Yesterday I hiked about two miles along the Illinois and Michigan Canal as part of a longer eight mile hike. This means that I have much more to explore along this historic path that leads from Chicago all the way to the Illinois River at La Salle-Peru. I had parked my car at a nearby park in Channahon, Illinois on the way home from my two day trip. I was able to squeeze in this eight mile hike before sunset and managed to return home just before 8:00PM.

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On the way back to my car, while still along my hike, I passed cornfield. I couldn't resist taking a couple of kinda creepy photos.

SATURDAY IS WEIGH DAY....Once per week since December 24, 2014, I have weighed myself on Saturday morning.  When this little trip began, I weighed 309 lbs. Although my weight loss has stalled in recent weeks, I continue to walk (a lot) and I do feel as if I am in the best physical condition of my life. Considering that I am 13 months away from my 60th birthday, this means that when I should have been in peak physical condition in my late 20's, early 30's I wasn't.  Better late than never, yes?

TODAY, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15 my weight is 222.0 lbs.
I did drop three of the six pounds I added the week before...and all I had to do this week was walk a 26.2 mile marathon, fast for 24 hours during the Yom Kippur Jewish Holiday and walk every day.  Piece of cake. In fact, perhaps I would have lost more weight if I had not had a piece of cake. (or  multiple chocolate bars, or any of the other over-indulgences that I indulged)  But why complain?  At 222 lbs, I am down 87 pounds from the day I started on December 24, 2014. And this week a random stranger came up to me and told me how fit I looked.  And you know what, I agree with him. I think I look fit, and I know that I am fit(ter) than I have ever been. I think it is time for me to finish up today's blog and get out and take a hike...

Your Food Diary For:

Friday, October 14, 2016

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Simple Super 8 Cinnamon Roll	310	48	15	4	550	25
Kellogg's - Frosted Flakes	220	54	2	2	280	22
Quaker - Grits - Instant - Original, 4 packet	400	88	0	8	1,240	0
	930	190	17	14	2,070	47
L U N C H
Quest Nutrition Cookies & Cream Bar	190	20	9	21	210	1
Subway - Footlong Turkey Breast on Wheat	560	92	17	36	1,890	11
Whole Foods - Banana Chips	225	26	15	2	0	15
	975	138	41	59	2,100	27
D I N N E R
Costco - Bagel, 1 Bagel	350	73	3	13	770	8
Kirkland Signature - Smoked Salmon	125	0	9	12	584	0
Philadelphia Cream Cheese - Original	100	1	9	2	105	1
	575	74	21	27	1,459	9
S N A C K S
Hersheys Dark Chocolate Bar	500	28	38	9	100	11
	500	28	38	9	100	11
Totals	2,980	430	117	109	5,729	94
Your Daily Goal	3,553	444	118	178	2,300	133
Remaining	573	14	1	69	-3,429	39
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
	*You've earned 1,623 extra calories from exercise today

If every day were like today...   You'd weigh 208.4 lbs in 5 weeks

EXERCISE DIARY

Friday, October 14, 2016

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
8 MILE HIKE - ILLINOIS & MICHIGAN CANAL	103	1,623
Daily Total / Goal	103 / 30	1,623 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	479 / 210	5,749 / 4,130

Illinois and Michigan Canal

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Illinois and Michigan Canal connected the Great Lakes to the Mississippi Riverand the Gulf of Mexico. It ran 96 miles (154 km) from the Chicago River in Bridgeport, Chicago to the Illinois River at LaSalle-Peru. The canal crossed the Chicago Portage and helped establish Chicago as the transportation hub of the United States, before the railroad era. It was opened in 1848, its function was largely replaced by the wider and shorter Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal in 1900 and it ceased transportation operations with the completion of the Illinois Waterway in 1933.

Illinois and Michigan Canal Locks and Towpath, a collection of eight engineering structures and segments of the canal between Lockport and LaSalle-Peru, was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1964.

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Today much of the canal is a long, thin linear park with canoeing and a 62.5-mile (100.6 km) hiking and biking trail (constructed on the alignment of the mule tow paths). It also includes museums and historical canal buildings. It was designated the first National Heritage Corridor by US Congress in 1984.

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from dnr.state.il.us/lands/landmgt/parks/i&m/main.htm  

ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES

llinois & Michigan Canal

History buffs, nature lovers and sportsmen will thrill to the sights and sounds of the 96-mile route of the Illinois and Michigan Canal. Along its banks are numerous state parks, restored historical sites, and abundance of wildlife and distinctive landscapes, ranging from bluffs to rolling hills. Visitors can follow the I&M Canal State Trail along the old towpath at Rockdale to LaSalle, experiencing 61.5 miles of scenic views and the Des Plaines and Illinois rivers. At every turn, trail users will find something of interest. One can spend an afternoon or several days exploring the wonders along this picturesque and unique area.

