Larry and Mary Lynn's Grand Illinois Trail Adventure

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=50 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF" bgproperties="fixed" background="03c788c3.jpg"> <div> <B>Larry and Mary Lynn's Grand Illinois Trail Adventure</B><B>                                      </B><A HREF="bicycle_trips.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Gear"><U><B><IMG SRC="03816180.gif" border=0 width="22" height="24" ALT="previous" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><A HREF="bicycle_trips43.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mileage Summary 2006"><U><B><IMG SRC="03716180.gif" border=0 width="22" height="24" ALT="next" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="24" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="22"><A HREF="grand_illinois_trail___frankfort.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Frankfort To Chica"><U><B><IMG SRC="03916180.gif" border=0 width="22" height="24" ALT="down" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=160 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Recycle"><U>Home</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="bicycle_trips.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Gear"><U>Gear</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="bicycle_trips43.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mileage Summary 2006"><U>2006 Mileage </U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id54.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Old Plank Road Trail Oct 2005"><U>Old Plank Road fall 2005</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <B>*Grand Illinois Trail</B></div> <div> <A HREF="grand_illinois_trail___frankfort.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Frankfort To Chica"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Frankfort To Chicago Heights</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="grand_illinois_trail__chicago_heights_to_lansing.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Chicago Heights To"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Chicago Heights To Lansing</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="frankfort_to_joliet.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Frankfort to Jolie"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Frankfort to Joliet</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="i_m_canal__joliet__morris.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail IM Canal, Joliet t"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - I&M Canal, Joliet to Morris</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="buffalo_rock_to_gebhard_woods.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail IM Canal, Buffalo "><U>Grand Illinois Trail - I&M Canal, Buffalo Rock to  Gebhard Woods</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="hennepin_canal_.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Hennepin Canal Vis"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Hennepin Canal Visitor Center, Sheffield  (Local) </U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="hennepin_canal_bureau_to_visitor_center.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Hennepin Canal, B"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Hennepin Canal,  Bureau Junction, to the  Visitor Center</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="hennepin_canal___visitor_center_to_geneseo.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Hennepin Canal, Vi"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Hennepin Canal, Visitor Center to Geneseo</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="hennepin_canal_colona_to_geneseo.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Hennepin Canal, Co"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Hennepin Canal, Colona to Geneseo</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="eggers_woods_to_lansing.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Eggers Woods, Chic"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Eggers Woods, Chicago to Lansing</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="colona_to_albany_mounds.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Colona to Albany M"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Colona to Albany Mounds</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="albany_mounds_to_thomson.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Albany Mounds to T"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Albany Mounds to Thomson</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="hanover_to_palisades.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Hanover to Mississ"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Hanover to Mississippi Palisades</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="palisades_to_thomson.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Mississippi Palisa"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Mississippi Palisades to Thomson</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="eggers_woods_to_navy_pier.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Eggers Woods to Na"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Eggers Woods to Navy Pier</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="seatonville_to_buffalo_rock.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Seatonville to Buf"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Seatonville to Buffalo Rock</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="wauconda_to_glencoe.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Wauconda to Glenco"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Wauconda to Glencoe</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="wauconda_to_richmond.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Wauconda to Richmo"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Wauconda to Richmond</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="glencoe_to_navy_pier.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Glencoe to Navy Pi"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Glencoe to Navy Pier</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="capron_to_richmond.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Capron to Richmond"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Capron to Richmond</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="capron_to_rockford.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Capron to Rockford"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Capron to Rockford </U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="lake_le_aqua_na_to_apple_river_canyon.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Lake LeAquaNa to A"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Lake Le-Aqua-Na to Apple River Canyon</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="hanover_to_9_mi_east_of_galena.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Hanover to 9 mi Ea"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Hanover to 9 mi East of Galena </U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="galena_to_apple_river_canyon.