08.06-08.2023 - Illinois

illinois, if there's one state that comes closest to being all rails to trails, this is it.  or should i say tow path to trails?  well, both.

first, though, several miles of trail heading north along the mississippi, including crossing the river at the dam, the u.s. army's rock island arsenal and the famous railroad, the rock island line.

i've been looking forward to the hennepin canal for some time.  it's actually two canal tow paths:  the hennepin, which follows the green river and connects the illinois river to the mississippi and the i&m canal (illinois & michigan) which connects lake michigan to the illinois.  they meet near the town of lasalle.  the latter was the 'big game changer', providing a path from new orleans up to chicago.  the hennepin never affected much because it took too long to build and was obsolete before it opened. but together they provide a bicycle trail from the mississippi to joliet, just southwest of chicago. the old plank road trail then gets you to chicago heights, due south of chicago.

it's lack of significance may be why the hennepin canal and trail is badly neglected.  no signage, mile markers, history boards and the pavement is in various degrees of decay.

the start is paved, but then it goes to rough dirt from there.  as it turned out, this trail was a bit of a nemesis.

it wasn't too long into the morning ride before i came around a turn going under a bridge and crashed trying to avoid broken concrete.  the resulting spill sent me sliding on my belly, head first, down the embankment of the canal. i came to a stop when my face smashed into a rock, a chunck of limestone.  i hit just below my nose and above my teath. i was very fortunate (or unfortunate?) that i hit it going just slow enough that i didn't crack any teeth.  just a bruised and swollen upper lip, no blood. and i managed to slide the bike so there was no damage to it.  a little shook up, a little dazed and a little angry.  i sat for a few minutes absorbing it all.

as the day went on, gray clouds moved in, occasional scattering of rain.  and then i picked up my fifth flat of the trip. 

and then, as evening came on and i was trying to make a campground before the rain, i missed a canal crossing and went about 10 miles north on a feeder canal before realizing my mistake.  i finally made it to hennepin canal parkway state park before dusk.  there was an unmanned visitors center, a large picnic shelter and toilets.  met a young couple in a van moving to moab, utah.  they stopped to eat and exercise the dog. the water from the fountain was horrible, so they left me a couple of cans of water and a snack or two before getting back on the road.  as the rain started to fall, i though the shelter looked like an excellent place to spend the night.

in the morning, up and running early as usual.   by mid morning, i'd reached the end of the trail, which stops in bureau junction, about a mile from where the canal meets the illinois river.  a steep climb gets one out of the river valley and into cornfields, about 15 miles of roadway to peru and the start of the i&m canal trail.

my tire was continuing to give me trouble, so i stopped at a bike shop, cleverly disquised as royal auto.  i talked for a bit with the owner while he changed out my tube.  he had originally bought it as an autoparts store, morphed in to a bike repair shop and was going out of businees into retirement.   then i headed down to the 4th street bakery & cafe for a sandwhich and a less than satisfying chai.

the i&m, in sharp contrast to the hennepin canal, has signage and historicsl markers.  it starts in peru, across the river.

)

a few towns, notably utica, have tried to build off the relationship.  the trail used to go to the lake, michigan, but now stops with little fanfare at joliet.

it follows the illinois river.  of course, just the other side of the tree line was flat fields of corn and soybean that would make iowa and nebraska jealous.

i spent the night at the campground in channahon state park, just shy of joliet, dinner at a subway. 

the next morning, after leaving the canal, i noticed my rear tire was again going flat (6th time?).  stopping several times to pump the tire, i made it to a bike shop where i wisely decided to change out the tire.  the old tire was just too worn and was easily punctured.  after that change, i didn't have any more problems for the rest of yhe trip.

at joliet, on the other side of the river, the old plank trail runs due east.  it's a much better trail all the way around with the cherry being frankfurt, where the city has built a park and a lovely, thriving drinking, dining and shopping area around it, including a brewery.  old plank trail was first a horse/individual trail, then a wagon trail, then a corduroy road (horses had a tendancy to break legs on these. duh.), then a sawed plank road (how many planks would it have taken?).  when the railroads came, they either bought or were given some of the roads for right-of-way; and when the railroads, left the cyclists got them.

anyway, the plank road turned into a nature trail which tied into the thorn creek trail system, which is a classic cook county (chicago) park trail.  

then after several miles of unaccommodating break (read: heavily trafficked roads), the route picks up the erie lackawana trail heading southeast from chicago heights to indiana

and finally, a hotel for the night in merryville.  no warmshower, no public or private campground to be found and badly in need of a shower and washing of clothes, i pulled the 'stay one night in a hotel' card from the community chest.  2nd time all trip.

a good meal, clean clothes and a good nights rest and i was ready for the final leg to columbus.