DES PLAINES RIVER TRAIL

Another day. Another subway ride. This time I took the 'blue line' one stop shy of O'Hare Airport. I would have liked to have taken the ride to the 'end of the line' but I was not convinced that that there was going to be a viable way of walking out of O'Hare airport, so I nixed that idea. Once I left the subway, I walked two miles north along River Road and turned east on Touhy Street to find the trailhead for the Des Plaines River Trail.

I took the Des Plaines River Trail more or less all the way south to the River Forest  community.

Within a half mile of the subway, I was passing the Village of Rosemont man-made waterfalls.

Oftentimes the trail needed to 'cross the street'. There was often a choice of staying topside or taking a tunnel.  I always chose the spookier way.

I thought I should post at least one photo of the river from the Des Plaines River Trail. So I did.

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After my 30 mile hike on Saturday, I was mildly surprised, that my feet, and my desire were ready, willing and able to go for another hike on Sunday. I relented after 16 miles. I stopped at the Whole Foods in River Forest and from there, it was just another two blocks to the subway station for the 'green line.' I hopped aboard and departed at State/Lake and I did walk home one mile more instead of bothering with a transfer to the 'red line' which would have dropped me off two blocks from home.

After some much needed and welcome rest at home, I did my laundry. After doing my laundry I somehow had some stored up energy and took a quick four mile walk. This rounded out my walking total for the day to an even twenty miles.

I 'walk' for three reasons.  I enjoy the exercise. I enjoy being outdoors and seeing new hidden parts of the world that for 59 years were unseen by me. And finally, I expect that all this walking and hiking will accelerate my weight loss. I would expect that even though my next weigh-in is not until next Saturday - there will be a favorable result on the scale when I do check my progress. In the past two days, Saturday and Sunday, I completed three hikes that together added up to 50 miles. That's gotta burn a few calories!

I am keenly aware that walking fifty miles in one weekend is excessive. I am keenly aware that I have an addictive personality. It was that addictive personality that had me eating at McDonald's, Burger King, White Castle, Panda Express and the like for many, many years. With each mile that I walk, I am one mile further removed from the man on the left in this photo below. It is a man that I wish to never see again.
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It many not be obvious that this split photograph is depicting the same person.  What the men in these two photos have in common, is that they are wearing the same belt. They have at least one other thing in common too. The obese man was photographed at a Blue Öyster Cult concert. You could find me in two weeks at Blue Öyster Cult concert in Skokie, Illinois. Perhaps I will walk there.

Your Food Diary For:

Sunday, August 14, 2016

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Quaker - Grits - Instant - Original	300	66	0	6	930	0
	300	66	0	6	930	0
L U N C H
Harumi Sushi - Philly Roll - Sushi	375	75	18	18	150	0
C2o - Pure Coconut Water	100	26	0	0	150	24
Cashews - Dry Roasted & Unsalted	300	17	24	8	0	2
	775	118	42	26	300	26
D I N N E R
Read - 3 Bean Salad	300	65	0	5	1,500	40
Delish - Hickory Smoked Steak Strips, 3 oz	300	24	12	24	870	18
	600	89	12	29	2,370	58
S N A C K S
Apple - Apple Gala (3)	240	66	0	0	0	51
DRIED MANGO SLICES	110	28	0	2	1	20
Dark Chocolate Ginger, 4 pieces (40 grams)	170	29	7	1	5	25
GIN GINS ORIGINAL CHEWY GINGER	80	20	0	0	0	20
	600	143	7	3	6	116
Totals	2,275	416	61	64	3,606	200
Your Daily Goal	5,468	683	182	274	2,300	205
Remaining	3,193	267	121	210	-1,306	5
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
	*You've earned 3,538 extra calories from exercise today

If every day were like today...   You'd weigh 178.4 lbs in 5 weeks.

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       Your Exercise Diary for:

Sunday, August 14, 2016

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
16 mile hike	249	2,649
4 mile walk	60	575
Daily Total / Goal	309 / 30	3,224 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	1783 / 210	18,988 / 4,130

from wikipedia...

The Des Plaines River Trail is a recreational multiuse trail that follows the course of the Des Plaines River through most of Lake and part of Cook County in northeastIllinois in the United States.

Trail uses include hiking/walking, bicycling, equestrian, and even winter cross country skiing and snowmobiling (conditions permitting). Since much of the trail lies in the flood plain along the Des Plaines River, sections of the trail are occasionally closed due to flooding during periods of heavy rain. Though not all sections of the trail connect directly, there is currently a 28-mile (45 km) continuous section running through Lake County starting at Russell Road along the Wisconsin/Illinois state line and running south to West Riverside Road about a mile south of Route 22. There are additional disconnected sections south of this point.

