Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Feb 6, 2012, 7:33 pm
Spring Creek Valley Forest Preserve, one of the lesser known preserves of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, comprises nearly 4000 acres, running from Lake Cook Road on the north to Higgins Road (Route 72) on the south, and from Old Sutton Road on the east to Bateman and Healy Roads on the...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Jan 13, 2012, 2:09 pm
Wednesday I biked to pick up my van from servicing in town, Thursday was our first real snowfall of the season, and today we enjoyed the snow , hiking at The Hollows in Cary, Illinois...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Jan 1, 2012, 11:46 am
The tradition of New Year's Resolutions goes back to 153 B.C. The Romans named the first month of the year after the mythical king Janus (January), the god of beginnings and the guardian of doors and entrances. He was always depicted with two faces, one on the front of his head and one on the ...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Dec 30, 2011, 4:49 pm
Starved Rock State Park is located on the south bank of the Illinois River, opposite the village of Utica, about nine miles west of Ottawa, six miles east of LaSalle, and 94 miles from Chicago.  It can be reached via Illinois 178 a couple miles south of Interstate 80. After crossing the Illinois ...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Dec 29, 2011, 8:20 pm
Frederick Matthiessen of LaSalle, Illinois, was a wealthy man and also an extremely charitable man well-known for his philanthropy. He provided his community with a high school, a gymnasium, an athletic field, a public library, a hospital, and an electric light plant, among other improvements. And h...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Dec 28, 2011, 7:13 am
Continuing a 70+ year tradition in our family, the cousins gather and celebrate the birth of Jesus!  Hallelujah! The next generation poses for a photo... Additional photos of the evening's festivities are available here (and can be downloaded)...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Dec 15, 2011, 8:19 am
Last weekend was the 16th Annual Christmas in the Village, a free concert given to the people of the Barrington area each year, featuring the church choir and orchestra (click to enlarge)... Here's a link to a brief 3 minute video with snippets from some of the songs... http://www.vcbweb.org/minist...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Dec 12, 2011, 12:23 pm
Our church home small group celebrated Christmas yesterday with our annual Christmas party. Our group leader, Dick, and his wife Ingrid... Edgar, Betty, Jim, and Tish... Amy, Edie, and Ingrid... Our hosts, Joyce and Paul... Ellen surrounded by Chucks... The evening hours flew by quickly, fille...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Nov 26, 2011, 3:55 pm
The 555 acre Ray Lake Forest Preserve, site of the former Ray Lake dairy farm, is now open to the public.  The farm's signature sculpture has been refurbished and proudly welcomes visitors to the preserve. The entrance is on Erhart Road north of Gilmer Road and west of Fremont Center Road.  (Fro...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Nov 22, 2011, 7:01 am
Sonya Isaacs relates the story behind this hymn, explaining the tragedies suffered by the composer, Horatio Gates Spafford, including losing his young son, then losing all possessions in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, and later the death of his four daughters in a shipwreck, and how when passing ov...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Nov 14, 2011, 9:18 pm
Another evening of magnificent music by the Palatine Concert Band last night. Conductor Ron Polancich led the group in four selections, and then after the intermission, he turned the baton over to Colonel Arnald Gabriel, conductor emeritus for the United States Air Force Band, for six rousing number...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Oct 28, 2011, 6:20 pm
Biked 20 miles in Lakewood Forest Preserve today on the Millennium and Ft. Hill Trails, including the former Four Winds Golf Course property which is now part of Lakewood. Here are a few shots... Today's ride puts me over 320 miles for October, a new personal record for October whose changeable wea...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Oct 19, 2011, 5:08 pm
This was sent to me by my colleague from Fremd HS, Frank, from those geniuses at JibJab... Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Oct 18, 2011, 2:01 pm
