New Destination near home

I spent some time this weekend to do some local research. I really wanted to get down pat some trails over by Palos Hills area. Yeah, a lot of people ride there and what not. But in my case I work at the shop all the time and it is impossible for me to get there. I rode over that way yesterday and met Joe from 2 Bici Bike Shop. We hit it off well and I think we are going to be good friends. 
     Joe has been around for a while and we have many acquaintances in common. Joe knows a lot about bikes, racing and is a great asset to the area. He supplied me with a map and I was up late last night studying it carefully. 
     Today I took care of errands early which meant shopping and getting a Xmas tree. My 9 year old was so excited. At 12:02 I was loaded and ready to drive (?????) down there. It is 10 miles to the trails and it took me 20 minutes without any traffic. 
     I parked by 2 Bici and rode behind The Coffee House which is kinda next to the bike shop. You go up a very steep kinda sidewalk and from there you hit the trails. I was on the Yellow trail for the most part. and once I got down South I did the Black Trail which is called the out and back. Singletrack was super dry and hard. I had way too much pressure and was running a El mariachi in full rigid mode. 
     I kept checking the map and things started to make sense. I spent 2 hours on my MTB out there and it felt great to get some upper body workout. 
Made it back to the parking lot and chatted a while with Joe before heading back home. 
     I will be incorporating more of these rides as I get burned out  riding on the road. Going on singletrack really is cool and it allows me to get some handling skills down. 

Little buck trying to outrun me.

My steel El Mariachi with yes 3x9 drivetrain. So old school

This is the coffee house at the corner of Archer and Willowsprings rd.

Across the street from Ghostown there is a 7/11

Joe's  2bici. Open Sat and Sun in case you need last minute supplies before hitting the trails.

I will be up for doing some more singletrack soon. As soon as I get all this arranged I will post it. So I drive south on Willow Springs road and then make a left on Archer. To you right there is a strip mall with a banquet hall, florist, the bike shop, coffee shop. You can park there and then start your ride. For me that is the  shortest location I can get to from my house. I feel so wrong driving there but I guess its not that bad. 
best, 
Ari