8/8-After all, She is a Fish!

And fish do like to swim! I think I caught up to some of the effects of all the recent rain today. I first rode back to the Duneland Trail, to take that to Porter. 

Then to the Lakeshore Trail

This was train number 2 I had to wait for

There was a running event where I got on the Lakeshore Trail. Fortunately, it seemed to be winding down.

The Lakeshore Trail wasn’t very long (or I wasn’t on it for very long). Next I picked up the Calumet Trail. This trail can take you to Indiana Dunes State Park, as well as Duneland Campground. 

That trail goes to the State Park and beach

Direction arrows

The Calumet Trail is gravel.

I was to follow the Calumet for about 5 miles. It started out okay. 

Nice double track

Pretty flowers

But then, puddles started appearing. No problem! Wanda rode through them like the fish she is! 

Yep, rode through all of that. 

Then it became more like lakes. I had been doing good, pedaling slowly to keep my feet dry. But then it got deeper. I was still riding, but now the pedals were splooshing through the water. Feet soaked now!

So much water!

It became too deep to ride. Now we were trudging through the long stretches of water. Some were up to almost my knees. There were tadpoles galore! At one point, I swear I saw a small fish! 

There was no way to get off the trail, and I was already half way through.

I was able to ride brief bits of dry stuff, but then it would be a long stretch of water again. 

Finally I came to a road crossing at Beverly Shores. I knew I could take that road around and hook back up with the route on the Lakeshore Road. Amazingly, Wanda was still shifting fine. Her brakes were a little screamy. When I came up to the beach parking and access, I had to brake because people were walking to the beach. They all kept looking at me. I said I was sorry for the noise, but the brakes were soaking wet. 

There it is, Lake Michigan!

I got a little bit longer ride along the lake than if I’d stayed on the route. 

Another beach access

The historic glass house

Meow meow crossing!

The route turned south away from the lake. Before too long, I was back out in the countryside. 

It was a nice tailwind here!

Big rooster!

I met a couple on e-bikes out for a ride. Their names were John and Rhonda. They were riding the same brand of e-bikes as Ken and Vivian. I told them how my friends were also riding Velotrics, and they were riding them across the country too! They were suitably amazed. They turned off, and I continued south. 

Except for one 10 mile straight road, the route made enough turns to keep it interesting. Coming into Westville, there was even a bit of a bike path!

It was only 1.75 miles long, but it was nice. It took me into town, where I stopped at McDonalds for some lunch. 

Back on the road, I was soon out amongst the corn and soybeans again.

In case you forgot what the corn looks like.

The big difference between Indiana and Iowa is that in Iowa, these roads would all be gravel. Here I just had one .9 mile section of gravel. 

Weird thing…when I hit the gravel, I went to shift into an easier gear. It didn’t shift. Tried a harder gear…still didn’t shift. I thought, uh oh, water must have killed the derailleur battery.

At the end of the gravel, I stopped and checked the battery level on the SRAM Axis app on my phone. It said the battery was good (so were the shifter batteries). I took the battery out, then put it back in. Got on, started pedaling, shifted, and…it shifted just fine! Who knows what that was all about! 

I continued making my way to North Judson.

Interesting…garden?

Corncobs in a corn crib!

I was just about a half mile from North Judson when I saw this bike path. It looked new, and wasn’t on the route. I figured it went into town, so I hopped on. 

It did come into town by the railroad museum. 

Since I was staying in the only motel in town, I Google mapped my way there. It’s the Oak View Inn. Doesn’t get the greatest reviews, but it’s the only game in town. No camping option. Bikes aren’t allowed in the rooms. Wanda is parked under cover at least. I have to lube her chain after her swim today anyway. Seems like most everyone has also stayed here. Tomorrow I think I go to Peru, IN (second Peru of the trip).

8/7-The Great Wall of Indiana

After a great dinner with Andrew and Zoey, Bethany and I stayed up way too late. 6:00am came all too soon. Considering we had to pack up, load Wanda onto the bike rack, get back to Frankfort, and put everything back on the bikes, we got a decent start just after 8:00.

Let’s go for a ride, Bethany!

Today was another day of trails. We finished up the Old Plank Trail. It seamlessly connected to the Thorn Creek Trail.

Riding with Bethany was awesome because I had my own personal tour guide. We went through (on the trail, of course) Chicago Heights. Bethany said Al Capone had a vacation house there. She said the mafia still has a presence in Chicago Heights. What kept running through my head was Bad Bad Leroy Brown!

Waiting to safely cross the street without getting gunned down (just kidding)

We came to the end of the Thorn Creek Trail after riding through cool prairie/meadow sections, and green tunnels.

Took a snack break at this preserve shelter

Why did the turkeys cross the road? Because they were running away from Wanda!

 It was quite a bit of stop and go with the street crossings. Every once in a while a car would stop for us. It’s not the law to stop for pedestrians in Illinois. 

We had a short section on the road. We were going through neighborhood streets. The route said to continue straight, but there was a wall. We just rode the sidewalk around it. I said to Bethany it was a sly dog cut neighborhoods cut through. Not exactly. Turns out it was the Great Wall of Indiana! Yes, by going around the wall I crossed into my 9th state!

State number 9-Indiana!

I was flabbergasted! This wall is the state line? Yes!

If it wasn’t for Bethany, I would have had no idea I was now in Indiana!

She noticed the street signs were now blue (Illinois’ were yellow)

I just thought it was the funniest thing! A neighborhood that was part in Illinois and part in Indiana!

We continued on. We came to a very busy intersection. I saw a gas station across the street. We went there for chocolate milk and water (for Bethany). Then I spied a place back across the street. I said to Bethany, “Look! Oh my God, Pastries!”. Yeah, that was the name of the shop. OMG Pastries. Of course we had to go there!

Best name for a bakery!

They had very good pastries. Bethany had a lemon tart. I had a chocolate eclair. I was a little bummed because, since I had had the chocolate milk, I couldn’t eat all of the eclair!

Bethany decided this was a good turnaround spot for her. She would end up going all the way back to her car at Frankfort for a total of 48 miles! Coincidentally, I ended up riding about the same distance, only continuing on.

Bye Bethany! I’ll miss you until you get back to Washington! 

The next trail was the Monon Trail. It was just a short bit to get to the Little Calumet Levee Trail.

The Levee Trail

Nice new bridge!

The Little Calumet connected to the Erie Lackawanna Trail.

Going right!

Really nice trail

Then, the Erie Lackawanna connected to the Oak Savannah Trail!

Such good signage

Smooth trail

Funny sign!

Nice mural

I was working my way toward Portage. I had stopped to make a hotel reservation at the Baymont in Portage. I couldn’t check in until 3:00, so I had some time to kill. In Hobart I noticed a DQ just off the trail. I went over for some ice cream. 

Back on the trail, I came to this. 

It doesn’t seem like I’m actually there yet, but maybe…

Then I was on another trail into Portage. 

Now the Duneland Trail

I got off the trail at Willowcreek Rd, and headed closer to the interstate where the hotels are. Tomorrow, I will get closer to Indiana Dunes State Park. Might take some time to check it out.

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.