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail 9 miles East of Ga"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - 9 miles East of Galena to Apple River Canyon SP</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="lake_le_aqua_na_to_freeport_.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Lake LeAquaNa to F"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Lake Le-Aqua-Na to Freeport </U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="freeport_to_pecatonica_.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Freeport to Pecato"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Freeport to Pecatonica</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="pecatonica_to_rockford.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Pecatonica to Rock"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Pecatonica to Rockford </U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="seatonville_to_bureau.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Seatonville to Bur"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Seatonville to Bureau</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="grand_illinois_trail_epilogue.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Epilogue"><U>Grand Illinois Trail -  Epilogue</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="grand_illinois_trail_noptes.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Route Notes"><U>Grand Illinois Trail -  Route Notes</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id54.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Old Plank Road Trail Oct 2005"><U>Old Plank Road Trail, Oct 2005</U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=430 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <bR> <div> Introduction to </div> <div> The Grand Illinois Trail</div> <bR> <bR> <div> We had been riding area roads and bike paths for a while, when we discovered that we live only a block off of the <A HREF="http://www.bikegit.org/git/index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.bikegit.org/git/index.htm"><U>Grand Illinois Trail </U></A> and that our wanderings had covered most of the GIT between Lansing  and Joliet.   The 535 mile GIT  caught our imagination, and the more we thought about it, the more exciting it sounded.  All of a sudden we found ourselves planning a bike tour!</div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="35c20050.jpg" border=0 width="800" height="517" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">     </div> <div> Our actual route is marked in green</div> <bR> <div> Our Plan</div> <bR> <div> We wanted to ride the entire trail in a continuous two or three week trip, but jobs and family commitments would not allow that much time off.   We decided to ride the trail in a number of segments lasting from a few hours to a week.   We planned to haul the bikes to some point along the trail, and ride however far time and energy would allow.  Another car, either ours or one driven by a family member,  would be at the endpoint to haul us and the bikes back to  the starting point.</div> <bR> <div> We planned to stay in motels and eat in restaurants rather than camp along the way.  </div> <bR> <div> We intended to start easy, with some short morning or afternoon trips, ramping up to longer all day rides and overnights.  Our  biggest planning problem was that we didn’t know how far we could comfortably ride in a day and recover to ride again the next.  We though we could cover 40 to 50  miles per day.</div> <bR> <div> We wanted to ride the route clockwise, except for the segment from our home in Chicago Heights to Navy Pier on Chicago's lake front.  That part would be counterclockwise, giving us continuous view of  the Chicago skyline.</div> <bR> <div> We wanted to complete the circuit within a year to get those Illinois <A HREF="http://dnr.state.il.us/orep/planning/tb2000.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://dnr.state.il.us/orep/planning/tb2"><U>DNR GIT Trail Blazer t-shirts</U></A>, but we also wanted to allow time to smell the flowers,  take side trips, and  take in events near the route.   We estimated that side trips would add about 120 miles to the tour.  </div> <bR> <div> The <A HREF="http://www.bikelib.org/git/index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.bikelib.org/git/index.htm"><U>League of Illinois Bicyclists </U></A>site has online GIT maps and cue sheets for a clockwise trip.  </div> <bR> <div> Contact the  <A HREF="http://dnr.state.il.us/orep/planning/chkptmap.htm " TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://dnr.state.il.us/orep/planning/chk"><U>Illinois DNR site</U></A>. for a hard copy of the checkpoints, the LIB maps, and cue sheets.</div> <bR> <div> An <A HREF="http://www.openlands.org/git/index.asp" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.openlands.org/git/index.asp"><U>OpenLands Project </U></A> site has online GIT maps and cue sheets for a counter clockwise trip.</div> <bR> <div> In areas of heavy traffic or road construction, we may deviate slightly from the official GIT route. </div> <bR> <div> Most of our trip reports have a satellite view of our actual route. Click  on one of the satellite views to open a web page where you can zoom in on route details, pan along the route, or switch between the satellite and map views.  Click the browser Back button to return to the trip report</div> <bR> <div> The route maps on this site were drawn on the map/satellite hybrid images from <A HREF="http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/"><U>http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/</U></A> ,  <A HREF="http://bikely.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://bikely.com/"><U>http://bikely.com/ </U></A> or  <A HREF="http://routeslip.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://routeslip.com/"><U>http://routeslip.com/</U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> Our Grand Illinois Trail Adventure</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="grand_illinois_trail___frankfort.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Frankfort To Chica"><U>[Next]</U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <div> Or jump to select sections</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="grand_illinois_trail___frankfort.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Frankfort To Chica"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Frankfort To Chicago Heights</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="grand_illinois_trail__chicago_heights_to_lansing.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Chicago Heights To"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Chicago Heights To Lansing</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="frankfort_to_joliet.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Frankfort to Jolie"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Frankfort to Joliet</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="i_m_canal__joliet__morris.