Illinois and Michigan Canal National Heritage Area
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This trip would be a short practice ride from McKinley Woods County Park in Channahon, Illinois to North Utica, Illinois, traveling back to Channahon the next day.
We started from McKinley Woods County Park at 10am and headed west along the Illinois and Michigan Canal National Heritage Area. After taking a quick snack at McKinley Woods State Park, we stopped in Marseilles for lunch at Ziggy's Bar & Grill. Afterward, we continued west through Ottawa and stopped in Buffalo Rock State Park to take in the view across the Illinois River. Once we came down off the bluff, it was a short ride to the remote campsites along the trail to the west of the park. We set up camp and rested. Then we headed further west without our gear to have dinner in North Utica at Skoog's Pub & Grill. We returned back to our campsite as the last parts of the sun were setting.
The next day, we started our trip east. We didn't have breakfast in camp, but waited until Ottawa to have breakfast and coffee at The Ottawa Bakery. We stopped for lunch in Seneca, and at numerous former locks along the trail that we skipped yesterday. Regrettably, we probably should have stopped for a snack break, but continued straight through to Channahon, and our vehicle.
It was a nice pleasant trip. 39.32 miles from Channahon to our North Utica area campsite. 8.82 miles from campsite to dinner and back. Then another 39.32 miles back to our vehicle. And, great weather and company.