Cycling Sisters

Join us for bike ride and nature clean up at Whistler Woods Forest Preserve on the South side. Bike from the Memorial Park field house in Blue Island to the trail head of the Major Taylor trail and back. The ride from Blue Island to Riverdale is about 7.5 miles round trip; the pace will be about 12 mph.

The Blue Island Bicycle Club adopted Whistler Woods as part of their community outreach mission. This forest preserve is the southern trail head of the Major Taylor Trail (MTT). The clean up will run from 10 am to noon and involves clearing invasive species such as buckthorn and mulberry, as well as trash clean-up and sweeping the MTT. Dress appropriately for the weather, and bring sunscreen and bug repellent.

Whistler Woods is a surprisingly high quality forest preserve. Despite a frequently visible deer population, wildflowers include spring beauties, mayapple and red trillium. There is a nesting pair of bald eagles just a block away so there is always the chance of seeing them in flight. We often see flickers and other woodpeckers, hawks, chickens (!), deer, and other interesting wildlife.

Contact Jane Healy for more information at repto at aol dot com or call 708-308-8662 (cell).

Meet at the Memorial Park field house (12800 S. Highland Ave, Blue Island, IL). Blue Island is easily accessible via both the Metra Electric and Metra Rock Island train lines, as well as both PACE and CTA buses. You can also take the Red line to 87th Street, and ride east to Vincennes to get to town. Alternatively, you can meet us at the MTT trail head at 10 am for the clean up.