Alabama to Chicago

[Yankee Dog]

Ok folks, I need some help getting to Chicago from Alabama.  Or more speicfically the Mariot (I think) hotel located just to the East of Ohare Airport.  The missus has a family reuion there the end of June.  Normally I wouldnt think of taking the bike into such a mess, but after the reunion we plan to continue North and do the North shore of Lake Superior.  

I need to make time so I am slabbing it up there.  I figure to circle round a bit and come in on 57 or 55 but beyond that I could use some advice.  Should I jump off the freeway as soon I get to town, if so where.  Or should I stay on the x-way for as long as possible.  At least on the freeway all the traffic is going in the same direction.  

Hope you can help.  

Yankee Dog

[Fourstring]

Depending on when you get into town, I'd just stay on the slab.

Take 55 Nto 294 N, then 190 West or thereabouts.

When ya gonna be up?  I'm six or seven miles west of the airport.  Stop by and crash if the Marriot is full up.  Nice place, that Mariott.  I've played a couple of weddings there.

[Jeremy Z]

I agree. South of Chicago, the only noteworthy riding in IL is along the river that cuts east-west around Ottowa.  If I were coming to O'Hare from Alabama, I'd come up through the states to our west. They don't suck as much.

[evilmedic13]

Depending on when you get into town, I'd just stay on the slab.

Take 55 Nto 294 N, then 190 West or thereabouts.

When ya gonna be up?  I'm six or seven miles west of the airport.  Stop by and crash if the Marriot is full up.  Nice place, that Mariott.  I've played a couple of weddings there.

+1

STAY AWAY FROM I57/I90/94! Costruction zone and horrible traffic all the way to O'hare!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Also I294 is a tollway but worth it, just don't go there before 1030 due to morning rush hour(s).

[Fourstring]

Might as well post something I just found yesterday on the way down.
If you're looking for a little distraction...

When you come through St. Louis, instead of taking 55 all the way up, consider taking Rt 100 North on the great river road.  It's a nice sweeping, rolling road that we took down from Peoria yesterday, and follows the entire Illinois river.  

The real bonus is because it's very rural once you get out of Grafton, it's almost as fast as taking the slab.  We were able to keep our speeds about 80 or so outside of the speed bump towns.  You can reconnect to 55 in Springfield.

[Yankee Dog]

Thanks for all the advice.  Pretty much confirms my thoughts that the shortest distance between two points is the freeway.  This portion of the trip is not going to be fun.  I only have one day to get from Huntsville to Chicago, with a little jump off the night before.  No sightseeing allowed.  The fun doesnt start until we head North out of Chicago on Sunday after the reunion.  


4string:  Thanks for the invite.  We already have reservations at the hotel.  Most of the out of town reunion people are staying there.  

Yankee Dog

[DavidLSI]

I just got back from riding the Trans-Canada 17, the road that runs along the North Shore.

You will love it, we saw moose and bear while ride one of the most open roads I have ever ventured to.  

We went east to west so the lake was on our left side.  

A little heads up, we were warned that the area before and after Schreiber is where the OPP train the new officers, "boy scouts trying to make a name for them selves" is how the local guy put it.

SeeYa
DavidLSI