SEPTEMBER 2009 TRAIL NEWS


TRAILS ARE MORE THAN ACHIEVING A DESTINATION. TRAILS ARE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENJOY THE SIGHTS, SMELLS, TASTES & EXPERIENCES ALONG THE WAY.


ITC ACTIONS IN A VERY BUSY AUGUST INCLUDE:

  • August 1 - Created and Distributed 211 issues of TRAIL NEWS to ITC MEMBERS. We need to grow. Can you help by encouraging a friend to become a member. This will help us continue our mission to encourage communities to build, connect and maintain more recreation trails for all of us.

  • August 4 – Wrote a letter to Congressman James Oberstar regarding the suggestion from ITC that Illinois have a STATEWIDE BICYCLE PLAN back in 2004. Sent him a packet of information regarding this issue. Suggested that Bev totally agrees with Dick Westfall at IDNR regarding a State Bicycle Plan.

  • August 4 – Responded to an invitation to a house warming from Diane Banta that Bev would be busy on August 29 with the Route 66 Ride from the Chain O Rocks Bridge in St. Louis to Chicago on Sept. 3.

  • August 6 – Wrote 2 letters to Carrie Nelson at IDOT regarding Roadway Projects requesting wide shoulders.

  • August 6 – Received an invitation to attend a Conservation Congress Committee Meeting in Springfield on August 27. Had to decline due to conflict with Route 66 commitment.

  • August 6 – Enjoyed a wonderful ride on the Hebron Trail all the way to the Prairie Trail in Richmond.

  • August 7 – Received e-mail from Diane Banta at National Park Service regarding the Route 66 Ride.

  • August 8 – Rescheduled the Poker Run on the Long Prairie Trail due to heavy rain on Friday.

  • August 10 – Met with 3 pastors who were riding through Rockford on a BAMBOO BICYCLE raising money for World Hunger. They were heading for Madison Wisconsin.

  • August 10 – Attended Grand Illinois Trails Council Meeting in Rockford. Heard about how gaps in the GIT are being filled in. Great River Trail south of Savanna bid letting. Willow Creek Extension Phase I Engineering underway, Kaskaskia Alliance Phase I Engineering underway, Chemung to Harvard Trail Completed. Pec Prairie Path holdup on funding. Celebration of 10 years of HARD WORK in 2010. 340 Miles are complete.

  • August 11-16 – Hosted a Trail Exhibit at the Boone County Fair. Talked to hundreds of folks about trails.

  • August 12 – Shared information with Tom Murtha at CMAP about the Skokie Valley Trail.

  • August 13 – Attended a Ribbon Cutting on the Stone Mill Trail between Chemung & Harvard.

  • August 13 – Party on the Path in Belvidere has been postponed until next year.

  • August 18 – Shared information with Ed Barsotti at LIB regarding ITC plans to participate in Route 66 Ride.

  • August 19 – Wrote a letter to Ron Wait regarding legislation he sponsored, lack of funds to reimburse Belvidere Park District for their Prairie Fields Project and Congressman Oberstar’s suggestion for a Statewide Bicycle Plan.

  • August 20 – Faxed a request from IDOT asking for information about existing or potential bicycle traffic in an area near the gap of the I & M Canal and the Hennepin Canal to George Bellovics at IDNR.

  • August 21 – Wrote a letter to County Board Chairman Robert J. Schillerstrom suggesting changes in distribution of Enhancement Funds should he become Governor of Illinois. Sent him a packet of information re Trails.

  • Received e-mail from Jerald Huffman asking for information about the I & M. Canal. Bev supplied it. Jerald Huffman is concerned about the lack of maintenance from Joliet to the West.

  • August 22 – ITC sponsored the Poker Run on the Long Prairie Trail. $500.00 was raised for maintenance and a check was mailed to Boone County Conservation. T-Shirts & Video’s are available for $10.00 each.

  • August 24 – Wrote a letter to Rick Powell at IDOT regarding an Roadway Project along Illinois 54.

  • August 25 – Received e-mail from Eric at Rails to Trails thanking Bev for information about Kaskaskia Alliance Trail.

  • August 25 – Shared information from Greg Luttrell from Trail Systems regarding a Trail Counter Device.

  • August 28 – Transported Dr. Bruce Perry and Diana Cooper to Granite City so they could participate in the Route 66 Ride.

  • August 29, 30 & 31 – Sagged Bruce & Diana on the Route 66 Ride and also enjoyed a ride on the wonderful Madison County Transit Trail South of Staunton to Hamel. WOW is it wonderful.

    ITC BOARD MEMBERS ARE BUSY WORKING FOR YOU:

  • George Burrier from Peoria shared minutes from the Recreation Trail Advocates Meeting in Peoria. He & Sandy will be in West Virginia at the New River Gorge National Park as Park Hosts.

  • Kyle Harfst in Carbondale let Bev know that he appreciated Bev sharing information regarding Roadway Projects down in the Southern Portion of the State. He supplies information to IDOT for Bev.

    ITC BOARD MEMBERS ARE BUSY WORKING FOR YOU (Cont.)

