Roll into spring
By JENN WIANT - jwiant@nwherald.com
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| Roger Foin of Spring Grove adjusts his helmet Tuesday before leaving on a ride to Hebron from Richmond with the McHenry County Bicycle Club. The club meets Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings for group rides. (Sandy Bressner – sbressner@nwherald.com) |
Bicyclists are not a common sight on busy McHenry County streets, but the county has a strong bicycling community behind the scenes.
“It’s our social life, and it’s our health,” said Anne Lunk, president of the McHenry County Bicycle Club. “It’s all intertwined. We come from various backgrounds, and this is what pulls us together.”
The 29-year-old club is composed of about 110 riders of all ages, but most are older, retired adults, Lunk said. They get together three or four mornings a week to ride country roads in northern McHenry County or southern Wisconsin, said Geoff Mumford, the club’s touring director.
But increasing traffic congestion as the county grows makes biking on the roads dangerous, especially in the denser southeast portion of the county and in areas without shoulders or bike lanes.
For riders who are uncomfortable on the roads, the McHenry County Conservation District offers more than 30 miles of paved and unpaved bike trails, including the 26-mile Prairie Trail and the 2.1-mile Hebron Trail.
If the weather cooperates, the popular 3.5-mile Huntley-Union-Marengo Trail will reopen this summer after being damaged by flooding in 2008. McHenry County Conservation District workers also will start building trails that eventually will stretch from Crystal Lake to Woodstock and from Harvard to Boone County. This year, 2-mile sections are scheduled for construction from Crystal Lake to McHenry County College, and from Milky Way Park in Harvard to Maxon Road, McHenry County Conservation District spokeswoman Wendy Kummerer said.
“[Biking] is something that families can do together that doesn’t cost a lot of money,” Lunk said. “They can get out and ride the trails and have a picnic lunch or stop for ice cream. It’s a good, healthy sport.”
And it’s becoming more popular. Bob Olsen said business has increased at his Crystal Lake bike shop, Wheel Werks, in the past four years. The shop caters to triathletes and bike enthusiasts.
“I’ve definitely seen the triathlon market grow,” he said. “I think it’s because [biking] is somewhat cost-effective compared to golf. It’s a low-impact sport; it’s easier on their bodies. And it’s a little bit of an adventure. You’re seeing the countryside. People can socialize.”
If you’re new to biking or have children who haven’t yet learned the rules of the road, the McHenry County Farm Bureau is hosting a bike safety expo from 1 to 3 p.m. today at the McHenry County Fairgrounds on Country Club Road in Woodstock. Adults and children will have the chance to learn the rules and etiquette of biking, how to change a tire and oil the chain, how to choose the right bike size, where to ride, and how to take care of minor bike injuries.
Participants can bike through an obstacle course to practice hand signals and read signs.
Even when you know the rules, the idea of riding alongside cars and trucks can be daunting. Eberhard Veit, president of the McHenry County Bicycle Advocates, is working to encourage governments to consider adding wide shoulders, bike lanes, or bike paths when designing road construction projects. The group also advocates connecting dead-end trails to each other to create a more usable trail system, he said.
Before embarking on any big rides, Bob Olsen recommends having a bike shop expert fit each bike to its rider. He said many people don’t ride because they are uncomfortable on a bike. But small adjustments such as changing the handlebar height can make a significant difference.
Olsen also advised against increasing your mileage on the bike by more than 10 percent a week, or you’ll end up sore.
“Slowly increase your mileage and get used to the bike,” he said.
