Pedal the Preserves
When the Champaign County Forest Preserves announced their late summer event called "Pedal the Preserves," my adventurous streak got the best of me, and I decided it would be a fabulous way to see the countryside, burn some serious calories and get to know some of the forest preserves parks in Champaign County. So I dusted off my mother's 1970's Raleigh bike (which gives you an idea of how often I actually bike), made a few key repairs and signed up for the (rather ambitious) 65-67 mile route. With overnight camping. My husband and small children thought I was a little nuts. And also many of the staff at Illinois Public Media. But I was undeterred.
I documented the journey with a 360-degree camera mounted to the back of the bike, and two Go Pro cameras on the front of my bike. From the starting line just outside of St. Joseph, the ride began on the very scenic Kickapoo Rail Trail, which runs from east Urbana to Kickapoo State Park. It then quickly detoured onto country roads. The first destination was Homer Lake Forest Preserve. After an unscheduled pit stop to repair the 360-degree camera, which had sailed off the bike as I climbed a hill, I settled into the business of pedaling...aaaandd pedaling...and more pedaling for miles and miles. The quiet of the countryside was beautiful and I was also impressed by the many historic farmhouses and hidden cabins throughout the county. After a stop in the farm town of Royal, and a consultation with producer Taylor Plantan and cinematographer Dan Clarke, we decided to cut out a bit of the journey so I could arrive at the Middle Fork Forest Preserve in time for dinner. It was clear I was wayyyyy behind the other riders.
After a wonderful taco dinner from a food truck, I spent some time taking in the gorgeous scenery and sunset. The Middle Fork Forest Preserve is the only certified "Dark Sky" park in the state of Illinois, which means it's a prime location to see the stars and the Milky Way without light pollution. I arrived on the night of a full moon, so it wasn't optimal viewing, but I saw a lot of stars when a family of racoons woke me up at 4:30 am. On day two, I biked another 12 or so miles back to the starting line for a grand total of about 45 miles of the 67-mile goal. Not bad!
Check out your county forest preserve website for similar annual activities. And if you love biking, consider joining a local biking club, like Champaign County's Prairie Cycle Club. I now consider myself an avid biker, and I can't wait to plan the next trip. Email us at prairiefire@illinoispublicmedia.org with your suggestions for other great Illinois biking adventures!
