Fantastically maintained trails for walking/biking. You truly feel like you're not in a major metro…read morewhen under the canopy of trees and streams. Perfect ride from trail head on west end all the way to the zoo and back.

When I need to fool myself that I am getting away from the city into isolation I head to a nearby…read moreforest preserve. This particular preserve does more than trick me! We had a family picnic here and it is large enough, quiet enough and empty enough (on a Saturday) to put me in the outdoors kind of mood without travelling too far from home. The groves are very well kept and there is plenty of open spaces! This location is a great urban getaway!

It was a breath of fresh air the afternoon I decided to conduct a hike on the Salt Creek Trail…read moreSystem, starting at Brookfield Woods trailhead. What interested me about Brookfield Woods compared to the other trailheads nearby is that it is the mile marker starting point for the Salt Creek Trail System. As an outdoor fitness enthusiast who has been running for years, I would categorize the difficulty level as easy because the terrain is flat! I encountered mostly walkers, a few joggers, and many recreational bike riders along this path. While on it I felt that peaceful sense of being in nature as I heard birds chirping, the wind blowing, and the sound of the flowing salt creek which was off to my left while going out. I even got glimpses of chipmunk and squirrel running across my path; some even startling me at times when close by which also kept me in the moment during my hike. On my turnaround, I encountered a Canadian goose which I am absolutely terrified of! I am even known to alter my run routes just to avoid them out of fear of being attacked! It hissed at me as I went around it; it is like it instantly got its little goose panties in a bunch. I swear my heart rate increased as I eased by it because the last thing I wanted to experience was getting my ass kicked by a Canadian goose. That is a losing situation that I am unsure how I will bounce back from, but bye bye goose! I spent a little over forty-minutes during my hike on the path but could have easily gone longer if I were running instead. There are a variety of activities you can conduct on the Salt Creek Trail System path which extends 7.1 miles out; some of those activities I can certainly see are hiking, running, walking, biking, or even in-line skating. Other than my encounter with the Canadian goose, I had a pleasant experience on the Salt Creek Trail System as indicated in this review and would return. As a runner, I can see myself returning just to explore more of the Salt Creek Trail System. ~An adventure a day keeps the doctor away. ~ Thomas G

We entered at Brezina Woods, in LaGrange. If you are looking for a COVID-era place for a quiet…read morefamily walk, this is NOT the place. We only saw a few other people wearing masks. And it was so crowded, we left after only a mile. It was hard to maintain social distance on the paved path while avoiding the many bikers, roller bladers, and walkers. We found a few quiet side trials that each led 200-300 feet into the woods, but due to recent rains, those paths were very muddy, then flooded. We did find some moss. And some pretty trees and plants. So we hung out in the woods, then got out and went home. Pros: Free. Free parking. Clean trials. Plenty of parking. Paved trials. Not too many mosquitoes. Con: this trail goes through residential areas. We were literally passing inches from backyards of homes, yards filled with people. Fair enough. It is their home!! But it felt weird to just walk past their backyard while everyone is outside doing family stuff.

Brezina Woods is located in west suburban Cook County…read more There are so many ways to enjoy this beautiful piece of nature. There are paved paths that are accessible. They are great for biking, rollerblading, pushing a baby stroller or wheelchair, walking your dog, or simply taking a stroll. If you prefer a more rugged trail, there is a smaller foot path that runs along the creek. The rugged trail is not accessible and is best for walking. It can get muddy and sometimes small parts of the path can be a tad challenging to walk past. I mostly enjoy walking the rugged path with my dog. She absolutely loves walking along the creek and even wades in the water for little breaks. It's really nice to see that other patrons who enjoy these trails are mostly respectful and courteous. Keep in mind that these trails are shared by walkers, runners, bikers, babies in strollers, people in wheelchairs, and also dogs. Always stay to the right. Bikers will either ring a bike bell or call out "on your left" before passing you on the left side. This system is basic trail etiquette and it works well. Brezina Woods has free parking and limited port a potties. Hours: year-round: sunset to sunrise There are three picnic groves that you can reserve on fpdcc.com Grove #1 Capacity: 150 people Grove #2 (with shelter) Capacity: 350 people Grove #3 (with shelter) Accessible Capacity: 200 people Note: Please respect other patrons by not blaring your music loudly or talking loudly on your phone while walking near people on the trails. Dogs must be leashed and owners must always clean up after their pets. And please be a respectful human being and clean up your liter. My dog recently tried eating a McDonald's cheeseburger because someone left their bag of left overs disbursed near the creek. Most people do a great job of cleaning up after themselves, but unfortunately there are those who don't. I'm sharing lots of pics. (Most of them got posted separate from this review.) I hope it gives you an idea of what to expect when you visit the trails. Bonus: Along the trail, there is a little outdoor station to get water for you and your pup. You can also air up your bike tires! It's a cute little set up on the outside of a local resident's backyard fence. I just love this! Such a kind thing to do.

Even though I've lived in the area forever, I've never been here before…read more I've been back here about six times since. I rode the Salt Creek trail from Villa Park to Wood Dale. It is a really nice trail with a few ponds, bridges, etc. I saw quite a few deer traveling this trail. The trail is fairly long and goes way beyond what I traveled. I plan on doing the whole trail in the future.

