Maybe we are on the Great American Tow Path, not the Great American Rail Trail. Today we rode 45 miles from Peru to Morris, Illinois, with most of the ride along the Illinois and Michigan Canal. The I&M runs from Lake Michigan to the Illinois River, which then flows in to the Mississippi. Father Marquette, in his fur trading and proselytizing journeys, recognized the utility of the canal, although it was not.constructed until the 1800’s, opening in 1848. With the I&M and the Erie Canals, a waterway existed from New York City through the Great Lakes to New Orleans. The Erie clearly had better PR, or maybe a catchier tune, as it is certainly better known, but the I&M was just as important.
We are riding through the quiet downtown of La Salle, Hope once again ahead to take the photo.
Nancy on her recumbent at the start of the canal trail.
This War Memorial is along the Illinois River in Marseilles, Illinois.
This may look like the road not taken, but it was the road taken today. It was surprisingly easy riding on the dirt track, and since we couldn’t go very fast, delightful to enjoy the spring woods. It is one of the days that will stand out in my memory for extraordinarily pleasant riding.
We came out of the trail onto an unusual wooden arched bridge.
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