I needed to veer off the trail as the bridge crossing Route 72 was under construction.

I rejoined the trail at Lawrence Avenue

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WELCOME HOME, SARA

Sadly, Friday the 13th, November 2015 was the '9/11' for Paris, France.  Our daughter, and twenty-three of her classmates from Lincoln Elementary School were spending their final evening in Paris at the conclusion of a one week visit on the night of the attacks.  Most were already back 'home' with their host families for the night and making final preparations for the return trip home the following day, Saturday, November 14th.  That is precisely the schedule that was kept.  The biggest effect on their travel plans was a four hour delay at Charles De Gaulle airport that delayed their departure from the city of light.  All the students are now back home in Chicago.  Each student probably had one of the most memorable weeks of their lives, and that was before the final night of their visit while the city of Paris was under attack.  Welcome Home, Sara!

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Another day, another 10 mile walk in the morning.  Since the focus of the day was to drive to O'Hare airport and pick up our daughter.  I squeezed in second walk, only 6.5 miles before driving to the airport in the late afternoon.

While on my morning walk, I spotted a Chicago police officer on horseback right outside Lincoln Park.  I asked him what he was doing there.  He told me he was just on a normal patrol.  I asked his permission to take a 'selfie' with him in the background - and he immediately agreed.  After snapping my photo I thanked him for his thankless job which is so important to maintaining law and order and peace in our city.  He was very appreciative of my appreciation.

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My fitbit rewarded me with another 'lifetime' badge during the day.  Evidently, since I started 'fitbitting' on September 3, I have walked the equivalent of the length of New Zealand, which is 990 miles.  A couple of weeks ago, October 28, I had earned a badge for walking the equivalent of the length of Italy, which was 'only' 736 'lifetime' fitbit miles.  I don't know what reward is up next - but I am sure to find out.

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Your Food Diary For:

Saturday, November 14, 2015

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
Kashi - Dark Chocolate Coconut Bar, 1 bar	120	21	4	4	50	7
General Mills - Kix Cereal, 6.25 cup	550	125	5	10	900	15
Sage - Red Delicious Apple, 2 medium apple (170g)	190	50	1	1	4	38
Add Food Quick Tools	860	196	9	15	954	60
L U N C H
Campbells Home Style Soup - Italian Wedding Soup, 2 cup	200	26	5	12	820	8
Kashi - Dark Chocolate Coconut Bar, 1 bar	120	21	4	4	50	7
	320	47	9	16	870	15
D I N N E R
WHOLE FOODS 8738 - DRIED MANGO SLICES, 52.0 g (approx 6 pieces)	143	36	0	3	1	26
WHOLE FOODS - NATURAL WASABI GREEN PEAS, 0.5033328268210888 cup (30 grams)	181	29	5	6	362	3
Akmak - Cracker, 20 cracker	440	80	8	20	560	0
	764	145	13	29	924	29
S N A C K S
WHOLE FOODS 8497 - CHERRY VANILLA GRANOLA, 60.5 g (3/4 cup)	264	44	8	6	66	17
WHOLE FOODS 7700 - ORGANIC DATE PIECES w/OAT FLOWER, 59.2 g (2 TBSP)	178	44	0	1	15	33
WHOLE FOODS 7089 - 42% CACAO SEMI-SWEET CHOCOLATE CHIPS, 32.25 g (approx 2 TBSP)	151	22	9	2	0	17
Lilly's - Dark Chocolate Coconut, 80 g	340	40	32	4	10	2
	933	150	48	13	91	68
Totals	2,877	538	78	73	2,838	172
Your Daily Goal	5,742	718	191	288	2,300	215
Remaining	2,865	179	112	215	-538	42
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 3,812 extra calories from exercise today

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       Your Exercise Diary for:

Saturday, November 14, 2015

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
Walking, 5.0 mph	126	2,085
Walking, 5.0 mph	75	1,539
MFP iOS calorie adjustment	N/A	188
Daily Total / Goal	202 / 30	3,812 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	893 / 210	12,942 / 4,130

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TOTAL CALORIES CONSUMED 2877 CALORIES
TOTAL CALORIES BURNED (10 MILE WALK, 6.5 MILE WALK)   3624 CALORIES
TOTAL NET CALORIES 747 CALORIE DEFECIT
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fitbit day 73

36232 steps

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I always see grasshoppers on the boardwalk in Lincoln Park - yesterday, I simply felt compelled to photograph one

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