Despite the lack of reporting, I’m still going on my Friday adventures. Most of the photos from my Shawnee trip were lost in a tragic OneDrive accident that also claimed a lot of my work on the re-edit of The Opening Night Murders. I had a backup of the material on a notes app, but it still required extensive formatting and other busy work that I couldn’t get excited about. Slowly, I have crawled back to the place I was at a month (or 2?) ago. Here’s an update.
I went to a State Park called Rock Cut in Rockford, Illinois. I enjoyed my time, but the trip was interrupted by an emergency and rain. I ran into a woman who had found a sickly kitten that was struggling. I couldn’t leave her, so I hiked back to the parking lot with her, and then the woman brought the kitten to the main office where they could administer care.
Then it rained. I’ve since bought a foldable rain coat. Of course, I haven’t been caught in the rain since.
The highlight of Rock Cut was a conversation I had with Fernando. He used to play soccer, but an injury ended his sporting days. He took up hiking. I stood in the rain next to a bridge and talked with him about hiking for about twenty minutes or so. Good times.
Then, I had my long trip to the Shawnee Forest, investigating as many areas as I could in my four days. I hiked an average of 5 hours. Whenever I got back to my hotel, I’d shower and then collapse on the bed. Wake up early and head out again. Every drive was at least an hour.
The Garden of the Gods was just as good as advertised. It’s a trail with several sandstone overlooks — spectacular views of the entire forest. I went on my second day, but I returned the day before I left to watch the sunset. It’s a different vibe at night.
The prettiest part of the Shawnee Forest is Giant City Park. The trails are not incredibly difficult, but they have variety and there are several alternate paths. I got the impression from people online that Giant City Park is considered touristy by the locals. I could not give less of a fuck. It’s gorgeous. If I lived anywhere near there, I’d go every morning.
After I returned, my clock was a bit screwy. The OneDrive accident took a little wind from my sail.
I went to a closer trail system called Palos. Not bad. A bit dull after the Shawnee trip, but I had a good time.
The next trip was to the Mississippi Palisades, where, as the name suggests, you can get several views of the Mississippi River.
I find myself interested in rivers for the first time in my life. I don’t know why. The Mississippi starts at a lake in Minnesota. It splits the border of several states and empties out into the Gulf in Louisiana. Yet, it isn’t the longest river in the US. That title goes to the Missouri River. There’s a point near St. Louis where the two rivers intersect. They say you can differentiate the rivers by their shade. That intersection sounds like a future trip to me.
While I was out there, I took the time to visit Galena, a sharp little town with a river and a WW2-themed park and a downtown to die for.
Last week, I went to Devil’s Lake in Wisconsin. This might be my new favorite trail. The elevation is superb. I went up the Balanced Rock Trail. It took a while, but the sense of accomplishment when I reached the top was intoxicating. The views up there are beautiful, and you don’t want to come down. Just lovely.
This week, I’m going to Pike’s Peak in Iowa. The drive will be long (4 hours), but I want to get one more far trip this year. After that, I’ll slowly contract the travel radius. By the time October hits, I’m sure I’ll be going to old standbys like Starved Rock.
I’ll work out over the winter. Then, I redo some of my favorite hikes — places I know I’ll love and places that still have a few unexplored regions. For my big trip next year, I don’t want to go to just one place. Most of the prime destinations in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan are in the upper parts — 6 hour drives. So, my plan is to hit the farthest destinations, hike the entire day, go to a hotel and stay one night, then hit another trail on the way back. This way, I can explore 4 states with only 4 hotel stays. It’s the best way for me to find new, desirable destinations.
As I said, most photos are gone. Here are just a few.
Writing — I’m adding a lot of scenes for the red herrings in The Opening Night Murders. One of the novel’s biggest flaws is the fact that the killer is given so much time early on. I didn’t bother spending time with the other characters. When their machinations were revealed at the end, it didn’t have as much impact as it should have because I hadn’t planted it earlier. Some of their actions are introduced at the end.
So, my reediting project continues. Thanks for your patience. I’ll be back to writing new stuff sooner than you think.
Take care.
James Scott Byrnside 