BUFFALO ROCK STATE PARK

My first appointment on Tuesday was at 8:30AM in Morton, Illinois (Peoria area) and my customer was right on time and it was close to 11:00AM when I was finished. My second appointment was in LaSalle Illinois which is right on Route 80 which cuts through the northern part of the state. By 3:30 PM I was finished and headed to Buffalo Rock State Park. This park turned out to be very small, and many of the forested trails were closed. I hiked one loop inside the park and then exited the park and walked across the street to a part of the I&M Canal Trail. The I&M trail runs about 90 miles. I entered the trail and hiked about 3.5 miles west, before I turned around and hiked the 3.5 miles back east to re-enter Buffalo Rock State Park, complete my days hike, retrieve my car, all before sunset. When I was done, I had logged 9 miles. 

from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources:

Buffalo Rock State Park is located on a bluff which once was an island in the Illinois River. Now standing majestically on the north bank, this promontory affords a magnificent, sweeping view of the Illinois River. Located approximately 3 miles west of Ottawa in LaSalle County, this 298-acre park has long been a favorite picnic area, as well as a nature lovers’ delight. The area of Buffalo Rock was the home of the Illinois Indians when Louis Jolliet, the French explorer, and the Jesuit missionary priest Father Jacques Marquette made their trip up the Illinois River in 1673. Later, the Illinois tribe was virtually annihilated in protracted warfare with the aggressive Iroquois.

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Your Food Diary For:

Tuesday, October 17, 2017

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Baymont Hotel Scrambled Eggs w/two Sausages	500	0	0	0	0	0
	500	0	0	0	0	0
L U N C H
Subway - Chicken Chopped Salad	220	10	5	36	490	4
Landshire Sandwiches - Ham & Cheese Wedge	260	32	8	18	1,240	7
	480	42	13	54	1,730	11
D I N N E R
Eel and Avocodo Sushi Roll	400	33	18	22	0	0
	400	33	18	22	0	0
S N A C K S
Cliff Builder's 20g Protein Bar Chocolate Mint	270	30	9	20	200	21
Fresh Thyme - Dark Chocolate Coconut Bites	200	21	13	2	25	18
General Mills - Pumpkin Spice Cheerios	150	30	3	3	163	11
	620	81	25	25	388	50
Totals	2,000	156	56	101	2,118	61
Your Daily Goal	3,240	405	108	163	2,300	121
Remaining	1,240	249	52	62	182	60
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
	*You've earned 1,310 extra calories from exercise today

If every day were like today...   You'd weigh 215.1 lbs in 5 weeks     

HIDDEN LAKE

After my appointment on Tuesday, I headed out to the Hidden Lake Forest Preserve. It's name is much more 'romantic' than the actual place. There were two lakes there, neither one seemed to be particularly hidden, and the sum total of the trails was only 2 miles. As I often manage, I found a way to extend my hike to 10 miles by criss-crossing some streets in a nearby community. The weather was spectacular, with blue skies in every direction. 

Hidden Lake Forest Preserve of DuPage County

I did not cut myself out of this photograph, it was an attempt at artsiness. Maybe it would have worked better in black and white. 

Turns out, that my 'arty' photo was not helped by presenting it in black and white. I think this photo probably needed a different subject and a different photographer... That might have helped.

That is Round Meadow Lake in the background - it is not particularly hidden.

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I do not understand. There are two lakes at Hidden Lake Forest Preserve. Neither one is called Hidden Lake.

Your Food Diary For:

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Steel Cut Irish Oatmeal	450	81	8	12	0	3
Nature Valley Crunchy Granola Bar	380	58	14	6	270	22
	830	139	22	18	270	25
L U N C H
Banana Chips	300	34	20	2	0	20
Johnsonville - Polish Kielbasa Link, 1 link	200	3	17	7	640	1
Omelette - 3-egg Omelette With Cheese	425	0	21	28	650	2
	925	37	58	37	1,290	23
D I N N E R
Cheese fondue	495	8	29	31	285	0
Bread - Bread Baguette	450	90	3	15	0	0
Shrimp	200	2	3	38	280	0
Nature Valley - Crunchy Oats & Honey	190	29	6	4	160	12
	1,335	129	41	88	725	12
S N A C K S
Oreos	200	31	9	1	175	18
	200	31	9	1	175	18
Totals	3,290	336	130	144	2,460	78
Your Daily Goal	4,172	521	139	209	2,300	156
Remaining	882	185	9	65	-160	78
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
	*You've earned 2,242 extra calories from exercise today

