Night rides offer new views, but don't forget safety lights

While autumn weather in the Chicago area is often unpredictable, the cooler temperatures, changing colors and autumn smells are incredible. Although it wasn't a picture-perfect day, I chose Oct. 14 to tackle my annual self-designed century ride.

The route is a loop that connects South Elgin, St. Charles, Geneva, Batavia, Aurora, Oswego, Yorkville, Sandwich, Waterman, DeKalb and Sycamore.

This year, I rode with my friend Mark Wilson as he attempted his first 100-mile ride. I wouldn't necessarily recommend his training regimen (which involved not riding an bicycle since mid-July), but because he stays in good physical condition, he had little trouble completing the day's ride.

Mark and I started out at sunrise in South Elgin as a cold drizzle started to fall. We ended up with a couple of bouts with rain throughout the ride, but overall, the weather was fine. A highlight of the day for me was sharing a laugh as we spotted a Sandwich resident's "Air Mail" box mounted on a pole 20 feet up in the air.

Each year, I rediscover how peaceful and fun a night ride can be. I prefer staying away from traffic after dark and the Fox River Trail is where I usually end up. Things are much quieter then and a whole new set of animals comes out. The river's edge also makes the experience very relaxing.

Technology has certainly made it easier to see clearly after dark. My "ancient" rechargeable 10-watt halogen headlight system (that set me back more than $120 at the turn of the century) now stays at home while a LED light replaces it on my handlebars. The best feature of these new lights is their lower energy consumption. Many will give you up to 100 hours of operation with only two AA batteries. My blinking, red LED taillight is also great for visibility on the streets.

A bright LED headlight combined with a blinking taillight can now commonly be found at your local bike shop for $25-$40. For such a small investment, you can be free to explore the beauty of darkness. On the higher priced end, you can get extremely bright 20-30 watt multiple halogen headlights that mount either on your handlebars or on your helmet for anywhere from $100 to $500. These brighter lights will illuminate better than most LEDs and usually last for hours on an external battery that typically is stored on your bike frame in the water bottle cage.

While I use both headlights and taillights after dark, it's scary to see so many kids (and adults) riding around the streets at night using only reflectors for visibility. In my alter ego as a car driver, I'll often not even see a non-lit cyclist until I'm within 10 feet of them.