A bit chilly for biking today (45 degrees) so we hiked 6 miles in Lakewood FP and spotted these mushrooms.  This first one is like a Gemini and was growing off a tree trunk about 8 feet off the ground... ...and this one was huge (notice my shoe in the photo to give it perspective)... The dirt ove...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Oct 17, 2011, 8:26 am
My church, the Village Church of Barrington, celebrated its 50th Anniversary this weekend, culminating with a concert by Christian artist Steve Green who has 27 years in his solo career.  Before that, he sang with the group Truth, sang backup for The Bill Gaither Trio, and then sang tenor in the n...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Oct 16, 2011, 7:26 am
Uncle Otto came back to Chicago to visit this week, driven by his daughter and son-in-law, Cheryl and Dick.  It had been over 50 years since he had moved his family to Louisville and many decades since his last visit to his hometown.  I drove them, along with my mom, Edith (his sister) on a nost...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Oct 10, 2011, 2:46 pm
Checking out at the grocery store, the young cashier suggested to the older woman that she should bring her own grocery bags because "plastic bags weren't good for the environment." The woman apologized and explained, "We didn't have this 'green thing' back in my earlier days." The clerk responded...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Oct 5, 2011, 9:19 pm
Steve Jobs co-founded Apple Computer in 1976 when he dropped out of college and on April Fools Day began a the company in his parents' garage.  He worked on the design, development, and marketing of one ... plugs, and even ornamental glass staircases for Apple stores. After working a full day in A...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Oct 5, 2011, 4:49 pm
Here are three of the flock of sandhill cranes that buzzed low over my back yard this morning, gossiping loudly in their raucous voices during their flyby... ...as I was taking pictures of this hot air balloon near our water tower...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Oct 3, 2011, 8:13 pm
... Lake County Forest Preserve District has opened the newest addition to their Millennium Trail, a two mile segment in Round Lake from Litchfield Drive ( ... LCFPD (the 32 mile Des Plaines River Trail and 20 mile Millennium Trail) are among the best I've biked -- both place ... mind set towar...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Sep 26, 2011, 8:33 am
For most people, the Giant Saguaro (pronounced "saw-WAH-roe") is the universal symbol of the American West even though these majestic plants are only found in a small portion of the United States. Saguaro National Park protects some of the most impressive forests of these sub-tropical giants, right ...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Sep 26, 2011, 8:27 am
Glendale, arizona's Skunk Creek Trail follows the namesake creek for 4.2 miles, passing several parks including Foothills Park with its water park and skateboard park, as well as residential and commercial areas. I saw the trail while driving along Bell Road and parked in a shopping center lot by C...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Sep 26, 2011, 8:09 am
The Grand Canal Linear Park is a partnership between the cities of Glendale and Phoenix and the Flood Control District of Maricopa County. The Grand Canal Trail is advertised as 23 miles in length and being partially paved and partially dirt. I began at West Regional Park in Glendale and biked both ...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Sep 23, 2011, 9:26 pm
First established as a national monument in 1936 due to the efforts of desert enthusiast Minerva Hoyt, it was elevated to national park status in 1994, so 2011 is its 75th anniversary as protected land. Nearly 558,000 acres of the park's 790,636 acres are designated as wilderness. Its elevation, dry...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Sep 22, 2011, 8:11 pm
California's Ojai Valley Trail travels 10 paved miles from Foster Park in Oak View to Ojai, the smallest city in Ventura County, which is surrounded by the peaks of Los Padres National Forest.  Ojai has long been known as a haven for artists, musicians and outdoor enthusiasts. The Chumash Indians ...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Sep 21, 2011, 10:50 pm
... requires some deft boatmanship to back up to the dock in a tiny inlet, and when waves are too fierce, no passengers can be dropped off or picked up. After landing, you then have to climb 157 ... and it is very informative and presents a wealth of information on the underwater  kelp forest a...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Sep 21, 2011, 9:03 am
