GSC Sunday Group Ride

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Homewood, IL, US

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Route Overview

Chris Bednarek

Riding the Chicago burbs

20 mi.

387 ft.

This is the base for the GoodSpeed Sunday morning rides. It is 100% paved and offers minimal climbing. It's a run route and it's local. As the group gets stronger throughout the season the route gets longer and faster.

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Route Details

This is the base for the @poi[GoodSpeed Cycles](6502913) Sunday morning group rides.  This is a 100% paved, 20-mile route that rolls from the GSC parking lot down around Sauk Lake and back to the shop.  The route is fun solo and with a group!

Starting off near the heart of Homewood, the ride kicks off down a few neighborhood street to get warmed up a bit. There is a fair amount of road riding on this route and traffic can vary depending on the time of day you choose to ride.  Weekends are usually pretty quiet, but during the work week's commuting hours, it can be pretty busy.

Riding east brings you to the @slice[Thorn Creek Trail](d,4638.68,19444.87) in Glenwood.  This is a predominantly straight and flat paved two-lane mulit-use trail.  The trail will bring you through the communitites of Glenwood, Chicago Heights, Park Forest, and South Chicago Heights.  Maintaining a straight (south) course, will bring you to @poi[Sauk Lake](7012540).  The trail makes a great loop around the lake with some nice curves and a couple elevation changes.  
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*When traveling around the lake, be sure to stay to whichever direction you head, so if you start off going to the left (clockwise), stay to the right at all the small intersections.  Don't turn on to any roads or make any major crossings until you get back to where you started.*
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Heading back north, the trail has an optional left turn in Chicago Heights.  It's there on the way south too, we just normally turn on our way back.  This is the farthest east trail head of the @slice[Old Plank Road Trail](d,19444.87,23782.66).  Again this is a pretty straight, pretty flat, two-lane, paved trail.  You will travel through Chicago Heights, Park Forest, and Matteson on this leg of your journey.

We generally ride into the old section of Matteson and turn off the trail at @point[Main Street](d,23790.99).  Heading this way back to the bike shop is 100% on-road riding.  The best part is that a large section of it has a bike lane.  Then it's back to neighborhood streets and one more kind of busy two-laner, but the drivers are usually pretty good about giving us some room.
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*As with any road/trail ride, there is always the need to be aware of debris and glass on the pavement.  During the fall, the trail around the lake can be a little sketchy due to leaves, bark, and acorns.  It's a forest preserve trail and it's maintained as well as they can, but there is the occasional down tree accross the trail.*
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Heading into old Matteson, there is a @poi[train observation tower](7012968) that is not nearly as hard of a climb as it looks.  If it looks pretty empty, take a ride up and see what the view is like.  Be sure to mind your brakes on the way down, the turn is a little tight.

If your down for it at the conclusion of your ride, there is an awesome pub right next door to the bike shop.  Swing in to @poi[Lassen's Tap](6502914) for a great burger, wings, and some suds.

# More resources

The entire staff at [GoodSpeed Cycles](http://www.goodspeedcycles.com) is well versed in this trail system and would be happy to answer any last-minute questions you might have before heading out.

You can find trail maps here:
* [Thorn Creek Trail](http://https://www.traillink.com/trail-maps/thorn-creek-trail/)
* [Old Plank Road Trail](http://https://www.traillink.com/trail-maps/old-plank-road-trail/)

# Important Reminders

If you're going to ride this trail from the bike shop parking lot, be sure to swing in and let them know you're a rider so your car doesn't get towed.  If you're participating in the Sunday group ride, it leaves at 08:00 and no one will tow your car.

There are no water stops along this route.  Be sure to bring enough nutrition/hydration to make it the 20 miles.  There is generally a port-o-potty about 1/3 of the way around the lake and a bathroom facility in Park Forest along Old Plank.

The trails are open all year, but are not plowed in any way.  If you want to hit it during the winter, bring your fat tires and watch for ice.

GSC Sunday Group Ride

Route Overview

Route Details

Other routes by Chris Bednarek

GSC Saturday Off Leash Ride

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