June 3

I had big hopes for today, and I wasn't disappointed. It was one of the highlights of my trip so far.

I rode 69 miles, nearly 60 miles of which was on beautiful bike paths that took me from the Chicago suburbs into Indiana.

Leaving from my hotel in Rockdale, I enjoyed relatively quiet Saturday morning streets as I cruised a few miles into Joliet and to the trailhead of the Old Plank Road Trail, which runs nearly 22 miles to Chicago Heights. 

When I stopped to take a picture of the Old Plank Road Trail sign, a woman cyclist just ahead of me was pulling out her phone to do the same thing. I laughed. "It's picture time!" I said. We chatted briefly. She told me she was out for a 120-mile ride utilizing the network of bicycle trails in the Chicago region. "It's really pretty great," she said. "I love it!"

She then disappeared down the trail as I stopped to enjoy this view and take a picture. I was getting excited. This may look like just an empty stretch of pavement to some people, but to me it looks like a quiet, smooth ride amid nature — away from the noise and stress of cars and trucks.

In Chicago Heights, the trail connects with the Thorn Creek Trail, which is 17 miles long. About five miles of it runs south into a forest preserve. I took the path north and east, about 12 miles, where it ends in a Lansing, Illinois, park near the Indiana state line.

I rode a short stretch, maybe a mile, to Munster, Indiana, where I connected with its beautifully maintained Pennsy Greenway, which took me into the gorgeous Centennial Park where people were out enjoying all sorts of activities. The Greenway is 12.5 miles long and runs from Cook County in Illinois to Lake County in Indiana. I rode maybe four miles of it to Hartsdale, Indiana, where I took another short ride on roads until I arrived at the trailhead of the Oak Savannah Trail.

And then we had an adventure.

After about five miles on the Oak Savannah Trail, near the town of Griffith, I rounded a bend and came upon this:

What do you do when a train is blocking your path? It was just parked there. Who knew for how long?

I noted one of the signs posted at the crossing that said it was a crime to climb on the cars or attempt to go under them. How long could I be stuck here? I got an energy bar out of my bag, sat down on the bench and started Googling for any rules or laws that might indicate how long a train can block a crossing.

Pretty soon another cyclist arrived. A college professor named Dave. We commiserated. He wasn't sure what to do, either.

Then, a group of cyclists pulled up. They seemed amused by what they saw. Soon, one gentleman took charge and said we should all just pass our bikes between the trains and get going. They were all out for a Saturday ride and weren't loaded with bags like me. They could get through pretty quickly. But what about me with the bags and all? And what happens if the train starts to move?

"We used to live by the tracks. This isn't anything new to us," one woman said. "We did this kind of thing all the time. You'll have plenty of warning that it's going to move. It shakes a bit at first."

So, I took the bags off my bike and they passed them through. And then my bike and I went over the coupling. (Dave followed too.)

Once again on this trip I'd been rescued by strangers. They were a fun bunch. (That's Dave off to the left, waving.)

It was nearly a perfect day, with easy cycling and great people. That's what bike paths can offer.

Contact me: Thoughts or comments? Email me at richardridesusa@gmail.com.

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