Central Illinois: Joliet, Starved Rock, Kankakee, Chicago

[alanmcorcoran]

Rented a Honda Aero for the day and did a 300 miler from "Mad Maps." Hit some nice back roads on the way to Joliet, but, except for a wee patch of 71 the curves was few and far between. Also got stuck in some nasty traffic (possibly due to Da Bearse) and had to cross country it back from Cicero. Still, got to check out what a 750 is like and got in a good days riding.

http://s4.postimage.org/FRi59.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=aVFRi59)

http://s4.postimage.org/FRkAi.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=aVFRkAi)

http://s4.postimage.org/FRn4r.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=aVFRn4r)

http://s4.postimage.org/FRpzA.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=aVFRpzA)

http://s4.postimage.org/FRs3J.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=aVFRs3J)

[Water Warrior 2]

Nice pics Alan. Looks like a nice sunny sky to enjoy while riding along. Kinda flat territory but still better than the Canadian Prairies where you pray for a flat tire to brighten the day. Yes I actually did that.

[alanmcorcoran]

It never got to that. The river road along the Kankakee was okay, but most of Illinois (that I've seen so far) reminds me of the parts of California I try to avoid. Illinois river at Starved Rock was pretty, but I couldn't help thinking their standards for a State Park were lower than California's (after having spent time in the Redwoods, the Sequoias and Half Dome etc.)

[Easy Rider]

Hit some nice back roads on the way to Joliet,

Just for the record, you barely touched "central" Illinois.......which starts a little south of Starved Rock and Kankakee. :biggrin:

How much did the bike rental cost you ??
I've looked around Atlanta a bit and only Harley's seem available there.......at about $85 a day. :cry:

[Easy Rider]

Illinois river at Starved Rock was pretty, but I couldn't help thinking their standards for a State Park were lower (after having spent time in the Redwoods, the Sequoias and Hlaf Dome etc.)

You make do with what you've got.
I can't help but think that comment was a little snooty. :tongue:
So maybe we shouldn't have ANY state parks 'cause they just can't measure up ??? :poke2:

[3-D Video]

:
So maybe we shouldn't have ANY state parks 'cause they just can't measure up ??? :poke2:
For what it's worth, Easy, most of the nannying California state parks are poorly run and really suck.
However, most of the federal parks are pretty spectacular: Redwoods, Sequoia, Yosemite, etc. ;)