We, at Just off the Tracks.com (things to see & do off the Metra rail lines) are adding bike outings to our site this spring, and we are looking for your expertise.
Give us the Inside Track on your favorite trails or routes that are easily accessible from the Metra stops. Include approximate time and difficulty and let us know why you enjoy this route.
The train lines that we are currently working on are the UP Northwest and the Milwaukee District North Lines, but we will take information on any of lines for future reference. We would love to post your Top Ten Bike Routes - off the Rails and who better than You to know. Some for beginners and families, some for the sightseers, some for difficulty, and some for the best food, the reasons could be endless. If you have pictures, please include your 3 favorites.

From Thechainlink.org, a social network for cyclists in Chicago. Thought this would be a great place to share car free thoughts....

Link is here, but I have also posted the question below. -

http://www.thechainlink.org/forum/topics/people-who-do-not-own-cars?page...

Quite a few threads have me wondering what your lifestyle is like that it doesn’t necessitate owning a car. I think it is great that you are able to live car free, but I am wondering how this is. Many people have expressed the feeling of freedom that comes with not owning car, but for me it feels like a lack of.

When I mention that I don't have a car, invariably the first reaction by my well-meaning friends and family is a shocked, "You don't?!?" followed by, "Why not?!?" It's like I've casually mentioned that I removed my own legs. Believe it or not, humans didn't always get around by sitting in a metal box that runs on “dead dinosaur juice.” There are plenty of great reasons to consider going car-free - mainly that cars are the #1 cause of global warming, exceeding even the damage done by coal-burning power plants. Going car-free is definitely the greenest thing a consumer can do.

Knowing this sobering fact, when it came time to replace my car this past January, I decided to see if I ‘had it what it takes’ to go car-free. Not only did I save a ton of money and make my life a lot simpler, I gleaned some tips for anyone else who might be thinking about dumping their gas guzzler as well:

Ride the City helps you find the safest bike routes possible in New York, Chicago, or Austin. Check it out: http://www.ridethecity.com/chicago

I just had to share this link: http://www.someonestolemybike.com. It's a new site dedicated to sharing stories about bike theft in video form. I really love how this makes biking seem so normal and everyday, as if we lived in a world where there were Bianchi commercials during the Superbowl, and people worrying about their bikes was as commonplace as people worrying about their cars.