Columbus Day Exploration

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Decided to recognize Christopher Columbus' explorations by plotting my own route to the "Far East".   OK, so only as far east as the shores of Lake Michigan will allow, but did discover a few new places along the way.

Rain was forecast for early afternoon, motivating me to get up early with Cheryl who did not have Columbus Day off.   Since I'd be riding alone, I brought a cigar along and tossed the Monday Wall Street Journal in my bag with a bottle of water.  My mission was to explore various lakefront parks/beaches where i could comfortably, if not legally, conduct my morning routine of reading the paper while enjoying a cigar, usually conducted on my back deck.  Not as adventurous as Sig. Colombo to be sure, but at least my motives were pure.  

First Stop:  Lloyd Beach, Winnetka, IL
A lovely beach, really a boat launch area, with several small picnic tables that would have suited my needs perfectly except that they were fairly exposed and I was looking for something a bit more sheltered in case of rain.   Still, I may have stopped here were it not for the prominent "No Smoking" signs directly between where I would be sitting and the Winnetka Police officer who was seated in his vehicle in the parking lot.  Maybe on some other ride, I will take a chance on having my cigar here; it's a quiet spot with great views of Chicago's skyline and I like that I can pose my bike so close to the water here.  Side note:  the building in the background of the third picture below is the Village of Winnetka Power Station -- My bike was in the shop or this would have been my Sept, 2025 entry for the Photo Challenge..    Although, these were suitable accommodations, it being the first stop and under the surveillance of local law enforcement, it was time to carry on the voyage.  







Second Stop:  Glencoe Beach, Glencoe, IL
The park area for this beach is on top of a bluff with a reasonably treacherous ride down to the waters edge - damp sand on a steep single-lane road with 3 switchbacks.  There's a"landing" before the last switchback from which I could survey the beach.  I did not see any seating in close proximity to where I could park and, lacking any real incentive to continue downward, I turned around on the landing and headed up to a shelter that is probably 20' below the top of the bluff and 100' above the beach.   The shelter would provide the cover that I was still seeking and it was remote enough so as to not bother any other park-goers.  What it lacked, though is anything remotely resembling comfortable seating and a reasonably unobstructed view of Lake Michigan.  I was able to get a decent picture for the Oct, 2025 Photo Challenge.  I continued northward on my expedition along the winding part of Sheridan Road, stopping briefly at Rosewood Beach in Highland Park (no photo) which has lovely views, but any possible seating area was a decent walk from the parking area and I was looking for a spot in short distance from my bike. 







Stops/Drive-bys north of Glencoe Beach:
In addition to Rosewood in Highland Park, I hit Moraine Park, which had plenty of seating, but no view at all of the water.  I also tried the Fort Sheridan Forest Preserve (no seating near parking) and Fort Sheridan National Cemetery (only seating was in the memorial area and it would be disrespectful to listen to music and smoke a cigar there).  I continued the quest on into Lake Forest.

Third (depending on how you) Stop:  Forest Park Beach, Lake Forest, IL 

I had never stopped at this beach despite having ridden past it dozens if not hundreds of times.  Like most beaches on Lake Michigan north of Chicago, Forest Park Beach sits at the base of a high bluff.   The road down to the shore was wide, paved, and gradual, unlike Glencoe Beach. They obviously did or redid the hardscapes here within the last few years; everything was clean and looked new.  I did not see any picnic benches, but there were dozens of park benches along the meandering paved walking path which is 20 yards from the water.  Not a perfect spot, but the only people around were doing a photo shoot of a Porsche and they put their vehicle right on the walking path so I figured I'd do the same.   Parked my bike next to a park bench; got out my water, paper, cigar, and cutter; put on a Herbie Hancock album on Spotify; and settled in for a relaxing hour or so.  One passerby asked me about the bike - he was in his early 60s and told me he had KZ440 in college that he rode from Colorado to Illinois in one day.  It's interesting to me how people start up conversations with me when I'm on a ride who would never talk to me if I was just a guy sitting on a bench with a cigar -- except that might stop to tell me that its a no-smoking area.  I saw 4 different people go for a swim in Lake Michigan.  The weather's been unusually warm here, but the water temp is pretty chilly.  Good for them, I say.









Finished my cigar, my Herbie album, my news paper, my conversation with my KZ440 guy, and hopped on my bike for the return to my homeland (or just home...but trying to keep the Columbus connection here).   As I was riding back toward home, I began contemplating lunch as people of a certain age tend to do.   There's a great taqueria in Highwood that turned out to be closed because it was Monday, but just a couple hundred feet south from there is The Mean Wiener, which obviously is a hot dog stand.  Perfect stop for me.   Turns out that Mean Wiener expanded their menu, maybe many years ago to include a variety of Mexican fare AND their Monday special is a $5 burrito with one's choice of taco meat inside -- I went el pastor for this mine.  As I was leaving, a mom and a little girl, maybe 4 years old and in her PJs were walking out of the restaurant.  The girl, her name was Lucy, I think, was staring at my bike and talking to her mom.  I gathered that she has one of those little electric "motorcycles" at home and was fascinated by bikes.   I let her sit on the CB1100 on the side stand and she was frustrated that she could reach the right handle bar.  I told her that she was "a natural" and should learn to ride motorcycles as soon as possible, mainly just to get a reaction from her mom, which it did.  Anyway, my hands were full holding Lucy on my bike so I didn't get a photo.   They didn't walk away when I helped her off and started to get geared up.   Lucy wanted to see me ride away, which was adorable and disconcerting at the same time -- the last thing I needed if i dropped it on some gravel in the parking lot was judgy looks from Lucy.   






The rest of the return trip was uneventful and, while it had rained at home, I never felt a drop on the road.   My search for a sheltered spot was not only in vain, but unnecessary.   I was able to find a new (to me) "land" in the form of Forest Park Beach, engaged with the native peoples, and charted a course for future journeys to and from "The East".