Day 1 - ending at LeRoy, IL - Northern Indiana on the Open Road

August 30, 2011

Day 1 - ending at LeRoy, IL

rode on Mackinaw Valley Trail, Constitution Trail

Posted via email Wed Aug 31 06:20:01 2011 PDT

Was awake this morning at 4:44am. Just a few things left to do as Tahdra fixed breakfast.

Left at 8:25am, which I considered good.

Started off by following the Mackinaw Valley Trail, an interim road route between Peoria and Bloomington. I hopped on where the route passed through Morton.

On the hill going down to the Mackinaw River, both GPS's reported top speed of 31.8 mph. Spent half an hour (10:00am to 10:30am) at a bench at the corner of Main and Fast Streets. There I got a good view of the new Mackinaw IGA grocery store, a replacement for the one that burnt down.

East of Mackinaw I came to a short stretch of off-road trail. Later, back on the road in the middle of nowhere, I passed a person going slower than me. A worker was walking with one of those measurement devices that has a wheel that rolls on the pavement.

Arrived in Danvers at 11:55am, taking a break at their park. Another half an hour, and I was on my way.

At 1:35pm I was at the end of the Mackinaw Valley Trail, and onto the Bloomington-Normal Constitution Trail. Walked on sidewalks some in downtown Bloomington to get to the north-south segment, arriving there at 2:20pm. Took the trail east near Underwood Park.

Got off-trail to go to Bob Evans for lunch, though my arrival at 3:07pm was more toward suppertime. Had steak and eggs and coffee. Even though the animated radar image (Kris got that working on the Blackberry) showed rain coming, I also ordered apple dumpling pie with ice cream.

I left at 4:09pm, making my way east and south to Moraine View State Recreation Area. The wind was against me, so I didn't arrive to the Gander Bay Campground until 7:10pm. Of course, it took me some time (to 7:23pm) to pick a campsite (B16). Sunset was 7:31pm, but I had enough light to set up the tent. And it didn't start raining until I was done!

Spent: $16.21 + $3 (lunch) plus $20 (camping fee) plus $2 (Dr. Pepper at camp).

Went: 55 miles.

Jeff

Day 1 - Morton, IL to LeRoy, IL

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+ plus signs indicate pictures added after returning home from the trip +