LSD (Lake Shore Drive to non-Chicagoans)

[specialist8]

The extremes of Chicago weather showed their true colors this weekend as temps approached 80. This is unseasonably high for us here, but it's presence was nonetheless welcomed by any one that wanted to stretch their legs on their bikes (be that motorized or not).

I over-zealously prepped my day in accordance with the weather. Ran through my head the errands and tasks for the day to see how much seat time I could accumulate without just "riding around". In Chicago (and I mean I live in the actual city; not the outskirts or Chicagoland) it's not easy to just pick up your bike and ride around. Traffic (especially on nice weekends) is just too much and there is no joy in stop n' go traffic. So riding with a purpose validates a lot of my seat time.

Queue LSD. As you can see with the picture posted above, LSD provides hands down the most scenic route most of northern Illinois even has to offer. Getting a glimpse of the lake as you're riding and catching the cooler breeze it continually offers is one of best moments a motorcyclist in Chicago can experience. Oddly enough, LSD doesn't even get that busy and my apartment resides right on the entrance ramp to it. Having those variables makes it a common route for much of where I need to go.

If you're riding two-up, your passenger is as well benefiting from the experience. Getting an uninterrupted view of the lake for miles (LSD runs about 16 miles; about 2/3 of it being scenic) is a pleasantry any motorcyclist would enjoy. Luckily I live so close, but it's presence is a continual highlight to any trip of mine.

Viva Chicago!

 

[the Ferret]

Wow, that IS nice. i've never seen any of Chicago that looked like that.

 

[emptysea]

It is a nice ride...especially early in the morning. @The Ferret: I was planning on taking you down LSD if you come up here this summer. Great description, specialist8

 

[Cormanus]

That doesn't look half bad.

Thanks specialist8.

 

[specialist8]

@EmptySea/Ferret: let me know if you guys are gonna be around there at some point. I live close so being "bothered" by last minute plans is completely welcome.

 

[emptysea]

I live near O'Hare. At some point this summer, I do intend to take a trip on LSD and stop for breakfast at Lou Mitchell's. If that starts to come close to being a reality, I will let you know.

 

[Pterodactyl_imp]

G'day Specialist, you have given me a new take on Chicago. I once made a short "in and out" visit to O'Hare (ORD to play the LSD game ) when the weather was at the other extreme. Saw nothing except the colour grey. That is a beaut photo. Where was it taken from?

I appreciate your comments about living in the city. Living in Sydney, beautiful as it is, I need to ride for 45 mins to an hour to get to some open road.
Cheers

 

[emptysea]

Pterry, you should extend your NC trip and ride up to Chicago. I tried to convince Cormanus to do this to no avail.

 

[Cormanus]

For the record, Cormanus did a fair bit of calculating and head scratching to see if he could make it work.

 

[Guth_imp]

I've had so many great visits to Chicago over the years, it is one of my all time favorite places to visit.

True story (speaking of Chicago, LSD and motorcycles):

I have a friend who lived in Chicago for quite a few years and I visited him there a number of times. One night we needed to make our way north through town to get to a music club so my buddy hailed a cab. I was still pretty young then, and had never ridden in a taxi cab before. I was almost excited, thinking it would be "just like in the movies". (I was picturing the cabbie being an older guy wearing a worn wool cap with a toothpick in his mouth and a talking with a heavy Chicago accent while joking around with us as we all shared a good laugh.)

In no time at all, a taxi appeared right at our feet, ready to haul us off to our destination. When we got in the cab, the driver (a younger guy) was wearing a Yamaha motocross jersey. At first glance I thought that was sort of odd, but kind of cool. As he asked us "Where do you want to go?", he was pulling on a pair of leather motocross gloves (the old school tan leather kind with the skeletal black foam strips running up each finger. My buddy tells him the address and after repeating the address back, the taxi driver dumped the car into drive and floored it. But only for a few car lengths before jamming on the brakes and riding the tail end of the car in front of him while laying on the horn and shouting out the window. For the next few minutes, I was definitely terrified but also somewhat entertained as this guy proceeded to drive partially on sidewalks, run red lights, and pull off four wheel drifts through the Lincoln Park area. I thought for sure that we were going to die, yet my buddy and I couldn't stop laughing every time we looked at each other (this more than likely had something to do with alcohol consumption). It was totally insane.

