2003 Year in Review

On the Road Again

I've been retired from my offshore oil job since February of this year and only now getting back into the TC1 Café saddle. I must have had too much free time on my hands when I was gainfully employed.

In any event I hope to continue to contribute to the discussion on matters and travels "international" via my contacts and e-mail correspondence, but today I want to share some details on a more local level.

I was one of the participants in the inaugural GITAP (Grand Illinois Trail and Parks) bicycle ride that was publicized here on The City1.com and that brought 140 bicyclists to Morrison and Rockwood State Park on one of the stops of the weeklong tour. In my mind I was thinking that long distance bicycle riding would be a pleasurable and rather inexpensive pastime for a retired Sea Captain and training for such a ride (over 450 miles in one week) would be good incentive to actually start "doing it."

Most folks are familiar with RAGBRAI (Register's Annual Grand Bicycle Ride Across Iowa) a similar type event, but if you are not this is how it works: Someone comes up with an idea to promote the newspaper or the state or, in the case of GITAP, the trails and plans to publicize it by sponsoring a long distance bicycle ride over a period of days. You pay your entry fee, someone carries your camping gear and extra clothes in what is called a SAG vehicle, a route is planned out and marked, breakfast and dinner are provided along with camping fees and places to shower after a long days ride. There is no money back for rain or headwinds or hills or breakdowns, so you learn to cope on your own (being prepared) and with some help from your co-riders. On the RAGBRAI scale you have maybe 20,000 people flowing across the state and invading small towns on 2 (sometimes 3) wheels which can sometimes strain resources, but always provides some level of entertainment despite the weather, the bugs, and road conditions. I've heard it called "Mardi Gras on wheels" so it must be a pretty good time - maybe next year.

So this probably makes you wonder: how can anyone have a good time on a tiny seat working your buns off (literally) out in the middle of nowhere? For me it has been the satisfaction in knowing that you "can" do it and once you are in reasonable shape the idea that you could cross the country or visit your relatives in Florida or wherever on muscle and will power alone is reason enough. You do not have to be superman or superwoman either. The 140 total GITAP rider average age was 55, the oldest was a 74 year old man, there were 10 people in their seventies, there was one 15 year old girl, there was a man legally blind and unable to get a drivers license, there were people who had difficulty walking, there were fat people and skinny people, there were 42 women, most had families and jobs, and everyone completed the 450 miles and many did more. There are many other health benefits to this aerobic type exercise which in my case at least included being able to eat whatever I wanted whenever I wanted in large quantities and still lose weight.

Northern Illinois is a great place to ride. Here is what the trip looked like over my handlebars: Our trip began in Oswego (near Aurora) and we went on country roads south to the I&M Canal path where we rode west to Utica and Starved Rock State Park for our first night's stay. This is one of the most visited state parks in Illinois and for good reason, and the canal is both historic and scenic and quite well used.

The next day we continued on the path to LaSalle where we had to again go on roads to join the new Hennepin Canal path near Bureau. From there we continued west to Geneseo and spent our 2nd night camping around the high school football field - the only night we did not stay at a state park. Being the newest path and made of crushed limestone meant that some people on road bikes (with skinny tires) had some difficulty and many opted for nearby paved road routes. Those of us on mountain bikes or touring bikes (with wider tires) could handle the loose rock better and made our way to the Hennepin Canal Visitor center near Sheffield which I highly recommend if you have any interest in the canal, its history and/or a 120 mile long state park. In the near future the path from Rock Falls to the main canal along the feeder canal will be completed and this would make for a great ride too. Currently the path is only completed south of Rock Falls to Rt. 92 and is only hard paved to Buell road in Rock Falls. Geneseo is making good on efforts to promote the canal and to being a bike friendly community.

On our 3rd day we continued west on the Hennepin canal to Colona and then on Rt. 84 across the Rock River and city streets to the Campbell's Island Road access to the Great River Trail. Here we headed north on a hard paved bike path that follows the Mississippi River all the way from the Cities, passing the Cordova Nuclear Power Plant and Albany Mounds, to Fulton and then east on Penrose Road and on to Morrison via Union Grove. Some riders who needed a little break after the 80 mile day to Geneseo could opt for a shorter road route from Geneseo to Morrison, but not many did. If you haven't heard, there is an authentic Dutch Windmill in Fulton on the levy part of the bicycle path. Morrison's "Friends of the Park" did a most excellent job of welcoming, snacking and entertaining of the riders and the park concession fed us well. Everyone on the ride was impressed with their efforts.

On our 4th day we returned to the Great River Trail north of Fulton and continued north through the Thomson Sand Prairie to Thomson. This was the only part of our trip where you could ride on hard packed sand and see cactus. From Thomson we headed east on roads to White Pines via Milledgeville and Polo. At this time the Great River Trail continues on to Savanna, but there are plans to eventually take it to Galena where it will eventually meet up with an east-west trail to Rockford via Freeport. It rained on us pretty good at the Pines, but only after everyone had arrived and set up camp. We also managed to avoid hail which is not kind to tents.

On the 5th day we rode north and east on roads to Rockford where we joined the Riverfront Path, Rock River Path and Bauer Path to Rock Cut State Park in Loves Park. This was the only day that we had strong headwinds and some challenging hills which made the going a little more challenging. Up to this point we had either tailwinds or light winds and river and canal paths are flat. The journey to the Pines had been on roads that basically followed a ridge that separates the Mississippi and Rock River valleys. Once we arrived in Rockford the paths and city streets were flat and more protected.

On the 6th day we rode out on roads to the Long Prairie Path which is an abandoned rail line converted to a bike/hike path that takes you to Capron. Illinois Trails Conservancy provided a snack stop for us here at the end of the line. From here we continued on roads which included State Line Road and an opportunity to visit Wisconsin, if you were so inclined, during our Grand Illinois Trail tour. From here we continued on roads to Chain O Lakes State Park for our final night's camping.

On the 7th day we did not rest and continued our journey back to Oswego to complete the loop. From the Park we joined the Fox River Trail which took us south through the western suburbs on hard paved trails, in heavy use presenting us with urban challenges that we had not really encountered before. Traffic and trail use in Rockford had been relatively light. It was fun and the weather was good and we had some interesting views and exciting hills and turns to contend with so our final day was a treat. Rolling into Oswego and our start point brought us to the end of the journey and goodbyes to new friends.

I met many interesting people on the ride and everyone was friendly and helpful. The ride was not a competition to see who would arrive first, but rather a journey with friends traveling at whatever pace felt comfortable and could be maintained. You could ride alone, with a friend, or with a group. There seemed to be every make and model of bicycle available in the USA here on the trip including an unusual number and almost unbelievable variety of recumbent cycles and a few tandems. However, all of the equipment used is purpose built and not toy, department or discount store quality. In other words, if you want to attempt this kind of trip you need the right equipment and you'll have to go to a bike store to get it.

Another aspect of a ride such as this which is critical to its success is the organization of routes, support, meals, advice and feedback. The main contributors to this success were men and women from the League of Illinois Bicyclists, a bicycle advocacy group, and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources who spent many hours in preparation prior to the event and then caring for us throughout. Community support at various points along the route (including Morrison) and local guides often contributed to the success and enjoyment and were much appreciated. Quite literally the riders had the easy job - all we had to do was pedal and steer and enjoy the scenery. Thank you!

by Marc Adami, Guest Columnist
July 8, 2003