Grand Illinois Trail - I&M Canal, Joliet to Morris

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=3 height=50 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF" bgproperties="fixed" background="03c788e1dvldtc.jpg"> <div> <B>Grand Illinois Trail - I&M Canal, Joliet to Morris</B></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=20% BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <bR> <div> <A HREF="bicycle_trips21.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Larry and Mary Lynns Grand Illinois Trai"><U><B>Larry and Mary Lynn's Grand Illinois Trail Adventure</B></U></A></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> <B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c899cccc00.gif" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Grand Illinois Trail - I&M Canal, Joliet to Morris</B></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> </td> <td valign="top" height=396 colspan=2 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> Day 4 - 4/27/2006</div> <bR> <div> I&M Canal, Joliet, IL to Morris, IL</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=155286" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=155286"><U><IMG SRC="135bab70.jpg" border=0 width="698" height="439" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <div> Click on the satellite view to zoom in on route details, pan along the route,  </div> <div> or switch between the satellite view and a map view.  </div> <div> Click on the browser Back button to return to this page.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> Stats:  31.5 Miles   (4th day,  72.7 miles to date)</div> <bR> <div> Sunny, 65F, winds SW 8 m/h</div> <bR> <div> Seen On theTrail:</div> <div> Canada Geese and goslings, Ducks, Mourning Doves, Sea Gulls, Blue Heron, White Heron, Egrets, Hawk (Red  Tail?) carrying a snake, Sparrows, Robins, Starlings, Red Wing Blackbirds, Finches, Painted Turtles, Snapping Turtles, Squirrels, Muskrats, Gnats, and one badly decomposed (dog?) carcass.</div> <bR> <div> The plan is to ride 40 miles today, stopping for the night in Ottawa, IL.  We will resume tomorrow, riding  25 more miles to the west end of the I&M canal in La Salle, IL, or possible 40 miles to the beginning of the Hennepin Canal in Bureau Junction, IL.   The panniers were loaded with 25 lbs of clothing, food, water, and tools.</div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="137fa5e0.jpg" border=0 width="250" height="350" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Thanks again to our daughter Amy who dropped us off at the start and picked us up at the end.  </div> <div> We couldn't have made this trip without her support.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="13458900.jpg" border=0 width="600" height="400" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Beautiful spring day on the I&M Canal trail.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> About a quarter mile down the trail we met two Canada geese and their new family.  Mom and Pop Goose were extremely protective, standing between us and their goslings, hissing and flapping their wings at us.   We gave them as wide a birth as possible.  </div> <bR> <div> I was amazed at the number of large birds along the trail ... Canada Geese, Egrets, Blue and White Heron.   One Blue Heron stood on the canal bank until we got within about 5 yards of it.   It would take off, fly down the canal about 50 yards, and land on the bank, only to fly off again as we got close.  It escorted us down the trail like that for about a half mile.</div> <bR> <div> We saw a hawk flying overhead with a snake in it's talons.</div> <bR> <div> I was also amazed at how hard it was to pedal the loaded bike on the crushed limestone tow path.  The bike just would not roll on the gravel.    Every now and again the tow path would cross over a road or railroad.  Each crossing was a little hill, 3 to 10 feet high,  paved with asphalt.  It was easier peddling *up* the paved hill than it was peddling on the level limestone path.</div> <bR> <div> We were thoroughly enjoying the ride until, at mi 3.4, we came across Trail Closed signs.  </div> <bR> <div> The signs were next to pretty Joliet City Park.  A kiosk at the park had I&M Canal and Joliet area maps, and phone numbers for the  I&M Canal Park Administration.    We called, and a Ranger  told us that a pipeline was under construction about 2 miles down the trail from the park.   She suggested we ride down to the construction area to see if the pipeline was completed enough to allow us to pass.  If we couldn't make it past the construction on the trail, we would have to ride about 10 miles on some very busy roads to get around it.</div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="13bf44d0.jpg" border=0 width="500" height="333" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Pipeline construction on I&M Canal 5 miles west of Joliet</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> A  crew was working with earth moving equipment right at the canal.  A 15 foot deep x 30 foot wide trench completely closed the trail.  We could not cross in the construction area.</div> <bR> <div> We went back to the city park to check the maps and see if there was a safe road route around the construction.  The only route we found included a section on an extremely narrow road, absolutely no shoulder,  and very heavy construction traffic ... mostly 18 wheel gravel haulers.  I wouldn't want to walk along the road, let alone cycle on it.   Our overnight trip was over. </div> <bR> <div> Amy wouldn't be available to pick us up for about 7 hours, so we decided to just enjoy being out and about.   We had second breakfast and checked out the little park. </div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="13df44d0.jpg" border=0 width="500" height="333" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div>  Wetlands in the park</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="13ff44d0.jpg" border=0 width="500" height="333" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Enjoying the moment.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> After playing in the park for an hour or so we decided to explore more along the canal and take a few photos.</div> <bR> <div> We met a local cyclist riding down to the construction zone to see if he could make it by today.  He couldn't make it past and didn't know of any way around, other than the heavy traffic route, which he said he wouldn't ride either.</div> <bR> <div> Mary Lynn and I resumed our poking around the trail. </div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="141c8e90.jpg" border=0 width="200" height="489" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> An I&M Canal mile marker.  This is 39 miles along the canal from Lake Michigan.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="144f44d0.jpg" border=0 width="500" height="333" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Checking wetlands along the canal tow path.