When we got to our destination, the driver just muttered the address and the fare amount and that was it. He hadn't spoken to us since asking us where we wanted to go. I figured that the guy must have been totally high on one thing or another. I doubt that I'll ever have another experience like that one (I certainly hope not).

However, the next time I do encounter someone that is just a bit out there in the presence of a friend, I'll be sure to say "What do you make of Lake Shore Drive?"

 

[Pterodactyl_imp]

Good one Guth.

Cheers

 

[Randy B]

I was under the impression that motorcycles were not allowed on LSD because of the "MY LOUD *SS PIPES ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOUR SLEEP" crowd.
I know anything with a "B" plate and above are not allowed on it as well and some people skirt this by putting car plates on trucks that should have "B" plates.

 

[emptysea]

@Cormanus...yes I know he did and it's too bad that he couldn't make it work.

@Guth..great story my wife and I had a similar experience on a cab ride from The Statue of Liberty to Central Park in NYC on our honeymoon. :heart:

@Randy...I believe that there was a motorcycle restriction on LSD (and lower Wacker Drive) for a short time in the late 90s, but ABATE worked with legislators to lift those. There is still restriction on trucks designed to haul goods (B-plated, and it includes so-tagged pickups) on LSD as well as any road in the city designated as a "boulevard". Interestingly, if you are attending an event at Soldier Field, you can drive your B Truck on LSD from I-55 to the stadium. GO BEARS!! :biker:

 

[Rocky_imp]

Nice shot of Chicago. I've never been there and didn't realize there was so much beach area.
Guth, that Chicago story made me laugh because I had a similar experience with a taxi driver in Boston with my young family years ago.
He tailgated, blew his horn, two wheels on the sidewalk, jumping red lights and generally yelling at the other drivers to move.
It was a wild ride and we couldn't believe anyone could act or drive that way in traffic.
What was really funny was when his horn quit working and that made him even angrier, but he got us there in one piece

 

[specialist8]

I live near O'Hare. At some point this summer, I do intend to take a trip on LSD and stop for breakfast at Lou Mitchell's. If that starts to come close to being a reality, I will let you know.

Never been to Lou Mitchell's but a hearty breakfast sounds just great.
Pterry - I just got the pic offline (too hard to use my camera phone whilst cruising ) But the view is as realistic as the photo.

Guth - Your story epitomizes much of the urban taxi scenario. Not surprised you felt a bit scared, but they always seem to get you there
in one piece. Can't say I've ever seen a taxi in an accident though. In my experience I always got the Nigerian or from some other
obscure African nation that is attached to their bluetooth headset.

Empty Sea - Thank goodness those LSD MC sanctions have been lifted as I'd feel deprived and
shunned from my own city. Paying city sticker prices for roads I can't use? Get outta here.

I gleefully praise ABATE for getting that matter resolved. They do some great work in Illinois to have managed to make Illinois remain pro-choice
helmet wise. If you know how bureaucratic and crazily democratic Illinois is (insert "but it's for the good of the people" mantra), you'd see
that the lack of a helmet law is one of the few bastions of freedom IL citizens have.

Rocky - There are beaches and these massive concrete tiers that line pretty much all of the lake for many miles. Some great scenery for sure.

 

[Setchman_imp]

Haven't ridden LSD on a bike yet but have done it many times in the car. Sometimes, when driving back to Wisconsin and not pressed for time, it's fun to just continue north along Sheridan Rd. where the scenery changes from breathtaking skylines to breathtaking homes!

