Illinois, con't.

I had a revelation on day 2 in Illinois - my travel plans had focused on the specifics, places to stay, places to photograph, but they had skipped thinking about the state as a whole. As I drove I was surprised by the miles and miles and miles of cornfields and as I thought about it I realized I hadn’t given much, if any, thought to what to expect along the drive. I also hadn’t thought about the history of the state and whether or not that should be a part of my adventure. Some things to think about as I plan future adventures.

The weather was hot and hazy on Day 2 in Illinois. I took my time getting on the road and when I looked at the thermometer in the car at 11 am it was already 90º ~ that should have tipped me off that it was only going to get hotter and it did. I wasn’t expecting summer time temps in mid-September, but it didn’t change my plans.

I visited Weldon Springs, a state park. This place was much bigger than I expected with lots of roads leading to different parts of the park, albeit with minimal signage telling what those parts were. There wasn’t any sort of information center, there also wasn’t any admission fee. I found a parking lot with an information kiosk so I was able to take a look (and a photo) of a park map and plan my walk.

I parked next to the lake and set off on the Lakeside Trail. From the parking lot the lake didn’t look too big, as I walked I discovered the lake kept going and going with lots of little inlets. Happily most of the trail was tree lined and shady with an occasional welcome breeze.

I liked the way the park and trail are planned out. You can rent little rowboats near the parking lot and cross the lake that way - there were many little docks along the shore where people could tie up their boat then walk up to a nearby picnic area. There were also restroom spaced along the trail which was a pleasant surprise.

I saw wildflowers, a lovely feather, butterflies, scenic vistas, birds, a turtle, a squirrel, and more as I walked. The trail was well maintained with stairways on inclines (I suspect to preserve the land) which made getting around the lake an easy walk. I didn’t see many other people on the trail ~ probably because it was such a hot day.

Oh, the heat! I have finally learned to carry water and I was glad I had a bottle in my backpack on this walk!

It’s hard to get wildlife photos unless you are very patient and wait for the right shot. I heard many turtles plop into the lake before I could get a photo. I spooked a squirrel, then he froze in place, so I was able to get a couple of photos.

After about 3 hours on the trail it was good to get back to the car and air conditioning. As I drove away from Weldon Springs the thermometer read 98º and then showed  102º. Yup, it was a hot day. Some good travel advice - never trust your GPS 100%. I had to giggle when it pointed me to ‘Abandoned and Closed Road’ ~ really?

I headed south planning to go straight to Alton, IL for the night. But my plans are always fluid and I am always checking the brown signs along the highways that announce historic or other sites of interest. When I got near Springfield I saw signs about the Lincoln Home Historic Site - so I took the exit to explore. The GPS hates it when I do that!

I didn’t stay long or take the house tour, but it was nice to see the house and pause to think about the history of the area. President Lincoln made changes that still affect our country and you have to wonder what else he could have done if his life hadn’t been cut short in 1865.

The streets around his family home are all part of the historic site so you can explore the neighborhood and imagine what it was like in the 1800’s.

So it was a long, hot day traveling from Pontiac, IL to Alton, IL. Saw interesting things along the way and enjoyed capturing the day in photos. On to Missouri ~

Click here to see Day 2's Illinois photos posted on Flickr.