8/6-More Sly Dogging on The I&M and…Bethany!!!

It was about a 2 mile ride back to the I&M Canal from the worst ever Super 8 this morning. 

Back to the canal

I had quite a few miles still to do on the I&M, from mile post 58 to 35. 

A lock house

The lock

An aqueduct

Trail between the canal and the river

In Channahon, I came upon a high school cross country team having practice (school hasn’t started yet).

I talked to the coach for awhile until the practice was winding down. 

The section to Channahon proper was a little muddy in spots, but all rideable. Igor off the canal in Channahon to go to a Casey’s for a snack and some calcium. There weren’t as many towns on the canal today, so I took advantage. Besides, the breakfast at the Super 8 was terrible (only waffles, and not even butter).

I saw several herons again, and also started seeing egrets. 

I came to the last mile post, then this sign. 

Last bit on the I&M

Okay then

I was off at Rockdale onto streets. I had the final climb (number 7) working my way to Joliet. It’s not the final climb of this segment, but of the RWGPS part on my computer. 

I was to cross into Joliet over the river. Unfortunately, the road was closed that I needed to take. I let Garmin reroute me, and it did a good job. 

On the bridge

Into Joliet

It’s on Route 66

Now I had to work my way to the Old Plank Trail. There was another closed road, but I just rode the sidewalk. 

Really great trail!

I texted Bethany when I got to Old Plank. Now I had about 13 more miles to go to Frankfort…and Bethany!!! I made one more stop for a snack at a Fitness Course. 

There I met a grandpa and his three grandkids. Bailey who was 8, had some great questions about what I was doing (asking how much everything weighed). Liam, 5 years, was interested in what was in all the bags. Little Declan was 2, and busy running around, keeping grandpa on his toes. 

I texted Bethany again when I had just a bit over two miles to go. She said she was at the square!

Over this bridge

Almost there (Bethany took this photo)

As I rolled up to the Square in Frankfort, I could see her! 

Woo Hoo! I made it! It’s been since Idaho Panhandle Ramble since I’ve seen Bethany. The best thing is that she is moving back to Washington!!! 

We loaded Wanda onto the bike rack, and came to the hotel. The room wasn’t ready, so we went to lunch. When we got back, and checked in, Bethany still had some work to do. I did my laundry. In the process, I met Robert, a guitar tech for the Barenaked Ladies/Train tour that is performing tomorrow just down the road. We had a good chat. 

Now Bethany and I are going to meet her son and granddaughter for dinner. I’ll post more photos from that tomorrow.

8/5-Sly Dogging on the I&M

Today was another day of canal riding. I left my campsite at Lock 6 on the Hennepin Canal after a terrible night’s sleep of drowning in my own sweat. As soon as I got out of my tent, I put bug spray on because the mosquitoes were just waiting. I didn’t dare go into the restroom because yesterday I discovered they were having a major convention. A guy named Steve had come to fish last night. He was heading for the restroom when I warned him about the mosquito convention. He just went around to the side of the building. 

There had been a little bit of rain during the night, but my tent was actually pretty dry. There were a million daddy long leg spiders on my tent. I told them the house was moving, but some persisted in staying. They’ll be in for a surprise next time I’m camping…you’ve been transported to a new home!

Morning on the Hennepin 

My route took me off the canal at Lock 3. 

Goodbye Hennepin!

There was a gratuitous loopy part after getting on the road. I declined to do it, and instead just headed up the road I would be coming back to anyway. I think it saved me about 2 miles. When it made sense to get back on the route, I did. It was a gravel road. 

The gravel is a little bit more coarse, but still rideable

The first town with a Casey’s was DePue. I stopped for a chocolate milk and a Bavarian cream stuffed long john. As I was leaving town, I saw this. 

Any idea what this black rock is?

The route did some neighborhood streets through Spring Valley. I always wonder what people think when they see me go by their house. Do they wonder how I got there?

Awhile back, one of the women on the WhatsApp group told Vivian about a closure between DePue and Spring Valley. It was supposedly a bridge washout. But, someone had told her that you could get by on a bike. You just have to lift your bike over a jersey barrier. I encourage trees that today, but it was fine. The barrier had been turned. I didn’t even need to get off my bike. And the bridge was not washed out. 

Then it was a good ride on gravel until the road turned to go back up. Wowza! That was a steep climb! I saw a guy walking down as I was riding up. I told him I haven’t had to climb that steep for several days!

I returned to the road I’d been on before doing the gravel bit. It was now a four lane, and quite busy. No shoulder, so I just took my lane. It was a steep down, then a climb back up (climb 6 on the Climb Pro). That brought me to…

I’ve been to Jamaica, Madrid, and now…Peru!