 

[specialist8]

Setchman - those houses really are amazing. Evanston is an amazing town. May have to ride up there again when the rain clears one of these days.

 

[emptysea]

My wife and I ride north on Sheridan Rd. regularly. In fact, we just did that Sunday. Any ride that gets you home just ahead of the rain is a good ride.

Haven't ridden LSD on a bike yet but have done it many times in the car. Sometimes, when driving back to Wisconsin and not pressed for time, it's fun to just continue north along Sheridan Rd. where the scenery changes from breathtaking skylines to breathtaking homes!

OK...so what I would do from Milwaukee is get up early...real early...before sunrise early...and high-tail it down 94 into Chicago..East on 55/Congress (you could come in on US41 or US45, but time would be the issue) to LSD then south to the museum campus. Take some awesome pictures of your bike with the museums and/or the skyline as a backdrop, then turn around and head north on LSD and Sheridan Rd and Green Bay Rd. all the way back to Kenosha and have breakfast at Frank's Diner (the 1/2 Garbage Plate is all that I should eat, but I usually order the Full). After that, MAYBE I'd stop at Fuel Cafe for a cup of coffee (or skip breakfast at Frank's and have lunch at Fuel Cafe). THAT would be a good day.

If you to do this...let me know and I could be persuaded to meet you along the way someplace.
MTC

 

[the Ferret]

I think that is the taxi driver my wife and I had in Mexico???? Holy cow, what a ride. We were coming down a mountain, literally, and we heard him say " UH OHHHH" and we said "what's wrong? " and he said. " my brakes aren't working too good, I'll have to get that looked at" .. Yet somehow we made it down safely and back to the compound. i think his solution was just not to use the brakes, just jam the trans into a lower gear.

 

[specialist8]

My wife and I ride north on Sheridan Rd. regularly. In fact, we just did that Sunday. Any ride that gets you home just ahead of the rain is a good ride.

Haven't ridden LSD on a bike yet but have done it many times in the car. Sometimes, when driving back to Wisconsin and not pressed for time, it's fun to just continue north along Sheridan Rd. where the scenery changes from breathtaking skylines to breathtaking homes!

OK...so what I would do from Milwaukee is get up early...real early...before sunrise early...and high-tail it down 94 into Chicago..East on 55/Congress (you could come in on US41 or US45, but time would be the issue) to LSD then south to the museum campus. Take some awesome pictures of your bike with the museums and/or the skyline as a backdrop, then turn around and head north on LSD and Sheridan Rd and Green Bay Rd. all the way back to Kenosha and have breakfast at Frank's Diner (the 1/2 Garbage Plate is all that I should eat, but I usually order the Full). After that, MAYBE I'd stop at Fuel Cafe for a cup of coffee (or skip breakfast at Frank's and have lunch at Fuel Cafe). THAT would be a good day.

If you to do this...let me know and I could be persuaded to meet you along the way someplace.
MTC

OK...so what I would do from Milwaukee is get up early...real early...before sunrise early...and high-tail it down 94 into Chicago..East on 55/Congress (you could come in on US41 or US45, but time would be the issue) to LSD then south to the museum campus. Take some awesome pictures of your bike with the museums and/or the skyline as a backdrop, then turn around and head north on LSD and Sheridan Rd and Green Bay Rd. all the way back to Kenosha and have breakfast at Frank's Diner (the 1/2 Garbage Plate is all that I should eat, but I usually order the Full). After that, MAYBE I'd stop at Fuel Cafe for a cup of coffee (or skip breakfast at Frank's and have lunch at Fuel Cafe). THAT would be a good day.

If you to do this...let me know and I could be persuaded to meet you along the way someplace.
MTC
I would be so down for the ride south to the museum campus photo op, then back north to Kenosha for bfast and coffee. After that I'd have to say sayonara, thanks for the company.