Skating Illinois: Illinoistocht
As Governor Blagojevich threatens to shut down several state parks along Illinois' historic canals this winter*, consider Illinoistocht. This Web site ponders the potential for marathon ice skating events on the Hennepin Canal and/or the Illinois & Michigan Canal. Similar events are held in the Netherlands, Austria, Canada, and sometimes Japan, but there are none in the U.S.

I think it would be a great way to use and publicize these historic and scenic resources during the winter when they are largely ignored (one may argue that much of the Hennepin Canal is largely ignored year-round). If the idea gains traction, I'll bet IDNR and the Illinois Greenways & Trails Council would be enthusiastic, although I doubt that they'd be able to contribute financially given current budget realities.

The dream of Illinoistocht is still in its infancy, but if you're interested in long-distance skating, keep an eye on the Web site.


* The League of Illinois Bicyclists questions the legality of these closings. Since the Hennepin Canal Trail was funded with $15.4 million in federal funds, the state is obligated to maintain it. Not only could Illinois retroactively lose that $15.4 million, but the Federal Highway Administration could cut off all transportation funding to the state.

Labels: GIT

- posted by David Johnsen @ 7:05 AM 1 comments

 
GIT for Spina Bifida
A recent Chicago Tribune article mentioned this Grand Illinois Trail tour benefiting the Spina Bifida Association of Illinois. The two riders started yesterday and plan to finish on August 26. They are asking for pledges, and donors can win raffle prizes.

When I was riding across the country, people often asked me what cause I was riding for. I was almost embarrassed to say, "Um, just because I want to." It seemed so selfish. On the other hand, I'm just not the fundraising type. I really hated being forced to do that stuff when I was younger. At least when I was a kid, people would give me money just for being cute. Nowadays, they'd tell me to buzz off.

Labels: bicycle touring, GIT

- posted by David Johnsen @ 2:48 PM 0 comments

 
An Embarrassing Omission
Sometime during my manuscript review, it occurred to me that I hadn't mentioned the Grand Illinois Trail (GIT) even once. Consider that

1. I was one of the original 16 GIT Trail Blazers in 2000-2001. A Trail Blazer is someone who completes the entire 500+ mile route within a year.
2. My publisher contacted me about writing Biking Illinois after reading my GIT report online.
3. Roughly a quarter of the rides in my book are on trails and roads that make up the GIT, including at least five that I previously had ridden only as part of the GIT.
4. In the past, I have cited my GIT tour as a critical precursor to both this book and my coast-to-coast tour.
5. I still wear my GIT Trail Blazer T-shirt regularly.

With all that, I can't imagine how it slipped my mind, but it did. To remedy this situation, I set out to verify some facts before writing a paragraph for my book. I pulled out the latest GIT brochure from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), which I had collected this summer (I collected hundreds of tourist and cycling brochures this summer--you could call me instead of calling 1-800-2CONNECT). I opened it up and started skimming for anything new or interesting that I could use. Then I got to the section titled "Become a Trail Blazer." My eyes skipped right over the paragraph of normal type to the boldface quote below. Hey, wait a minute... Those are my words! They spelled my name correctly, too.

Now just imagine how embarrassing it would have been to leave out the GIT when I was quoted in their brochure. Or imagine how terribly snubbed the IDNR would feel if one of their Trail Blazers who was quoted in their brochure wrote a book about Illinois bicycling and didn't bother to mention the GIT at all. Wow, I guess you wouldn't find my book at IDNR gift shops, eh? Fortunately I figured out my mistake while I could still correct it.

Labels: Biking Illinois, GIT

- posted by David Johnsen @ 9:11 AM 2 comments