Grand Illinois Trail - Hennepin Canal Visitor Center, Sheffield (Local)

<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 - Hennepin Canal Visitor Center, Sheffield  (Local) </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> 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Notes</U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=396 colspan=2 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> Day 6 - 05/29/2006</div> <bR> <div> Hennepin Canal Visitor Center, Sheffield, IL  almost to Lock 21 </div> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=223314" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=223314"><U><IMG SRC="1b9d9e50.jpg" border=0 width="729" height="485" 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> <bR> <div> Stats:  9.8 Miles   (6th day,  109.8 miles to date)</div> <bR> <div> Temp and humidity both in the mid 90s.  Wind light.  First time this year we are riding in temps over 75F.  Not feeling too good, but will do the ride anyway.</div> <bR> <div> We have 10 miles to ride on the I&M Canal, but the trail is still closed at Buffalo Rock due to the flooding and wind damage.   We will wait until the washout is fixed before attempting to finish it.  We are also looking for an alternate route around some gravel roads in the connecting segment between the west end of the I&M Canal in La Salle and the east end of the Hennepin Canal in Bureau.  This  trip will be on the Hennepin Canal</div> <bR> <div> We planned  a 21 mile ride east from the Hennepin Canal Visitor Center to the east end of the canal at Bureau Junction.  Unfortunately, it didn't turn out the way we planned.</div> <div>  </div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="19880ab0.jpg" border=0 width="640" height="427" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Entrance to Visitor Center Complex</div> <div> The red gear thingie at the left of the sign is the mechanism that opens and closes water gates at the various locks</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="19b80ab0.jpg" border=0 width="640" height="427" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Hennepin Canal Parkway Visitor Center </div> <bR> <div> The visitor center is a large  park with a covered shelter, drinking water, and lots of shady picnic areas.  </div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="19f2cd60.jpg" border=0 width="300" height="214" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">                <IMG SRC="1a02cc80.jpg" border=0 width="300" height="200" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Now we have matching outfits</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="19c80ab0.jpg" border=0 width="640" height="427" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Near the visitor center, the canal and the riding path seem wider and less shaded  than the I&M Canal.  </div> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="19d80ab0.jpg" border=0 width="640" height="427" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> The path surface changes from limestone screenings to a gravel for a while.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="19e80ab0.jpg" border=0 width="640" height="427" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Typical view along the tow path</div> <bR> <div> One of these days I'm going to learn how to pace myself.   It felt like I had the flu.  The heat and humidity started to get to me a couple of  miles into the trip.  I compounded the problem by not drinking enough water,  and by pedaling way too hard on a soft gravel section.   At 5 miles I was winded, dizzy, and felt like I was going to black out.   </div> <bR> <div> Water, food, and resting in the shade for 15 mins didn't help the light headedness.  I was afraid of falling off  the bike.  21 miles was out of the question.  Reluctantly, we called it quits for the day, rested a bit more,  and rode the  5 miles back to our starting point.  We will  ride this section again. </div> <bR> <div> Bummer ...   </div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="hennepin_canal_bureau_to_visitor_center.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand 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