Grand Illinois Trail - Hennepin Canal, Bureau Junction, to the Visitor Center

<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,  Bureau Junction, to the  Visitor Center</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 - 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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 7 - 06/03/2006</div> <bR> <div> Hennepin Canal,  Bureau Junction, IL to the Hennepin Canal Visitor Center near Sheffield, IL</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=224087" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=224087"><U><IMG SRC="1bac2e10.jpg" border=0 width="706" height="481" 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:  21.5  Miles   (7th day,  131.1 miles to date)</div> <bR> <div> Temp 80 to 85F, winds light.  A beautiful day, with temp and humidity much better for riding than last week.  </div> <bR> <div> Seen On theTrail:</div> <div> Wild life is similar to that seen on the I&M Canal:  Canada Geese and goslings, Ducks, Mourning Doves, Blue Herons, Sparrows, Robins, Starlings, Red Wing Blackbirds, Finches,  Hawk, Squirrels, Rabbits,  a Muskrat hauling branches, a Snake swimming in a pond.</div> <bR> <div> The panniers are lightly loaded ... tire tools, tubes, food,  4L of water (in addition to the 700 ml water bottles on each bike).  </div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="1a380ab0.jpg" border=0 width="640" height="427" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Loading up at Lock 3, near Bureau Junction</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1a22cc20.jpg" border=0 width="300" height="450" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Yep, we're at the right place.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1a480ab0.jpg" border=0 width="640" height="427" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Looking west at lock 3</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1a580ab0.jpg" border=0 width="640" height="427" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> 2.1 mi - Looking back at the I 180 overpass</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1a680ab0.jpg" border=0 width="640" height="427" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> 2.1 mi - Typical view.</div> <bR> <div> The east end of the Hennepin trail is surfaced with fairly well packed chip coat rather than limestone screenings.  We both commented on how easy it was to pedal on the compacted chip coat compared with the limestone screenings and gravel we were on last week.    ( The two surface  p<A HREF="http://www.oprt.org/maps/hennepin/index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.oprt.org/maps/hennepin/index."><U>hotos borrowed from a Hennepin Canal web site</U></A> )</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1bb40f00.jpg" border=0 width="320" height="240" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">        <IMG SRC="1bc40f00.jpg" border=0 width="320" height="240" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Chip coat   (AKA chip seal, or oil and chip)                                              Limestone screenings </div> <bR> <div> 4 mi - Came across a number of Canada Geese families with goslings.  It was interesting to see the size of the different age chicks, as if  one family had  babies, another had all grade schoolers, and a third  had all teen agers.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="1a780ab0.jpg" border=0 width="640" height="427" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Lock 5</div> <bR> <div> The water fall says we're riding uphill.  The Hennepin gains roughly 200ft elevation in the 25 miles from Bureau Junction to a water feed canal just west of lock 21.    Then it descends roughly 100 ft in the next 20 miles to the Mississippi river.</div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="1bdffc60.gif" border=0 width="511" height="198" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1a980ab0.jpg" border=0 width="640" height="427" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Water falling over a lock in distance</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1aa80ab0.jpg" border=0 width="640" height="427" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Water over the lock</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1ab80ab0.jpg" border=0 width="640" height="427" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Site of former aqueduct.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> 11 mi - There is a large park and day use area at Lock 11 near the town of Tiskilwa.  The trail on both sides of  the canal was packed with a couple hundred people participating in a fishing derby.   There were food concessions, service club booths, and little kids running all over   It looked like a great party!   We slowed to under as walk to ensure no collisions.</div> <bR> <div> This is also where the surface changes from chip coat to limestone screenings. Pedaling got a lot harder.</div> <bR> <div> We have been very careful to stop often for drink and food to ensure we don't knock ourselves out like last week.  So far, it's been working well.</div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="1ac80ab0.jpg" border=0 width="640" height="427" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Approaching another lock</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1af80ab0.jpg" border=0 width="640" height="427" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Water coming through the upstream gate on a lock.</div> <div> Notice how close this lock is to the next lock west visible in the background.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1ad80ab0.jpg" border=0 width="640" height="427" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Downstream gate</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1ae80ab0.jpg" border=0 width="640" height="427" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Lock gate mechanism</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1b080ab0.jpg" border=0 width="640" height="427" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Another aqueduct</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1b280ab0.jpg" border=0 width="640" height="427" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> View back over the aqueduct</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1b380ab0.jpg" border=0 width="640" height="427" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Another typical tow path view</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1b580ab0.jpg" border=0 width="640" height="427" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1b680ab0.jpg" border=0 width="640" height="427" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Trail runs between farm land on left and canal on right</div> <bR> <div> This is the only section of trail so far that hasn't been wooded. </div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="1b780ab0.jpg" border=0 width="640" height="427" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> In the Hennepin Canal Visitor Center complex</div> <div> This is another GIT checkpoint</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1b880ab0.jpg" border=0 width="640" height="427" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> Another good ride today.  We still felt fresh and probably could have gone another 10 miles.  Frequent food and drink stops have made all the difference in the world.</div> <bR> <div> We have some big family events next week, so it's going to be 2 weeks before we can resume the riding.  The next trip should take us to the end of the Hennepin Canal and to the Great River Trail along the Mississippi  River.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="hennepin_canal___visitor_center_to_geneseo.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Hennepin Canal, Vi"><U>[Next]</U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=34 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <A HREF="hennepin_canal_.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Hennepin Canal Vis"><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="hennepin_canal___visitor_center_to_geneseo.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grand Illinois Trail Hennepin Canal, Vi"><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>