034: D44 May 22: Starved Rock SP to Tiskilwa (Lock 11): 35 miles today and 1373 in total (m456.4)

Well, we left the Lodge this morning. The smiles were brave smiles but inside we knew we are saying goodbye to some good friends and new acquaintances. Please note my new helmet. I replaced the one that got damaged in the fall.

We crossed the Illinois River and saw this push barge going upstream.

The Town of Utica is ready for the tourist overflow around Starved Rock, from the Two Girls and a Cupcake to

the Main Street that is closed off for motorised traffic.

We passed under this old bridge and were soon enjoying the last five miles of the Illinois-Michigan National Heritage Corridor to La Salle/Peru.

Beautiful flowers.

We passed Split Rock with all its history. You usually imagine that an army is set up to destroy an opponent. Here I saw how Engineers set about to remove a rock. I had to include a copy of the information sign showing three different train tracks as well as the canal.

We passed under the Interstate-39 Bridge over the Illinois River.

We cycled past this aquaduct. The original one must have been destroyed during a flood. 

At La Salle we came to the end of the canal. This boat is used to show tourists what is was like travelling on the Illnois-Michigan Canal.

Immediately behind the boat there is the last lock of the canal. The canal in the distance is large enough for steamers that plied the Missisippi and that came to La Salle to drop off cargo and passengers and pick up the same that came down the I-M- Canal. 

It was getting quite hot and we decided to invest in some calcium. It worked wonders for my ailment, both known and unknown. 😅😅😅

After about 17 miles of road cycling - there were only two exceptions with all other drivers being very considerate - we reached the trailhead at Lock 3 of the Hennepin Canal. 

We stopped for a quick lunch. We planned to do about ten miles and then rest to assist my recovery. It was interesting, both of us were quite tired at this point and we were happy to only do a short distance.

The Canal is beautiful and there are almost no people using the towpath. It may be because the surface is quite rough, especially where past flood damage was repaired. We shall also see tomorrow, after a good night's sleep, whether it was just our tiredness that made us sensitive. 

Christine is a wonderful photographer, 

and again

and again.

We passed under the I-74 as well. It is interesting how little you see when driving along an Interstate and how much you see when you slow down.

The Heenepin Canal was never used for its real purpose, as the Illinois-Michigan- Canal increased its capacity and those boats could not fit through the locks of the Hennepin. However, it was still used by private craft until the 1950s. Thereafter, some additional local road crossings were installed and the canal management decided to replace most of the canal locks with simple concrete weirs. In this way, the canal remained filled with water. 

A typical view upstream with a lock in the distance.

We reached Lock 11 late afternoon and pitched our tent in the ideal spot. Tonight is an early night and a good rest.