Hit The Bike Path To Discover Chicago's Past and Present, Author Urges

Chicagoland's biking trails include one that starts near a ghost factory and one named after the first black athlete to reach superstar status, Greg Borzo told an audience of bicycling enthusiasts at the Niles Public Library Thursday evening.

Bicycling is interwoven with the area's history, and Chicago's 110 miles of bike lanes and a strong culture of cycling make it a top bike-friendly city, said Borzo, who rode extensively to research his recent book, Where To Bike Chicago.

“Biking around Chicago is a great way to discover relics, remnants of Chicago bike history,” he maintained. For example, on the corner of Franklin and Chicago Avenue, one can find the building where Rambler bikes were manufactured in the early 20th century. The company later changed locations and produced the Rambler car, which became very popular in its time period. 

Borzo discussed the history of different trails throughout the Chicago area. The Major Taylor Trail on the city's southwest side was named for the first African-American sports superstar, and the Joliet Ironworks Trail, or Centennial Trail, runs through Romeoville, Lockport and Joliet, past the site where historic markers describe the ruins of the Joliet Iron Works, which thrived in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Borzo also gave an overview of different heroines of cycling, including Annie Kopchovsky, who became the first woman to ride a bike around the world.

Shifting gears from Chicago biking's past to its present,  Borzo said the area is making progress in promoting cycling. He commended Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley for opening the first bike lane in Chicago and Mayor Richard M. Daley for promoting and creating even more bike routes. Even more recently, Mayor Rahm Emanuel has promised to open 100 miles of new protected lanes, the first of which is in place on Kinzie Street between Milwaukee Avenue and Wells Street.

“It is safer and more fun to bike than ever,” he encouraged his listeners.

For those interested in finding enjoyable biking routes, Borzo recommends three near the Niles area: the North Shore Channel, which he said has a lot of great public art along the way; the North Branch Trail, which ends at the ChicagoBotanic Garden in Glencoe,  and the , where cyclists can race their friends or just relax and bike in a safe environment.

Borzo also leads a  Devil in the White City bike tour, which hits many of the famous places described in the novel by Erik Larson.

“Biking is my fountain of youth. It keeps me young and fit,” Borzo said, advising that with summer weather finally starting to kick in, biking around Chicago is a fun, healthy and eco-friendly way to commute around the city or just spend the afternoon.