Way back last year when MILES PEDDLED (MP) was a regular monthly blog, published on a regular, timely cadence (which data from marketing experts such as me, Mad Viking (MV)—and the MV always follows the data—say stimulates peak interest amongst loyal subscribers), the final edition of the inaugural MP 2021 season was titled “Living the FATTIE LIFESTYLE.” The edition’s main discussion sought to address a timely question for all readers as we entered the winter biking season: “Why and where you should live the fattie lifestyle.” Loyal subscribers have entrusted and have grown accustom to the accuracy and detail which MP’s Research Dept (RD@MP) is widely known for (witness the reams of printed paper for each research project). However, despite the normally high level of quality, periodic gaps or blunders in MGMT at MP’s research have yielded worrisome shortfalls (ref. the troubling Vermillion River kayak outing…which was somehow “skipped” for the July 2021 Red, White and Blue MP edition “Five Wonderful In-State Bike and Kayak Adventures”…perhaps more on that outing later). So, while MV rates MP’s answer to the question “Why you should live the fattie lifestyle” (the 3 F’s: Fitness, Fun & Forage) as OUTSTANDING, MGMT at MP’s Dec 2021 answer to the question as to “Where you should live the fattie lifestyle” (Deer Grove & Palos Hills) fell disappointingly short (rating: WEAK) due to a large, untimely gap and missed opportunity which has troubled “many” loyal subscribers.
CAPTION: (Self) Invited guest author Mad Viking (MV), living the FATTIE LIFESTYLE at Deer Grove Forest Preserve with the look of joie de vivre!
In this SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO MILES PEDDLED DEC 2021 EDITION (also filling the gap while MGMT at MP is on hiatus/sabbatical/ reboot), guest author and fattie lifestyler Mad Viking (MV) offers this important and timely blog update responding to the inadequately addressed question “Where to live the fattie lifestyle,” and specifically highlights the Fattie Lifestyle HQ Zone (FLHQZ) located in Chicago’s northwest suburbs. Playlist: “Joie de Vivre,” by F. Chopin
Playlist: “Too Fat Polka,” by The Andrews Sisters NEWSFLASH! HOT OFF THE BLOG PRESSES: New Fattie/MTB Trail System at CCFPD’s PDFP! MILES PEDDLED (MP) subscribers and Chicagoland riders who are living the fattie lifestyle are already familiar with CAMBr – the Chicago Area [Fattie and] Mountain Bikers. CAMBr is an all-volunteer [501(c)(3)] organization that advocates for the fattie lifestyle by partnering with local governing bodies, municipalities, and organizations to design, build and maintain trail systems in our area. The Palos Hills trail system, mentioned in the Dec 2021 edition of MILES PEDDLED (MP), is one of several fattie/MTB trails under CAMBr care, along with Raceway Woods (Carpentersville, IL), Beulah Park (Zion, IL), Saw Wee Kee (Yorkville, IL) and others. CAMBr volunteers, in collaboration with the Cook County Forest Preserve District (CCFPD), have been working on a new fattie/MTB trail system in the Paul Douglas Forest Preserve (PDFP) in Hoffman Estates. Many MP subscribers will already be familiar with the 8.3 mile paved perimeter trail—known mostly because the Mad Viking (MV) is a long-hailed Stava “Local Legend” (LL) on several segments of the perimeter trail. But, the “new news” is that the first 7.6 miles of an eventual 17 miles single-track fattie/MTB trail in PDFP “quietly” opened to the public in late-2021. Only those living the fattie lifestyle, and particularly those living in the center of Fattie Lifestyle HQ Zone (see map below)—the Local Legend Mad Viking (LL MV) included, and RD@MP apparently excluded—have been in-the-know about the new trail. So, the MV is pleased to bring this timely supplemental blog update to MP subscribers, filling the vast lacuna left in the Dec 2021 MP edition.
The Dec 2021 edition of MP announcement of the new PDFP missed the opportunity for a timely fattie trails with these key features:
First, PDFP has CCFPD’s first one-direction trail system; if & when this proves successful, others may convert or follow (Palos Hills riders have been clamoring for this). Signage at strategically located trail intersections indicate the single-track flow direction (preventing head-on mishaps)—going one direction on Mon-Wed-Fri-Sun and the opposite direction on Tue-Thu-Sat.
Second, the PDFP track is “groomed” by a team of CAMBr volunteers after each fresh snowfall for optimal winter fattie biking (check out the SnowDog groomer photo).
Third, CAMBr publishes an online Trail Conditions webpage for all of its Chicagoland trails. Check before you go; if current conditions are unfavorable due to thawing, save the trails and go elsewhere! Visit: https://cambr.org/trails_and_conditions.php
The zone around the new Paul Douglas Forest Preserve (PDFP) fattie trail system— given it’s close proximity to the premier fattie riding site at Deer Grove Forest Preserve (DGFP), which was featured in the Dec 2021 MP—has given rise to the moniker now given to the area: ‘“Fattie Lifestyle” HQ Zone.’
CAPTION: Map on the left reveals details of the PDFP fattie trail system which opened in late-2021. Shown on the right are the close proximity of Deer Grove Forest Preserve (DGFP) and CDC Sur (home of AWC). As the map also shows, these two landmark fattie riding sites have been strategically located in close proximity to CDC Sur, home of the Award Winning (but it’s not a contest) Chili (AWbisacC, or AWC for short). Next time you are in the “Fattie Lifestyle” HQ Zone…come for the ride, but stay for the AWC.