  • Bob Hargis from Ohio researched information from STB regarding rail banking.

  • Ray Hoven from Gurnee missed out on another opportunity to ride on the Hebron Trail with Bev.

  • David Landeweer in Arlington Heights suggested that ITC sponsor a Chicagoland Bicycle Map.

  • Greg Luttrell from Granite City sent Bev a copy of his brochure for his Trail Data Recorder Device.

  • Bruce Perry from Port Byron is currently riding on the Route 66 Ride with Diana Cooper and approcimately 30 other riders.

    ITC MEMBERS ARE ACTIVE AND SO VERY SUPPORTIVE….

  • Peter Botzek from Chicago sent Bev a fun postcard from Chicago.

  • Bob Clay from Bloomington sent Bev two articles “Smart to plan for bike path tied to Mother Road” Route 66 and “Durbin announces $300,000 grant to Create Route 66 Bike Trail. He also transported Diana on the Route 66 Ride. ITC MEMBERS DO HELP OUT IN TIMES OF NEED.

  • James & Karen Click from Glen Ellyn, Gordon James from Elgin, Sylvia Kellogg from Hinsdale & Terry Witt from Bartlett all shared information about the Stearns Bridge Project complete with Maps.

  • Deborah Fagan from DuPage County Planning keeps Bev up to date on all events in DuPage County including Com Ed Trail Maintenance on DuPage Trails, information about Trail Builders, Advice on Trail issues such as the Statewide Trails Plan and information about the Illinois Prairie Path being named one of Chicagolands GREAT PLACES. Please vote for IPP online at placemakingchicago.com/places before Sept. 14.

  • Maurice Gianesin from Rockford is delighted with news of the fix on the I & M Canal near Utica.

  • Louise Grobl from Naperville says she enjoys reading TRAIL NEWS and loves the Trails in Illinois.

  • Sylvia Kellog from Hinsdale sent Bev minutes of the August 11 meeting of the BRATS in Wheaton.

  • Bonnie Pink from McHenry helped Bev out by minding the Side By Side Shop during Route 66.

  • Mike Rucker from Peoria urges bicyclists to participate in the Duryea Days in Peoria Heights. He is looking for someone with a penny farthing. Mike is also very active in the Peoria Recreational Trail Advocates.

  • Fred Siebert from Palatine renewed his membership with a check for $100.00.

  • Bill Tornow from El Paso had difficulty opening TRAIL NEWS last month. Bev had computer problems.

  • Greg Valent from Chicago (ACE REPORTER FOR TRAILS) visited the Skokie Valley Trail and shared the progress with Bev via a photo of the tunnel and other areas along the trail Greg also shared an article about concerns on the Bloomingdale Trail. It seems that a ribbon cutting on the Skokie Valley Trail was cancelled.

  • Albert Whetter from Western Springs sent Bev a postcard from Wisconsin during his ride to Rochester, Minnesota. He also shared a summary of his ride.

  • Terry Witt from Bartlett shared his letter regarding the wonderful trails that make DuPage County the finest Trail System in the world. He also shared a note from the Woodland Hawk Trail supporters who are proposing a multi purpose trail in Hawk Hollow Forest Preserve that will be an integral part of the 35 mile North Central DuPage Regional Trail. This would provide safe crossing of State Route 59 for Bartlett High School students and connect over 800 homes to the Bartlett Bike Path that are now car locked by Route 59.

    OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU

  • September 19 - LENA COMMUNITY PARK DISTRICT FALL BIKE TOUR 7:00 a.m.

  • September 19 – Ride the Trails tours in DuPage Forest Preserve along the Salt Creek Greenway

  • September 23-25 – Upper Mississippi River Conference in Moline..

  • September 24 – GRAND OPENING OF THE CRYSTAL LAKE TO WOODSTOCK TRAIL. McHenry County College, Parking Lot A on US Highway 14 in Crystal Lake. 5:30-6:30 p.m.

  • September 24 – Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie Twilight Bike Ride atarting at 5:30 p.m.

  • October 9 & 10 – Duryea Days in Peoria Heights. Contact Mike Rucker at Mikruc@aolcom for info.

  • October 25 -28 - MID AMERICA TRAILS AND GREENWAYS CONFERENCE IN KALAMAZOO.

  • November 10 – Deadline for Proposals for Operator for the Eagle Creek Resort & Conference Center on Lake Shelbyville in Eagle Creek State Recreation Area.


ITC HAS NEWSLETTERS TO SHARE FROM: The Confluence, Friends of the Parks, Illinois Trail Riders, Iowa’s Bicycle Trails, Millbrook Observer, National Park Service Federal Lands to Parks. Natural Land Institute, Outdoor Illinois, Rails to Trails Conservancy, Trail Net & Transit Future from CNT.


CONTACT ILLINOIS TRAILS CONSERVANCY at www.ILLTrails.com or Bev at bebomoore@aol.com regarding anything mentioned in TRAIL NEWS. The address is P.O. Box 10 - Capron, Illinois 61012 & the phone number is 815-569-2472 or cell 815-289-1024 with fax 815-569-2976.