Old Plank Road - Frankfort

This is looking west in the town of Frankfort. Convenience store on the right, and a Bike Shop in the same strip mall. Porta potties behind the store. Ice Cream? Take a left here and go past the Hardware store and you will find "The Creamery". Really good homemade style ice cream! The Butter Pecan is so good, inside a chocolate waffle cone...

Leave it to Illinois...

Interesting reading for Bicyclists in Illinois. Further reasons to leave this state

Bicycle Safety Restoration Act (Boub vs Wayne Township)In 1998, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled that muncipalities could not be held liable by bicyclists for damages caused by roadway conditions, even in cases of gross negligence. Because bicyclists, the court determined, were not the intended users of roadways. Only where municipalities demonstrated intent with signage or bike facilities could they be held liable.

With this closely fought decision—three of the seven justices bitterly dissented—the court froze or turned back bicycle planning in many Illinois communities, and reduced all bicyclists on Illinois roadways to second-class citizens, denied the same standard of care municipalities grant freely to motorists.

The Chicagoland Bicylce Federation and the League of Illinois Bicyclists have been leading the fight for change in Illinois tort laws that will restore a standard of care for bicyclists on Illinois roadways and allow bike planning in our communities to move forward.

More information on this at:
http://www.biketraffic.org/content.php?id=47_0_11_0

Aux Sable Access - I&M Canal Trail

This is the Lock Tenders House at Aux Sable Access at Lock #8. Nice summer day last year. To the left of this fence is a water fountian, on the east side of the house, right on the edge of the trail. Surface along this section is well groomed limestone screenings. Nice and peaceful, a very enjoyable ride toward Morris. Stopped to have a small picinic here under the trees in the grass. This was a Channahon to Morris and back to Channahon. I recommend it highly!

Fox River Trail

This was taken on the Fox River Trail last August, on the south end of Geneva, Illinois. The Fox River runs adjacent to the trail. Just beautiful and scenic. Down a ways is a bridge that crosses the river to the Japenese Garden, and a trail that also runs along the other side of the river, towards North Aurora.

Old Plank Road - Deer on Trail

This was taken last year on a Saturday Morning while riding with my wife. It was between Harlem Ave. and Pfieffer Road. I call this section Hobbit Woods...

Old Plank Road Trail Report

I have been out on the trail several times since February. Conditions are good. Repairs have been made to some serious holes that I have encountered over the last year. New house construction is in the process in a few spots which I will report on in a later post. Water fountain at the park in Frankfort was not turned on yet, as of 4/17/05. I was suprized that there was very little derbis on the trail. I expected more from the winter weather. I have seen some type of brush and tree removal project, of the old tracks in several areas. Nothing on the OPRT website mentions the work, and I do not know if there is a specfic reason for this. OPRT website has not been updated in quite some time. This is a great disappointment as this is a well used, and well liked trail. I will post any changes that I see to the trail as I ride on it this year.