Well, isn't this nice?

Palatine Trail and Melas Park work

It shouldn't have been a total surprise since the Palatine Park District hinted at it on Sept. 2, but Palatine Trail riders were treated to spiffy new asphalt by the end of the month. The district didn't say why the trail would be closed east of Smith Road, but those bad bumps are gone almost to Hicks Road. More.

In Mount Prospect, a square of Melas Park is closed off in its northeast corner, interrupting its biggest trail loop. This is the start of the much slower project to build a bike-pedestrian bridge over Route 14. More about that.

See the trees on Morton's roads

Actually, you can see trees, prairie, meadows and lakes while biking the roads of The Morton Arboretum. Then through this month and into November, you can see some great fall colors, too. No matter what time of year, there are always the thrilling hills and curves. See what it's like (with video).​

Meanwhile, in the Lake County (Illinois) countryside, you can find a different kind of escape from the sprawl via two quiet country roads — Milton Road and Schwerman Road — that link three bigger ones. Get a peek at them.​

Also on the website:

• ​Suburban Chicago bike trail round-up​
• ​Bicycling infrastructure town by town​
• ​Local bicycling news bits​
• ​What local bike clubs do when it gets chilly
• ​Tips and vacation views​

ROAMING THE LAWNS IN OCTOBER: I'm keeping my eye out for the best creatures among all the Halloween decorations in front of suburban homes. They may make another compilation like last year's.

I caught these creatures in Bloomingdale during daylight, which seems wrong. But darkness falls soon enough, no? Just keep your lights on. — Neil

THANK YOU, DONORS:
​Arlington Heights Bicycle Club, Bicycle Club of Lake County, Alan J. White, Mitchell C. Jones, Bill Triplett, John Heer, Terry Witt, T L Szensy, James Krause, Mark Joseph Dugo, William F. Haley, Bill Kragh, Michael Vander Weele, Hilliard B. Grossman, Douglas H. Hoffman, Melynda Findlay Shamie, Eric Slagter, Jeffery Norman, Kathleen Hays, Andrew L. Campbell, Mark Rathe, Robert M. Yedinak, John S. Perry, David Waycie, David Michels, Cynthia DeVoss, Cheryl Zalenski, Richard H. Jordan, Richard Wadleigh, Colleen Stevenson, Randy Barich, Michael D. Staples, Kevin V. Barba, Todd Stocke, Colleen Sanderson, Pete Bolsoni, John VanSanten, Tony Messina, Frank A. Zelko, Gary Welk, and Patti L.

I create the Suburban Chicago Bicycling website and newsletter with the help of readers like you.
​Buy me a cup of coffee, as they say?

At top, is there anything better than new asphalt to bike on? We could use more of that.

For even more, read old newsletters. And please forward this to anyone interested.