Sequoia National Park became the second national park in 1890 and now extends over 404,000 acres and its land mass spans over 13,000 vertical feet, capped by Mt. Whitney at 14,505 feet in altitude. Kings Canyon NP, Sequoia NP, and Sierra National Forest (and the Sequoia National Monument) abut and i...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Sep 21, 2011, 8:58 am
In 1891, John Muir wrote, "In the vast Sierra wilderness far to the southward of the famous Yosemite Valley, there is a yet grander valley of the same kind."  He was exploring the wondrous Kings Canyon along the Kings River.  Kings Canyon NP, Sequoia NP, and Sierra National Forest (and the Sequoia...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Sep 20, 2011, 10:34 pm
This 13 mile paved trail runs from Fresno to Clovis, California, combining two former rail corridors into the Fresno Sugar Pine Trail and the Clovis Old Town Trail. I began in Fresno, parking behind the cinema at River Park Shopping Center on Nees.  The trail begins under the freeway underpass. The...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Sep 19, 2011, 9:33 am
... ! The road to Happy Isles and Mirror Lake and is closed to private vehicles, making it a good bike venue.  The lake is called a seasonal lake, ... hydrologists now believe it is not a lake at all, but actually a large temporary ... the Yosemite Lodge, Curry Village, Yosemite Village, Mirro...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Sep 18, 2011, 11:22 pm
The Bizz Johnson National Recreation Trail is 25 miles in length as it follows the route of the old Fernley and Lassen Railroad line which was established in 1914 for transporting logs and milled lumber to and from the Westwood Mill. The mill closed in 1956, and in 1978, Southern Pacific Railroad re...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Sep 18, 2011, 8:39 pm
Lassen Volcano erupted over the course of three years starting in 1914.  In 1916, Congress declared it a national park. The recovery of Lassen's landscape and habitat serves as a nearly century-long example of how Mount St. Helens can recover from its 1980 eruptions, and these two volcanos remind u...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Sep 18, 2011, 6:49 pm
At 105 miles, the OC&E Woods Line State Trail is Oregon’s longest trail.  It follows the right-of-way of the Oregon, California, and Eastern Railway. Construction began in 1917 and by 1923 the line ran from Klamath Falls to the Sprague River, and six years later reached Bly. Logging camps and spu...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Sep 18, 2011, 6:41 pm
Crater Lake was created by the eruptions of Mount Mazama 7700 years ago, eruptions that blanketed 5000 square miles over eight states and three Canadian provinces with six inches of ash.  In the park’s Pumice Desert, ash is over 50 feet deep, and the eruption produced over 150 times as much ash a...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Sep 14, 2011, 11:49 pm
The paved Row (as in cow) River Trail runs for 16 miles.  It follows the right-of-way of the Oregon, Pacific, and Eastern Railway which started in 1902 and carried ore and logs and later passengers, and was acquired by the Bureau of Land Management in 1994 and developed into recreational use. It ru...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Sep 10, 2011, 11:37 am
This program was held in Skamokawa, Washington (pronounced ska-mock-away) which lies 34 miles up-river from the Pacific Ocean. The water here is under tidal influence but is not brackish. Our guides from Columbia River Kayaking, Andrew Emlem, Mark Whitaker, and visiting guide Santiago, were highly s...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Sep 10, 2011, 10:59 am
Eugene, Oregon's Ruth Bascom Riverbank Path System consists of four connecting trails: North Bank 4.6 miles, South Bank 2.6 miles, East Bank 2.8 miles, and West Bank 2.1 miles. The four trails and five bike/pedestrian bridges offer a scenic 12 mile loop ride up one side of the Willamette River and d...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Sep 10, 2011, 10:52 am
Vancouver's paved Burnt Bridge Greenway Trail is about 8 miles in length and meanders along the creek from Stewart Glen on the shores of Vancouver Lake to Meadowbrook Marsh. Along the way, the trail passes through lovely woods, grasslands, and city neighborhoods, as well as Leverich Park and Arnold...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Sep 4, 2011, 6:32 am
