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| Ride the Rock in Will | |
| Apr 25, 2007 | |
| Cindy Wojdyla Cain | |
| The Herald News of Joliet | |
| Pertains to Joliet Junction Trail, Rock Run Trail, I & M Canal State Trail, Joliet | |
| Wipe the spider webs off your bike, drag it out of the garage and fill the tires with air. The Will County Forest Preserve District is about to unveil the longest bike trail in the county during Ride the Rock, a bicycling/hiking celebration on May 19. The family-oriented 15-mile event will include prizes, food, music and activities at all four of its stops. Bicyclists will travel in a clockwise circle along the Illinois and Michigan Canal and on the district's Rock Run and Joliet Junction trails. "The whole idea is to introduce people to (the loop) and let them know it's there," forest preserve district spokesman Bruce Hodgdon said. Hodgdon said the course will take 90 minutes to two hours to complete at a leisurely pace. The event is free. All ages are welcome, but the district recommends that children be 11 or older if they're riding on their own. Riders are encouraged to wear bike helmets. Shuttles will be available for bikers who can't finish the route. "This is not a race, this is a bike ride," Hodgdon said. Two final sections of the trail loop were completed late last year, one by Interstate 80 and another by Jefferson Street, which is why the district is debuting the route this spring, Hodgdon said. The loop is unique because of its length and its path through mostly urban areas, said Becky Sanders, an interpretive specialist for the forest preserve district. Portions of the route also go through natural areas near Joliet Junior College and along the Rock Run Creek at the Black Road access, Sanders said. The fact that the trail winds through residential areas means you can go out your back door and hit the trail, said Jim McFarland, the district's corporate sponsorship manager. Vendors will sell food at the start and finish lines, including pizza and smoothies from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Water and snacks will be available at all four stops. The four stops and their mileage from the start are: • Joliet Fire Station along Houbolt Road (4.3 miles). Kids can touch fire trucks and meet firefighters. • Rock Run Preserve, Black Road access (5.8 miles). Bike decorating supplies - including streamers, balloons and ribbons — will be available. • Theodore Marsh, Gaylord access (9.5 miles). Bikers can write messages on a chalk mural, and supplies will be on hand to make bike baskets. • Applebee's restaurant (12.4 miles). Hungry bikers can stop for lunch. The restaurant will have bike locks and bike racks in place for the event as well as snacks and samples of food products and desserts. Because of the restaurant's proximity to the Joliet Junction Trail, the bike racks will remain at Applebee's after the event, McFarland said. Patrons can exchange their driver's licenses for bike locks to use while dining at the restaurant. Wal-Mart has donated two bikes for the raffle. Other prizes will include helmets, water bottles and car wash gift certificates. Bikers who pre-register for the event automatically will be entered in the raffle, Hodgdon said. Each year the district tries to highlight a new trail or preserve with special events. In past years, new portions of the Old Plank Road Trail and the Wauponsee Glacial Trail were featured. |
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