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As promised, here's a pic of our outdoor gym; the I & M Canal Tow Path near Morris, Illinois. In this issue of Adventure-Space Presents, we’re going on a short bike ride in the Morris Region of the I & M Canal Bike Path. Our goal today; 14 miles.We started late in the afternoon because of a church picnic that took over the morning when we usually ride. Fearing the worst for heat, humidity, crowds and bugs, we came geared for bear, with sun block, hats that cover the back of the neck, and a wary attitude for hikers around bends and extra bike traffic.We parked in the recreational boat parking lot near the Rt 47 bridge at the south end of Morris, strapped the gear on the bikes, including the mini ice chest complete with ice covered water bottles, camera bag, and of course, our digital speedometer.Yes, I know that you’re not supposed to guzzle down ice cold drinks in the middle of sweaty, strenuous exercise. But, believe me, we are far from strenuous exercisers. And sipping is the rule during water breaks.Bathroom stops all out of the way, we climbed the short but steep incline from parking lot to tree covered path, and recovered from a short fall after learning that we do have some limitations, even with 7-speed bicycles. We then peddled down the path, leaving the rec. area behind with its boats, jet skis, trailers and swim suits to enter a shaded, green, tranquil path of quiet and beauty.The I & M Canal Tow Path could only be made better if it had Culver's Frozen Yogurt Stands every ten miles or so. This is our outdoor adventure gym. We workout every Saturday as schedules allow by riding up and back. Our peak distances so far have been 10 and 14 miles.
The wildlife is almost constant with great herons, egrets, woodpeckers, squirrels, rabbits and turtles. The green canopy that is shown in this photo from Saturday afternoon, 6/30/2007, is over many miles of the canal that reaches generally from around Joliet, Illinois to around LaSalle, Illinois, about 61 miles or so to the west. All though the total trail length is currently at 61 miles, a small portion of it is more for hiking than bike riding.
A popular 11 mile stretch in the Joliet and Chicago section has become a favorite for after work biking as it is completely paved and is close to several housing neighborhoods. The Morris sections are not paved but are well tended with fine limestone sand and gravel that is referred to as “screenings”.
The overall path is almost perfectly level as it is the historic tow path that accompanies the canal, built in the late 1800's and used until 1933 when it was closed to commercial barge and passenger traffic due to lack of use, being replaced largely by freight and passenger rail.
We passed the usual pedestrians and fishing folk. Everyone on the path has been friendly and respectful of others. To date we haven’t heard even a whisper of loud, pounding music that often accompanies today’s outdoor activities.On the left is the canal with its slow moving, earthy, coffee and green-hued water; loaded with water bugs and dragon flies dipping into the water causing water rings to spread lazily outward. On the right is the mostly present tree and shrub wall that breaks occasionally to allow passing peeks at the Illinois River with its barges, boats, and back yards of homes.After about a mile or so we’ve waved at the middle aged couple tending their garden a few feet from the path on the right. Their home is one of the old lock houses in which lived the lock keeper who had to be available 24/7 to work the lock and break up occasional fights between barge captains. Now, the inhabitants come home from their job to tend their vegetable garden and wave at path pedestrians.Right after that, we cross a road that bridges the canal, and pass by a small dock on our left that usually has a couple of folks fishing. They wave. Everyone waves and smiles on this path. Then it’s some serious nature and quiet for about five miles.
On the other side of the canal to the north are several back yards of older homes built right on the canal. In good weather there are people out there fishing, grilling lunch, or just watching the great outdoors occur. The older homes give way to pastures, corn and soybean fields, and industry.
At this point on the path, we realize that were we traveling by car this direction on parrellel roads, we would be pretty much ignoring the countryside filled with chain link fences, smoke stacked power plants, old but very large grainery operations and gravel pits. The path allows us to see the very same countryside from 180 degrees opposite perspective. Behind all of that “drive by” is this wonderful collection of what has been here for a few thousand years.After the glacial period that butts right up against human history, there was pretty much nothing around what is now the Chicago South area except grass and swamp land interspersed with a few tree lines that followed creeks and rivers. The great herons, egrets, beavers, squirrels, rabbits and numerous other birds and wildlife once were the rulers of this vast domain now dominated by corn and soybean fields. And that is exactly what we saw on this Saturday afternoon with the 78 degrees and 40% humidity.