       Your Exercise Diary for:

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
TEN MILE HIKE	135	1,905
Daily Total / Goal	135 / 30	1,905 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	271 / 210	4,154 / 4,130

LAKE SARA

After a very productive day in Staunton, Illinois which included a visit with a customer, a much needed haircut and lunch at the local Subway, I headed east to Effingham, Illinois. I drove through a vicious thunderstorm which cleared up by the time I arrived at my hotel. I quickly checked in, changed my clothes and headed out for a hike to Lake Sara. (As Sara is my daughter's name, I was particularly eager to visit this lake.)  Seven miles later, I was there. By the time I had returned to my hotel I had completed a fifteen mile hike.

After hiking seven miles, I arrived at Lake Sara

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This photo was taken about a quarter mile before I arrived at the lake .

Lake Sara is as old as I am.  We were both 'born' in 1957.

LAKE SARA ROAD

Your Food Diary For:

Tuesday, August 2, 2016

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Biscuit and Gravy	400	61	44	17	1,380	12
Essential Everyday - Butter Flavored Grits	600	126	6	12	2,040	6
	1,000	187	50	29	3,420	18
L U N C H
Subway - Footlong Turkey Breast	560	92	17	36	1,890	11
Special K - Double Chocolate Meal Bar	170	24	5	10	200	15
	730	116	22	46	2,090	26
D I N N E R
Fruit by Pound - Pineapple, 1 lb	234	44	0	2	0	32
Red Grapes (Seedless) - Generic	312	81	0	3	9	69
Generic - Watermelon Generic	135	36	0	3	5	27
Read - 3 Bean Salad, 1.67 Cup (85g)	300	65	0	5	1,500	40
	981	226	0	13	1,514	168
S N A C K S
Quaker Rice Cakes	490	98	0	14	210	0
	490	98	0	14	210	0
Totals	3,201	627	72	102	7,234	212
Your Daily Goal	4,477	559	149	224	2,300	168
Remaining	1,276	-68	77	122	-4,934	-44
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
	*You've earned 2,547 extra calories from exercise today

If every day were like today...   You'd weigh 201 lbs in 5 weeks.

       Your Exercise Diary for:

Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
Walking	227	2,547
Daily Total / Goal	227 / 30	2,547 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	393 / 210	5,560 / 4,130

After my fifteen mile hike, I was hungry and thirsty...I found my dinner at the unlikeliest of places - the Walmart just 500 feet from my hotel in Effingham. The dinner was perfect.

3-BEAN SALAD, PINEAPPLE CHUNKS, WATERMELON, RED GRAPES - 981 DELICIOUS CALORIES

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LAKE SARA, EFFINGHAM, ILLINOIS

This information comes directly from lakesara.net

The History of Lake Sara

Lake Sara is a man-made lake completed in 1957 to provide a water reservoir for Effingham, Illinois. A drought that lasted from 1952-1955 left the city concerned about their future water supply.

The Effingham Water Authority was created and tasked with the responsibility of finding a water source for the city. An area around Blue Point Creek was determined to be a good place for a lake. A dam was constructed and soon provided a good source of water.

Land around the lake was platted and leased. Soon homes were being built, docks sprung up and boats were launched. Over the next 58 years, the lake continued to supply water for the city and the lake residents. The land around the lake provides homes for residents during the summer and even year round. It's a wonderful place to live!

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When I set out on my hike at 5:00PM, the temperature was only 77°F.  The humidity was 93%.

I think that this was the highest humidity conditions that I had hiked in this summer.

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Any thoughts that I had about committing a crime while I was on my hike were scuttled once I saw this Crime Stoppers warning sign. Perhaps signs like this posted in Chicago could convince some criminals to straighten out.

And finally, I found this sign a bit odd. One does not always hike in the woods and come upon a STOP SIGN. This sign actually did serve a purpose as the paved path converged from two different directions, and bicyclists need to slow down (and stop) to make sure that they don't converge on someone else.