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="14545e80.jpg" border=0 width="325" height="232" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Painted turtle in enjoying the spring sun.  This guy's shell is about 6 inches long.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> After watching the turtles sunning themselves for a while, we noticed a little dirt hiking and bike trail that took off through the woods perpendicular to the canal.   We decided to make the most of the day and explore it.  </div> <bR> <div> The single dirt track wound around the woods a bit, became a grass trail through some clearings, and finally turned to parallel the canal.   It began to look like the trail could be a way around the construction.  We met a work crew that confirmed that we could get around the pipeline construction by following the trail another mile or so.   The trail meandered through the woods, through a Channahon City Park, and finally rejoined the  I&M Canal trail past the pipeline construction!    We had covered about 6 miles and were back on track a little over 3 hours after first encountering the Trail Closed signs.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="147f44d0.jpg" border=0 width="500" height="333" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> The dirt bike trail that got us around the construction </div> <div> goes off to the left of the bikes in this photo.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="14bf4640.jpg" border=0 width="500" height="356" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> Here's the big cousin of the Painted turtles we found in the wetlands. </div> <div> The shell on this boy is about 24 inches long.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> At mi 14.5 we encountered our first set of locks.</div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="156f44d0.jpg" border=0 width="500" height="333" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Lock</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="158f44d0.jpg" border=0 width="500" height="333" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Visible just down from the lock is a bridge where the trail crosses over a dam and small waterfall.</div> <bR> <div> At 14.8 mi we stopped in a small Channahon city park for 1st Lunch ... PB&J, pretzels, and a power bar.  But I am becoming concerned about water.  We passed a few pumps and fountains along the trail, but none were working.  We started with 2 water bottles each, and each of us has used about 3/4 of  our first  bottle.  A local cyclist tells us the nearest water is from a pump in McKinley State Park about 3 miles down the trail.</div> <bR> <div> The trail from Channahon to Morris is one of the prettiest sections of the I&M Canal.   There is water on both sides of the tow path, with the  Illinois River on one side and the I&M Canal on the other.   </div> <bR> <div> 17.5 mi get to McKinley State Park, chat w/ cyclist, get directions to water pump in park</div> <bR> <div> 17.7 mi water pump</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="14df44d0.jpg" border=0 width="500" height="333" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> Another view with the canal on the left and the Illinois River on the right.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="15090f00.jpg" border=0 width="400" height="752" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Another mile post</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>  Every 15 miles or so there were barns to house the mules that towed the barges.  This one near Dresden in the last one still standing.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="152f44d0.jpg" border=0 width="500" height="333" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Dresden Mule Barn</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="154f44d0.jpg" border=0 width="500" height="333" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> More along the trail at the mule barn</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> 20.4 mi Dresden Mule Barn     </div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> 21.0  mi low bridge</div> <bR> <div> 22.3 mi Ran into clouds of noseeums .</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="15af44d0.jpg" border=0 width="500" height="333" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> 23.1 aqueduct over Aux Sable Creek,  </div> <bR> <div> Stopped here for 2nd Lunch  </div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="15c90320.jpg" border=0 width="400" height="562" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> 23.1 Mary Lynn at the Aux Sable Creek Lock and Toll House</div> <bR> <bR> <div> 28.8 We stopped to watch a muskrat swimming in the canal in Wm G Stratton State Park</div> <bR> <div> 29.0  pretty little bicycle bridge over canal to downtown Morris</div> <bR> <div> 29.4 aqueduct</div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="160f44d0.jpg" border=0 width="500" height="333" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> 29.7 Gebhard Woods checkpoint</div> <bR> <div> Gebhard Woods is another scavenger hunt checkpoint.  There are no signs along the I&M Canal to indicate that thee pretty little park on the other side of the canal is a Gebhard Woods.  There is a foot bridge across the canal, but that's it.  We crossed the footbridge, and stopped at the top of a short staircase.  Mary Lynn hiked a 100 yards before finding the sign at the main park entrance.</div> <bR> <div> After taking the photo, we rode back 1 mile along the canal to Morris, called Amy and met her for dinner in Corleone's, a popular takeout /eat in place just off the canal.</div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="buffalo_rock_to_gebhard_woods.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail IM Canal, Buffalo "><U>[Next]</U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=34 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <A HREF="frankfort_to_joliet.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Frankfort to Jolie"><U><B><IMG SRC="03816180.gif" border=0 width="22" height="24" ALT="previous" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B> </B><A HREF="buffalo_rock_to_gebhard_woods.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail IM Canal, Buffalo "><U><B><IMG SRC="03716180.gif" border=0 width="22" height="24" ALT="next" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>     </B><A HREF="bicycle_trips21.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Larry and Mary Lynns Grand Illinois Trai"><U><B><IMG SRC="03616180.gif" border=0 width="22" height="24" ALT="up" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B> </B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="24" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="22"></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>