Washington's State Route 20 is the northernmost route across the Cascade Mountain Range in Washington and is commonly referred to as the North Cascades Highway. It crosses Washington Pass at an elevation of 5,477 feet and Rainy Pass at 4,860 feet and follows an old Native American trading route. Int...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Sep 3, 2011, 9:56 pm
I live near US Route 12 in suburban Chicago where it goes by the name of Rand Road, but it certainly doesn't look like Rand Road on this 125 mile stretch in western Montana and eastern Idaho!  WOW! This scenic wonder is called The Lewis and Clark Highway up here because it is the old Nez Perce Ind...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Sep 3, 2011, 6:48 pm
The Springwater Division Railroad Line of the Oregon Water Power and Railroad Company was founded in 1903 and ran interurban service until 1958 and freight service until the 1980s.  In 1991, the trail corridor was acquired for this trail.  It is a paved trail extending about 23 miles to Boring, Or...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Sep 3, 2011, 11:34 am
This 8 mile paved path runs on a levee between the Columbia River and Marine Drive, at times a bit above the roadway or bit below. You see the river nearly the entire ride, with views of Government Island State Park as you near the I-205 underpass, and views of Vancouver, Washington across the river...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Sep 3, 2011, 8:47 am
Renton, Washington, is a suburb just south of Seattle. I entered town and saw signs to the downtown, which I followed because the information said the trail began at the downtown. As I passed the Boeing plant, I saw a parking lot with a sign that said "Cedar River Trail" so I parked, got my bike out...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Sep 3, 2011, 8:11 am
The Bill Chipman Palouse Trail is a paved 10 foot wide trail running 8 miles from the University of Idaho campus in Moscow, Idaho, to the Washington State Campus in Pullman, Washington, along Highway 270. The trail crosses the Paradise Creek 13 times as you pass through the countryside and a few bus...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Aug 29, 2011, 8:10 am
This Road Scholar/Elderhostel program was hosted by Oregon River Experiences and took us six days and 62 miles down the famed “River of No Return” in western Idaho. At 425 miles in length, the Salmon is the longest free-flowing, un-dammed river in the lower 48 states.  We put in at White Bir...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Aug 29, 2011, 7:35 am
The 12-mile trail between Moscow and Troy is a paved, 10-foot wide trail for use by pedestrians, bicyclists, in-line skaters,  and others with non-motorized transportation along the former Moscow-Arrow rail line. The corridor for centuries was a path for the Nez Perce Indian tribe to access essen...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Aug 28, 2011, 11:41 am
 I've spent 5 hours re-constructing this page 3 times, but each time I add the photos, the post turns into a mish-mash of alpha-numeric jumble like below, so until blogger.com fixes the problem, the post will have to wait... %3Cdiv+class%3D%22separator%22+style%3D%22clear%3A+both%3B+text-align%3A+c...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Aug 22, 2011, 2:50 pm
The Clarkston Greenbelt Trail is part of the Clearwater and Snake River National Recreation Trail and is administered by the Army Corps of Engineers which constructed the dam. The northern end trailhead is in Granite Lake Park.  Without the dam, you would be along the Snake River, just downstream f...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Aug 21, 2011, 6:57 pm
This 11 mile asphalt trail is part of the Clearwater and Snake River National Recreation Trail and is administered by the Army Corps of Engineers which constructed the levee. Parking is available at Hells Gate State Park (fee) or the adjacent free marina lot, both at the southern end of Lewiston on ...
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Chuck M. posted an article on Chuck's Adventures - Aug 19, 2011, 5:15 pm
Missoula, Montana is bisected by the Clark Fork River, and several parks can be found along the river.  The Riverfront Trail connects these parks as it runs for several miles on both sides of the river. The trail is the corridor of the former Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul, and Pacific Railroad, bett...
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