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail IM Canal, Joliet t"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - I&M Canal, Joliet to Morris</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="buffalo_rock_to_gebhard_woods.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail IM Canal, Buffalo "><U>Grand Illinois Trail - I&M Canal, Buffalo Rock to  Gebhard Woods</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="hennepin_canal_.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Hennepin Canal Vis"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Hennepin Canal Visitor Center, Sheffield  (Local) </U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="hennepin_canal_bureau_to_visitor_center.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Hennepin Canal, B"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Hennepin Canal,  Bureau Junction, to the  Visitor Center</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="hennepin_canal___visitor_center_to_geneseo.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Hennepin Canal, Vi"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Hennepin Canal, Visitor Center to Geneseo</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="hennepin_canal_colona_to_geneseo.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Hennepin Canal, Co"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Hennepin Canal, Colona to Geneseo</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="eggers_woods_to_lansing.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Eggers Woods, Chic"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Eggers Woods, Chicago to Lansing</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="colona_to_albany_mounds.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Colona to Albany M"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Colona to Albany Mounds</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="albany_mounds_to_thomson.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Albany Mounds to T"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Albany Mounds to Thomson</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="hanover_to_palisades.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Hanover to Mississ"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Hanover to Mississippi Palisades</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="palisades_to_thomson.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Mississippi Palisa"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Mississippi Palisades to Thomson</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="eggers_woods_to_navy_pier.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Eggers Woods to Na"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Eggers Woods to Navy Pier</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="seatonville_to_buffalo_rock.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Seatonville to Buf"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Seatonville to Buffalo Rock</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="wauconda_to_glencoe.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Wauconda to Glenco"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Wauconda to Glencoe</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="wauconda_to_richmond.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Wauconda to Richmo"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Wauconda to Richmond</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="glencoe_to_navy_pier.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Glencoe to Navy Pi"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Glencoe to Navy Pier</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="capron_to_richmond.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Capron to Richmond"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Capron to Richmond</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="capron_to_rockford.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Capron to Rockford"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Capron to Rockford </U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="lake_le_aqua_na_to_apple_river_canyon.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Lake LeAquaNa to A"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Lake Le-Aqua-Na to Apple River Canyon</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="hanover_to_9_mi_east_of_galena.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Hanover to 9 mi Ea"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Hanover to 9 mi East of Galena </U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="galena_to_apple_river_canyon.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail 9 miles East of Ga"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - 9 miles East of Galena to Apple River Canyon SP</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="lake_le_aqua_na_to_freeport_.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Lake LeAquaNa to F"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Lake Le-Aqua-Na to Freeport </U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="freeport_to_pecatonica_.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Freeport to Pecato"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Freeport to Pecatonica</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="pecatonica_to_rockford.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Pecatonica to Rock"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Pecatonica to Rockford </U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="seatonville_to_bureau.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Seatonville to Bur"><U>Grand Illinois Trail - Seatonville to Bureau</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="grand_illinois_trail_epilogue.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Epilogue"><U>Grand Illinois Trail -  Epilogue</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="grand_illinois_trail_noptes.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Route Notes"><U>Grand Illinois Trail -  Route Notes</U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="grand_illinois_trail___frankfort.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Frankfort To Chica"><U>[Next]</U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="bicycle_trips.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Gear"><U><IMG SRC="03816180.gif" border=0 width="22" height="24" ALT="previous" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A> <A HREF="bicycle_trips43.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mileage Summary 2006"><U><IMG SRC="03716180.gif" border=0 width="22" height="24" ALT="next" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A>     <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="24" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="22"> <A HREF="grand_illinois_trail___frankfort.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Frankfort To Chica"><U><IMG SRC="03916180.gif" border=0 width="22" height="24" ALT="down" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>