Day 32 - ending at Channahon, IL - Metamora, USA

September 4, 2022

Day 32 - ending at Channahon, IL

Day 32 - Lynwood, IL to Channahon, IL

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I'd slept well last night in the motel. Up at 4:15am to have time to write the report. Finished the bag of donuts, then loaded the bike, this time covering the cargo with plastic. It was raining - more like a nuisance sprinkle, and it was just in this area of Chicagoland. The weather radar showed it as a small spinning low pressure center. Lynwood was on the west side of this spinning, which kept bands of rain coming.

Today's destination is Channahon Parkway State Park. Trail riding plans include Old Plank Road Trail and the Illinois and Michigan Canal State Trail (I&M Canal Trail).

I headed out at 9:25am, going west on US-30 to an expressway frontage road (Vollbreacht Road) to get north to a connecting trail in Glenwood. Stopped at a Dollar General Store I happened upon for a few food items. I arrived at the bike trail at 10:02am. It was my hope that a restaurant in Glenwood (Gabe's Place) was open this morning. I deviated off the trail a little to find out. It was open! A welcome place to get out of the rain for a while.

I had their Country Breakfast and a muffin. Got ice to go, and was back in the sprinkles at 11:08am. On Thorn Creek Trail a short time later. I hadn't put on my rain gear. Instead I stopped at dry areas trees had provided along the trail when the rain intensified.

At 11:58am, I was at the start of Old Plank Road Trail. This trail would get me west all the way to Joliet. Noon mileage report: 10.8 miles.

After a while, the rain picked up, so I put my rain pants and jacket on. Later I'd made enough distance to be out of the rain.

I was in Frankfort at 1:55pm. A couple that I met yesterday at Trailblazers Bike Barn were from Frankfort and had cautioned me that their town took over the trail for their festival this weekend, and that I might have to walk my bike through the area. This was so true! Even past the festival area, people were using the trail to go and return. Several miles later, I was more or less by myself again.

At 3:48pm, I was in Joliet at the end of Old Plank Road Trail. My route on city streets to get to the I&M Canal Trail was not the recommended path. I think I got away with it because it was a quiet Sunday afternoon traffic-wise.

Going west on Washington Street, I was hearing the unmistakable sound of an ice cream cart ahead, taking me back to memories of my childhood days. I had a vanilla flavored popsicle bar. It was very good!

Through town I eventually got on US-6, which took me over the Des Plaines River on an old, well maintained bridge. Continuing on US-6, I arrived at Joliet's trailhead for the I&M Canal Trail at 4:40pm. I've been on parts of this trail before with my sisters Linda and Laurie, but we were never this far east. A very pleasant trail with herons in the canal, and critters scurrying across the trail.

I passed under I-55 at 5:38pm, and was at Channahon Parkway State Park at 6:10pm. There are other tent campers here, and I asked one of them about paying. He said a park employee will stop by in the morning to collect the fee. I got set up, then had supper from my lunch bag and what I'd purchased this morning from Dollar General.

Worked on picture selection, then went to bed early again - 9:41pm. Maybe my body is still on Eastern Time, which would be a more reasonable bedtime: 10:41pm. More trail riding tomorrow, after the report is posted.

Jeff

Spent: $10.55 (Gatorade, food supplies) + $18.92 plus $10 (breakfast) + $2 plus $3 (ice cream bar) + $6 (campsite) = $50.47.