Some of the photos are a little blurry. For some reason I am having trouble getting the photos from my phone to my computer. I am now taking the photos with my camera. It takes a little longer to focus and I tend to be impatient. Today's hike was a little low in participation. Not sure if the weather played a part in the attendance or if it was the holiday. There were about 25 hot hikers. No breeze anywhere. Sun was out and so was the humidity. We left the lobby and headed to Starved Rock for a bit of history. Next,was a rewarding walk into French Canyon. We finished the day walking to Lover's Leap and Eagle's Cliff.
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| Life is Good |
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| Leaving the Lobby. Heading out! |
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| Our first stairway of the day. 150 steps down only (for now) |
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| Waiting for everyone to catch up at the base of Starved Rock |
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| View of Lover's Leap from the top of Starved Rock |
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| Illinois Waterway Visitor Center from the top of Starved Rock. |
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| East end of Plum Island from the top of Starved Rock |
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| Flags at the top of Starved Rock. Happy 4th of July! |
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| Starved Rock Lodge from the top of Starved Rock |
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| I love trees. This Oak tree is at the top of Starved Rock |
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| Next up is French Canyon |
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| Nice walk into French |
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| Terry met a guest going into French |
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| Wait in line and be patient. This is one of the busiest canyons in the park. It is the closest canyon to the visitor center and the Lodge (not counting Fox Canyon). |
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| French Canyon waterfall, looking good. |
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| What a great looking group! Shirts are from the Mega Hike in April. |
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| One way in, one way out. Now we have to waddle out. |
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| Look who we found on our way to Eagle's Cliff..... |
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| Found this piece of trash at Eagle's Cliff |
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| View of the Lock and Dam from Eagle's Cliff |
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| A love lock or love padlock is a padlock which sweethearts lock to a bridge, fence, gate, monument, or similar public fixture to symbolize their love. ... Since the 2000s, love locks have proliferated at an increasing number of locations worldwide. Some even say this is vandalism. I consider it litter. |
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| Lover's Leap |
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| View of upper French Canyon Creek |
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| This fascinating stinkhorn is often identified as "Mutinus elegans," but close inspection reveals that Phallus rubicundus has a clearly distinguished, separate head that holds the spore-saturated brown slime; species of Mutinus bear their slime on the upper part of a stem structure that lacks a clearly distinguished head. |
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| Way too much trash for a short hike. Really too much trash for any length of hike. |
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| We have a couple of these signs at the Lodge. |
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| Both trolleys are ready to go on tours today. |
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| Purple Coneflowers in front of the Lodge. |
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| Russian Sage in front of the Lodge |
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| The best thing was a tall glass of water upon my return. Life is Good! |
I will leave you with this: For one minute, walk outside, stand there, in silence, look up at the sky and contemplate how amazing life is!
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