30 miles on my 30th birthday

[Fuji Girl]

Ok ladies, the big THREE ZERO is approaching in mid-April and I'd like to do 30 miles to commemorate the occasion (it's a Monday, day after Easter. I'd like to do it on Easter Sunday, or the next Sunday after that. Weather permiting, of course.). There was a time when I didn't even think that I'd make it this far - I thought for sure I'd lose my fight with cancer. But so far, I'm winning and I'd like to do something big.

My longest ride to date has been 20 miles, and I was really pooped after that. Does anyone have any suggestions about training, planning my route, anything at all? I've been trying to drag some of my friends into doing it with me, but so far there are no takers. So I might be doing this alone, which is fine. Anyone from Chicago have any suggestions for "must sees" on my route?