Riding by swiftly and quietly, generating no sound except the ever present low crackling of the lime stone under tire, the herons and egrets take notice but also pretty much ignore us as they stand straight up with their feet in the water, almost like a straggling limb reaching up from its parent waterlogged trunk. They are most certainly doing what most of their human brothers are doing who we meet at canal’s edge; fishing.
Without looking for them deliberately, one can easily miss them altogether. Until you speak, or slow down to take their picture. Then it’s crouch, flex those giant five foot wing spans, and leap into the air to flap just a couple of times and climb to just clearance level over the water; just enough air to allow their wings to carry them up or down stream a hundred yards or so. This is why all of my recent efforts to catch them on camera has netted me all of two blurry motion based pictures; always in flight.
On one occasion, a couple of Saturdays ago earlier in June, one of those events ended with the giant heron taking off straight at me, almost taunting me with my inability to get off a decent shot in time, and then arcing to my left, down stream and looping over the path where we had just ridden, only to return to the airspace over the canal and alight up in a tree, sixty feet over head, looking at me. Laughing quietly, I think.
We made it to our most recent half way point, a rather large sawed log cut in half right across the trail about seven miles from where we parked. We debiked (if deplane is a word, then so is “debiked”), sipped some water, took pictures and turned around for the return trip.On the way back we saw a beaver for the first time. He was swimming up stream lazily; didn’t even turn his head to look at us. We can recognize beavers easily since our video trip to Cuyahoga Valley National Park last year. We spent several hours on the board walk that runs over the top of Beaver Marsh. We have yards and yards of beaver footage as they worked constantly at fortifying the dam, or building on to their partially submerged twig homes. We never once saw a beaver resting or relaxing. Constant motion in public is their union rule I guess. No leaning, no reading the newspaper, no holding up any signs calling attention to themselves, just work. I admire the beaver.Riding too fast could be a problem on this path. Some of the younger rabbits and squirrels aren’t acquainted with on coming high speed traffic, like we have a problem with approaching trains at high speed. I don’t think rolling over a rabbit or squirrel would lend to good traction with a bicycle, and it can’t be too good for the little rodents and marsupials either.The squirrels have less of a problem getting out of the way as they just scurry up the nearest tree, which on most of this path isn’t a problem. But, the young rabbits can only seem to exit the trail at just the precise point; like they are looking frantically for an exit sign or unlocked gate. They bound from break to break until they finally locate just the right opening to dash through breathlessly as we finally cruise past them like giants bent on their very destruction.On the return trip, we stopped at the reclaimed lock and took some pictures and drank (sipped) some ice-cold water frmo our bottles. This lock, about five miles east of the Rt 47 intersect, has been rebuilt to its glory days condition. The giant wooden lock gates have been replaced with permanent concrete walls with a fixed spillway down at the base. The original lock hardware has been cleaned up and is still in place where the great hinges used to be.
The resulting back up water is a deep pond which locals say is a great fishing hole. It’s also one of the places where kayakers and canoers turn around or portage their craft. As we left the area, we saw a couple of canoes paddle away east in the direction of our halfway turnaround log.
We arrived at the rec. area parking asphalt and enjoyed the down hill ride all the way to our car. We suggest not running full out at speed through the busy parking lot during summer months. Save that for late Fall when the lot is mostly empty.The odometer read exactly 14.0 miles as we came to rest behind our Trail Blazer with its bike rack jutting out.
This ride is a great one for all family members. We think it’s about the only safe type of ride for those trailing the expensive kiddy trailers behind their bikes; the ones we see in busy traffic around Joliet.
As Adventure-Crew has not yet left the realm of National Parks in our park page collection, here’s one of the dozens of good links with more information on the I&M Canal Bike Paths.
Maybe we’ll see ya there. We plan on riding the Channahon portion tonight!