September 3, 2022
Day 31 - ending at Lynwood, IL
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As I was loading the bike this morning, a nearby camper stopped to ask questions about my trip. A little later he stopped back by to offer me pancakes for breakfast. I spread out the tent's ground cloth on the picnic table to dry in the sun, then walked over for pancakes.
Dave and Kathleen were so welcoming to me. Dave and I ate blueberries while Kathleen made breakfast. Dave has been a journalist, but now runs a bakery. Such fun conservations and a delicious breakfast. They offered me seconds, so I had double what is pictured.
With the ground cloth dry, I was able to brush off most of the sand it'd collected from the last few campsites. Finished packing and left at 10:20am. There was no need to follow my original route to the Calumet Trail, since I was using that to get to Dunewood Campground, which, of course, didn't work out. So I let Google Maps route me west to the Prairie Duneland Trail in Chesterton. That worked out well, and I arrived at the trailhead at noon. 12.3 miles done!
The trail was busy with Saturday riders of all sorts on this pleasant day. The trail has bridges and underpasses to get past all the major highways. At 1:37pm, I was at the end of the Prairie Duneland Trail, and at the start of the Oak Savannah Trail.
At 1:50pm, I stopped at a trailside bike shop - Trailblazers Bike Barn. They sell protein shakes, so I ordered a salted caramel one. I'd never had one made with ice before. It was so good! There were lots of trail riders there having shakes also, and I talked with a few about my trip. The shop's owner asked me to sign their guestbook on any page I'd like. I happened to see that a person from Morton, Illinois - someone I don't know - had been here, so I squeezed my entry below hers. With best wishes for safe travels home, I was back on the trail.
The trail went through the town of Hobart next, and even with my detailed routing, I found the way through very confusing.
At 3:53pm, I was at the end of the Oak Savannah Trail. For one block, I was on the Erie Lackawanna Trail, then onto roads - Division Street and Kennedy Avenue. I turned west off Kennedy Avenue at railroad tracks to follow a gravel road that looked like it would get me west under US-41. At least it looked like it would work when I was pre-planning. It did work, and got me at 4:30pm to Airport Road, which was busier than I expected. Headed west to Dyer, then south to get to US-30.
My planned place to stay tonight is Route 30 Motor Lodge in Lynwood, Illinois. I was close now, but needed to ride some on US-30. I stopped at Dyer [Indiana] BP to get supper items. At the west end of their location is the state line.
I crossed into Illinois at 5:03pm. A nice wide bike path to start with, then onto the highway. Being a holiday weekend Saturday afternoon probably helped me. After the left turn west, I noticed I had no traffic for a time, then a bunch of traffic. This was due to the stoplight at the turn, and allowed me to make progress west in steps. At 5:19pm I turned into the motel parking lot.
I had called this motel last Tuesday to reserve a room for tonight. The owner Dave asked then what time I would arrive. I said, "I'm not sure; hopefully before sunset." He said, "Oh, well that won't be a problem. Rooms don't start filling up till between midnight and 2:00am." Hmm . . . As it turns out, this is a nice, clean motel, and Dave is fun to talk with. I asked about keeping my bike in my room. He said, "You better, or it'll be gone in the morning." We talked later about the history of this motel (built in 1957) and a tree here that was bent over sideways during last Monday's storm. I was able to identify the tree as a Siberian Elm.
Inside my room, I ate supper: chocolate covered donuts and a chocolate milk. A shower next and then some pictures selection for the report. To bed early tonight - at 8:49pm. It's nice to be back in my home state.
Jeff
Spent: $6.41 plus $3 (shake) +$7.78 (supper) + $80 plus $5 (motel room) = $102.19.
Today's ride: 42 miles (68 km)
Total: 1,177 miles (1,894 km)
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