The Grand lllinois Loop is an 535 mile bicycle route in northern Illinois from the Chicagoland area out to the Mississippi River and back again. The route follows mostly bike path, either rail-trail or canal towpath. But some of the route is on paved roads shared by cars. Most of these roads are quiet back country roads with light traffic. I started in the Western Suburbs in the town of Carol Stream, right next to the Great Western Trail. From there I rode west to find the Fox River Trail and followed it north to McHenry. I then cycled west through northern Illinois farm country on my way through Rockford and Freeport and into the Illinois Driftless Area. This hilly section goes past the Apple River Canyon area to Galena in the northeast corner of Illinois. Galena is on the Mississippi River so I followed it south through Savanna where I jumped on the Great River Trail all the way to the Quad Cities. South and East of the Quad Cities I picked up the Hennepin Canal Towpath near Colona and followed it to the Illinois River. There was a short section of road riding through LaSalle-Peru to connect up with the I&M Canal Towpath. The I&M took me all the way back to Joliet and Chicago to complete the Loop. What a grand adventure right off the front porch of the Chicagoland area accessible to millions of local residents.
26 дек 2023