If you're looking for a peaceful place to practice your yoga this place is the perfect one!read more

Even when there is a problem at REI it gets worked out…read more I have been a member for at least 20 years. I appreciate the garage sale and coupons. Most of my long term gear is from there. I hope their house brand improves - now get outside and go play.

I have been to the bike shop twice in the past two months…read more Unfortunately, the shop experience and service provided were less than great. The first time, I needed to get some cables and housing for a bicycle. I was very specific about getting 4MM SHIFT housing and the correct cables and fittings to make my project complete. I was sold the wrong size housing and fittings by the shop. They unfortunately did not have the time to check what they gave me. They gave me an obsolete 5MM housing, and the wrong fittings. This was not great because I had a bike that needed to be running with the correct parts. So I had to find another solution. I had to get the correct goods from a different LOCAL shop, and I did not feel that I had a great experience for driving over to REI for what was supposed to be the right stuff. Plus I wanted my REI dividend to grow. I had to give them a second chance. Because I wanted to see if I could get the correct service, and parts for my second project. This time I needed some Disc Brake Pads and a Rotor for a bike. I was told that NO One needed to have a rotor as big as I requested... And that there was no way to match my parts. I brought in parts for a Tektro Brake which shares the same Pads as Shimano. However I was left to my own time to look for the parts myself. It was a bummer because I was getting a bike together for my Friends and I needed the correct goods. I had to wait by the counter for more than expected. I was ignored by the other shop members and when confronted by the shop tech, I was greeted with a 'What Do You Want?" Again..I had Zero Hope that I would get the required parts or even a Hello....But here we went. I bought the One part they had in stock, though I suspect that there was more opportunity to bring a polite and productive conversation to the table. None the less...I bought the One part they had and headed to another REI in Chicago to get the rest. However, the fella behind the counter was working on a customers Bike. It was a very good bike. And I overheard the customer complain about bad shifting. I am an experienced mechanic with over 35 years of wrenching to my belt, so I had to politely listen. I listened to this newish sales and mechanic person tell the customer that his bike was fine, and in adjustment. However after listening to the customer complain about his shifting "slipping"... While waiting for someone to help me with my parts needs. I was enjoying the explanation of this mechanic representative to the customer about how he had to lower his power output in order to shift. He told the customer that he had to shift 30 feet before a hill in order to not have a "shift-skip". This is NOT accurate, and I was cringing at the bubbling blather being generated from this fellas mouth. The bikes are built to absolutely undergo stress while shifting uphill. This was not the best advise, as I saw that the bike was mis-adjusted from 8 feet away. I asked very politely and cautiously to help give the customer and mechanic a detail about how to resolve the complaint. They both agreed, as the customer did not seem to believe the employee....I knew it was not the right advise. And so I gave the attention to detail that was not noticed by the employee. The B-Tension was way off....by nearly an inch or 25.4mm. I had pointed that the top pulley of the Rear Derailleur was too far from the cogs in the rear. Thus the chain did not have enough "grip" on the rear cogs to initiate the correct shift clearances and adjustments. The chain only had about 30% of engagement. I advised the customer and tech that the B-Tension was Way off, and the solution would be to adjust the rear derailurer into the correct adjustment by loosening the B-Tension fitting to the correct the adjustment to properly let the chain sit closer to the cogs. This is critical for correct shifting and engagement to make the shifting system work correctly. The customer was Delighted, as I did state that I am also an experienced mechanic. And I was noting the problem that was obvious. Then...the mechanic started giving back an attitude....He put the bike back in the stand, and started giving excuses and the wrong adivise to the customer. I had what I needed from REI and so I left. However, I told the customer to NOT leave without getting the B-Tension adjustment corrected into the factory setting. Not 25mm- But closer to 1-3 mm depending on the bike and other factors including clearance for each situation. The mechanic was not helping, and became "Whiny-Sensitive" after my attempts to add some Value and Experience to Both. I purchased what I needed from REI, but to be Honest...The Staff is Severely Under Trained. The ability to fix a BIKE is pretty easy if you follow the training and methods in order to make everything sing correctly together. However...REI has not figured out how to make this work.

Brian was gracious and helpful from start to finish. He helped tune up my bike at a fair price and…read morethe turn around time was fast. I would highly recommend and have already spoken to friends about this bike shop.

Family owned, customer centered and quality work are at the core of this business. I was gifted two…read morebikes that sat in a shed for years. Brian came and picked them up and returned them within a few days. Please do not go there if you want super speedy service on your schedule, but go there to support a local, family owned business who will take care of you and your bikes.

I brought my bike in for a tube-up. It had been sitting unused for several years. The tune-up was…read moreall that was needed. I loved the personable owners, very honest about the cost and estimated needs. I felt at ease leaving the bike in their hands. Picking it up was on the day they said it would be. Excellent tune-up. Thank you!

Went here for maintenance on a bike that had been in storage for a few years. It came back in like…read morenew condition and a few days ahead of schedule too, and has been riding beautifully ever since. This was top quality work at a totally fair price.

This is a beautiful natural area! Clean, Quiet - airplanes pass by overhead, but are hardly even…read moreheard - with other friendly outdoorsy people along the trail. Hiking, Biking, Fishing, Picnic Area, Restrooms, and more. There are plenty of Restaurants and Shopping along Irving Park Road to the North, and along Lake Street to the South.