History

This canal provided the first complete water route from the east coast to the Gulf of Mexico by connecting Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River by way of the Illinois River. French explorers Joliet and Marquette recognized the value of this water route for navigation in the 1600s. It was used heavily by Native Americans and traders from this time until 1823 when Illinois created a Canal Commission to oversee design and construction of the I&M Canal. The canal was completed in 1848, at a cost of $6.5 million. It begins at the south branch of the Chicago River at Bridgeport and extends 96 miles to the Illinois River at LaSalle. Originally 60 feet wide and 6 feet deep, the canals 15 locks accommodate differences in elevation. Commercial traffic began immediately, with barges pulled by mules or horses walking on the towpaths. In 1933, the Illinois Waterway was completed and the I&M Canal was closed to navigation. Since then, the canal has been developed for recreation, with the addition of shelters and picnic areas and renovation of the tow path for hiking and bicycling. Interpretive programs and information centers are located at key locations along the trail.

State Parks along Canal

• Channahon State Park is located in Channahon in Will County. The park is the site of two locks and a restored locktender's house. The park provides opportunities for picnicking, tent camping, fishing and canoeing. For interpretive programs or more information, visit the Channahon State Park Web site.
• Aux Sable access area, 8 miles from Channahon, has an aqueduct, lock and locktender's house.
• William G. Stratton State Park is located in Morris and provides public boat access to the Illinois River. Fishing is popular here, as well as picnicking.
• Gebhard Woods State Park located in Morris and is bordered on the south by the canal, is 30 acres of slightly rolling terrain dotted with many stately shade trees. Spring brings a profusion of wildflowers, to the delight of park visitors. Songbirds, mallards, wood ducks, green herons and great blue herons can be observed as they feed or nest in the park and along the canal banks. Beaver, muskrat, mink, raccoon and deer also call Gebhard Woods home. The restored Nettle Creek aqueduct adds to the park's beauty. A visitor center, located in the park is a source for additional information on the area.
• Buffalo Rock State Park is located 5 miles from the Fox River Aqueduct on the north bank of the Illinois River. Stand atop the sandstone bluff at the summit of Buffalo Rock and look upon a sweeping view of the Illinois River. Take advantage of one of several picnic areas popular for providing a shady respite from the sun, or visit a shelter with a fireplace on cool days. Visitors will feel a kinship with the Illinois Native Americans, former residents of the area, as they hike through the magnificent stands of oak, cedar and pine. Two American bison call Buffalo Rock home.

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WHAT I HAVE IN COMMON WITH HOMER SIMPSON

Even casual fans of 'The Simpsons' know that family patriarch, Homer Simpson always tells his wife as various opportunities arise that one thing or another is his lifelong dream.

Invariably, his wife, Marge, advises him that each dream has usually been accomplished.

This information was duplicated from a site called: wikidumper.blogspot.com.

List of Homer Simpson's lifelong dreams:  The following is a list of lifelong dreams by Homer Simpson as reported in The Simpsons TV series. Homer is a man of many lifelong dreams which he frequently quotes during the series. Each dream is different from his previous dream, and his wife, Marge, points out every time he makes up a new one that his actual life long dream, which also varies from episode to episode, was already accomplished by him.
His lifelong dreams include (partial list):
- Managing a beautiful country-western singer ("Colonel Homer")
- Eating the world's biggest hoagie ("Colonel Homer")
- Living in the wilderness, while keeping a journal of his thoughts ("Marge Gets a Job")
- Becoming a monorail conductor ("Marge vs. the Monorail")
- Being allowed to do his job from home ("King-Size Homer")
- Being the next Thomas Edison ("The Wizard of Evergreen Terrace")
- Becoming a hippie ("D'oh-in in the Wind")
- Bowling a perfect game ("Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder")
- Seeing Stevie Nicks naked ("Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder") 

I also have a lifelong dream.  I have not accomplished it.  In fact, it has been completely elusive to me for just about my entire adult life.   Many, many years ago I learned that one could take a mule ride down to the bottom of the Grand Canyon.  This sounded like great fun.  And as soon as I learned about it, I thought that I would like to do it.  

There is however, one 'minor' obstacle.  In order to qualify for a Grand Canyon mule ride to the bottom of the canyon, one must weigh less than 200 lbs (with their clothes on)

I aspire to do this one day.   It may be over the top to call this a lifelong dream - but it is true that I would like to do it.  If I am going to qualify for this, I know what I need to do.

If I am going to qualify for a Grand Canyon Mule ride - I will need to lose another 60  lbs.   I figure that  in order to weigh  less than 200 lbs with my clothes on... I might have to get down to the mid-190's.   Lifelong dreams are supposed to be grand, and what could be grander than a GRAND CANYON MULE RIDE? 

WEDNESDAY MENU
breakfast  two poached eggs, cup oatmeal w/prune, two strips turkey 'bacon'   355 calories
lunch         spinach salad, salmon sockeye burger, pumpkin soup                        240 calories
dinner       Polish Sausage, Spring Mix Salad, Mulligatawny Soup                      400 calories

total calories consumed     995 CALORIES

CALORIES BURNED
7AM     ELLIPTICAL MACHINE  32 MINUTES    480 CALORIES

NET CALORIES  515 CALORIES