Peru is a pretty big city on the Illinois River. Again, I rode the neighborhood streets. I went through a fairly industrial area, then finally to the I&M Canal. It stands for Illinois and Michigan. Canal wise, it’s much smaller than the Hennepin.

Cool canal boat at the beginning 

Info

The path

It does have these mile markers that give info about what’s next, and life on the canal. Currently I’m in the 50s mile markers.

Water doesn’t seem to move much

There were many different surfaces on this canal path too. 

A lot of double track

Varying widths of singletrack

Sometimes…just grass!

Even some road

What there really wasn’t much of was pavement. But, it was still fast. There were a couple of downed trees, but they were easy to get over. 

This was a go around 

Up and over

The second one

What was also cool was that there were campsites!

Nice shelter even!

There were a couple like this. There was access to the river.

I would be flying along through the green tunnel, then pop out at a town. I stopped in Marseilles at a Mexican restaurant for some lunch. The trail goes through the towns, but it’s like you’re taking the Sly Dog way…sneaky like! I am a major fan of Sly Dog ways (everyone at home knows this), so I thought this was really fun! 

This is the 5 mile bridge. It’s 5 miles to either town! That meant 5 more miles to Morris, my destination,

In Morris, the route goes out to the road. I saw a sign the said “Trail detour”. That was fine for me because I was staying in Morris anyway. I was going to camp again, but the forecast is for overnight rain until 9:00am tomorrow. I just couldn’t bring myself to swelter in my tent in the rain. Speaking of rain, it was supposed to rain today. It did…a little. It wasn’t until I was just getting on the I&M. I was quite protected under the trees. It just started to rain again as I arrived in Morris. I’m at the Super 8. The road was crazy busy, but I just rode the sidewalk.

Tomorrow is a very special day! I’m meeting up with my friend, Bethany, in Frankfort. I’ll be getting an early start so I can get there ASAP, even if I have to ride in the rain!

8/4-Herons on the Hennepin

As promised…me and Kelli! Thanks again for everything!

I decided, since I didn’t have breakfast food at the 74 Pancake House yesterday, I would stop there for breakfast today. The same guy, Marco, was there this morning. Turns out, he’s the owner. Nice guy. 

When I got back on Wanda, and was heading back to the route, I had to cross the train tracks. Just as I pulled up, a train was going by. 

And going by…

Finally after 7 minutes…the end!

The first part of today’s route was along the Mississippi again on the Great River Trail.

Morning on the Mississippi 

A couple of scullers taking advantage of the calm water

I saw these two herons, one flying, one sitting.

Then the sitting one took off too

The route departed from the River to head over to the Hennepin Canal. Some of the time I was on a bike route called the Rock River Trail. 

Back out in the countryside (after going around the prison)

I came into Colona. There I stopped at a convenience store for some chocolate milk. Right after Colona, or maybe actually in Colona, I picked up the Hennepin Canal Trail.

Beginning of the Hennepin

I would be on this for the rest of the day (and some of tomorrow too). There were many different surfaces. Everything from smooth pavement, rough pavement, gravel, packed dirt, and short bits of sand. All of it was easily rideable. 

I crossed back and forth over the canal a few times. 

One of the locks

At times it was a bit monotonous. I had started counting herons for a distraction. I tried to get a photo, but I was never fast enough. They would be sitting at the edge of the canal out of my sight. I would startle them as I rode by, and they would take off. In all, I saw 29 herons (you know I was very excited when I saw number 27)! 

I made it to the Visitor’s Center. It is the only place to get water on the entire canal. I drank a bunch, then filled up 4 liters. 

The Hennepin Canal runs from the Mississippi to the Illinois River. It was built to save 400 miles of transporting people and cargo. It took 14 years to build. When the railroad came through, the canal was no longer needed. There are at least 25 locks. All are no longer functional. People can boat on the canal, but only between the locks.

I only saw this one boat.

After the Visitor’s Center, there was a detour due to a bridge being out. I don’t know how much the detour added, but I’d guess at least a mile or so. It was well signed. 

It was actually a nice diversion from the canal. From the VC on the canal, I would have had 16 more miles to Lock 6 campground. It was a little more.

I was counting down the locks. They are much closer together in this part of the canal, and in the 16-ish miles I went from Lock 21 to Lock 6. 

Many of the locks have camping available. It’s pretty primitive with a restroom, a few picnic tables, and a trash can. It’s supposedly $8, but I see nowhere to pay.

I walked Wanda across this bridge to the campground. 

It’s just me here. Gonna be a peaceful night with the sound of the water falling at the lock. I think there’s a chance of rain tonight, and definitely tomorrow. Must pull out the rain gear.