way to tour and see some of the most unusual sights. While visiting relatives in Northwest Indiana. I naively asked if there were routes were I could safely do a 20 to 30 mile ride. They rewarded me with reports of one of the most extensive network of bicycle trails and routes anywhere in the country. Amazed at what these communities had accomplished, I contacted in Munster, Indiana the Project Engineers and city staff, who build many of these trails and in the process identified the outstanding advocacy group known as Calumet Citizens for Connecting Communities (C4), who have a Web Site detailing their activities. One more time, I was humbled by what other communities outside of Hendersonville and Tennessee are accomplishing.
During my three day visit I rode 150 miles of these wonderful routes. I hopped on the trail at Crown Point, one of its southern-most points in Lake County and eventually stood on the shores of Lake Michigan in the loop of downtown Chicago at my most northern point, but not at the end of the trail. Visionaries have the goal to extend this route to Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
I hopped on the 12-ft wide multi-use trail in a forest preserve in Lansing, Illinois at the west and rode to the Indiana State Dunes Park at the east past Chesterton, Indiana. As I rode I kept repeating to myself, "what they have done is spectacular, well beyond all expectation." Pro-viding non-motorized access to forest preserves, parks, schools, shopping malls, Wolf Lake, and Lake Michigan, these trails were clean, wide, well-maintained, and safe.
Near trailhead in Crown Point, Indiana
Trail passing through Griffith, Indiana
Griffith, Indiana received my vote for the best use of the Rails to Trails concept to augment the assets of the com-munity and to provide recreational facilities to the maximum number of its citizens. Their trail is on the former Erie Lackawanna Railroad track and right-of-way. In 1992 the community initiated the project as part of a national effort to use former railroad easements to promote alternative modes of transportation, including biking and hiking. The trail, which starts at the end of the Crown Point multi-use path and runs north-south through the city, flourishes with wildflowers and wildlife. It connects to the high schools and several mini-malls and has extensive feeder routes as it passes through residen-tial areas. Please click on the above link to review the history of this project and view some great pictures.
I also rode the Oak Savannah trail that connects to the Griffith trail at Prairie View recreational area and runs through forest preserves eastward through Gary and Hobart to Chesterton. Unlike the Rail-to-Trail in Griffith, this multi-use trail was previously a simple forest path and green-way. In a quiet isolation the trail passes small fishing ponds, a tiny airfield, soccer fields and peaceful picnic areas.
I had to ride some city street bike lanes in Hobart in sections which were not yet completed as I made my way to the Lake Michigan and the Indiana State Dunes Park.
Biker on Oak Savannah trail
Munster, Indiana did not have the kind on natural resources of the above communities. It connected to them, neverthe-less, through use of utility and railroad right-of-way paths, double-wide sidewalks, and an extensive network of well-marked bike lanes with excep-tional signs on all their routes.
Then on my bike ride on the Burnham Greenway just south of Chicago, they were yelling at me and screaming as I rode past their homes. I never heard such a noise. No, they weren't angry motorists, but something I never expected to see.
Reports of monk parakeets have begun to come out this season on the South Side. Monk parakeets are originally from South America and came here as pets. They have established feral populations around the country, esp. in Illinois and Florida. They are most well known in Hyde Park, though they've been spotted in Wolf Lake on the far South Side.
If you'd like to go and see them and dozens of their large hanging nests on Burnham Greenway near Wolf Lake get on your bike in downtown Chicago and the Lakefront Path to its southern end at South Shore Drive. Continue south on South Shore Drive following the "U.S. 41 South" signs to 95th/Ewing/Ave. "L". On the corner are two restaurants: The Mexican Inn and Skyway Hotdogs (we like to lunch here with a great Chicago-style hot dog).
Take Ave. "L" south to 104th St. Take 104th St. east to the Burnham Greenway and continue south to the spur that goes to the William H. Powers Conservation Area. Follow the park road south through the woods and around Wolf Lake until you pass the ranger's residence. You will see the large parrot nests there. Parrots can be seen flying around and perched in nearby trees.
