{"id":17862,"date":"2015-08-14T20:31:42","date_gmt":"2015-08-15T00:31:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tourdebocrie.com\/?p=17862"},"modified":"2015-08-14T21:22:01","modified_gmt":"2015-08-15T01:22:01","slug":"day-35-friday-august-14-joliet-illinois-to-valparaiso-indiana","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tourdebocrie.com\/?p=17862","title":{"rendered":"Day 35. Friday, August 14 – Joliet, Illinois to Valparaiso, Indiana"},"content":{"rendered":"

Humid, but thankfully overcast,\"DSCN6564\"<\/a> when we left this morning. \u00a0We had to weave our way through\u00a0some very interesting<\/em> city streets, neighborhoods,\"DSCN6570\"<\/a> jailhouses and over the Des Plaines River,\"DSCN6566\"<\/a>\u00a0 dodging construction and pot holes, but oddly, not a lot of traffic. \u00a0It took us six miles to reach our trail \"DSCN6575\"<\/a>where we were instantly surrounded by trees.\"IMG_1052\"<\/a> \u00a0This trail is extremely similar to the C & O canal trail we take out of Washington D.C; weaving through the back yards of neighborhoods of all kinds. \u00a0While we missed most<\/em> \"DSCN6592\"<\/a>of the homes, we avoided all of the traffic; rabbits, chipmunks and squirrels was as busy as\u00a0our trail was. \"DSCN6577\"<\/a>\u00a0We did pass through one town \"DSCN6585\"<\/a>that had capitalized on the trail usage; \"DSCN6584\"<\/a>businesses lined the path surrounded by parks..\"DSCN6590\"<\/a>..capital idea (pun intended).<\/p>\n

Sadly, our trail only lasted 20 miles and we were back on the roads through Chicago Heights and Sauk Village.\"DSCN6602\"<\/a> \u00a0As we crossed the state line into Indiana, we rejoined the very busy Route 30; \"DSCN6604\"<\/a>thankfully with\u00a0few\u00a0tractor trailers. \u00a0A few miles of the heavy traffic and we needed a break; after 40 miles it was time to get some cold liquid, anyway. \u00a0The stop provided time to rest and find a different road. \u00a0This narrow stretch of our course wound through neighborhoods,\"DSCN6611\"<\/a> heavily trafficked, but with a slow speed limit and polite drivers. \u00a0Shortly after noon, the sun came out and the temperature shot out of the comfortable 80\u00b0 we’d enjoyed all morning;\"DSCN6612\"<\/a> it was now hot and steamy. \u00a0Though the sun didn’t stay, the\u00a090\u00b0 temps, did. \u00a0Ten miles from our stop we once again joined the busy highway, but this time with a very generous shoulder, so we could snap a couple pictures.\"DSCN6617\"<\/a> \u00a0Also now out in the open, we sailed with the tailwind that we’d previously only heard in the trees. \u00a0It was the push we needed as the high humidity had drained us. \u00a0After passing a couple interesting characters, \"DSCN6620\"<\/a>we made it to our stop for the night by two o’clock. \u00a0Limited dinner choices within walking distance, but we walked away happy\"DSCN6626\"<\/a> and restocked\"DSCN6624\"<\/a> after our 65 mile day. \u00a0Holding off on that cholesterol test once we get back, though!<\/p>\n\n\t\t