Today 33 Starved Rock Walkers drove to the Museum parking lot in Utica and walked the I & M Canal trail towards Buffalo Rock. Another small group of club members decided to walk west to Split Rock instead. I stuck with the majority.

 We left the Museum lot with the wind at our backs.

 Here the trail crosses to the south side of the canal.

 Most of this trail section between Utica and Buffalo Rock is now shaded by the "green tunnel".

 About 2.5 miles east of Utica is a washout that took out a section of the trail in 2013. This is a view from barricade to barricade across the gap which is being filled in by six years of  growth.

 The creek now flows through the 30-foot wide by 10-foot high gap created when the two 6-foot culverts that carried the creek under the trail were washed away in 2013.

A much improved bridge now spans most of the creek to ease bikers & hikers around the gap.

 The barricade is our turnaround point for the walk back to Utica.

 All managed to overcome the only trail obstruction along this section. 

 All walkers dress for the weather they expect to encounter.

 Many walkers also use trekking poles to ease the load on their knees. I mostly use my pole to point at things.

Back across the canal to the parking lot.

 This was the first walk for my news Oboz hiking boots. My feet were very pleased!

BTW - The silt and driftwood have been removed from about 25% of the main parking lot at SRSP. The first parking down by the river since April 1st!

My new boots recalled this quote from Emme Woodhull-Bache,

"You need special shoes for hiking

 - and a bit of a special soul as well."