CFFC: Walks around the USA

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge theme this week is Walks – Indoor or Outdoor.  I  love to take walks when the weather is good. I don’t mind walking on a track during inclement weather, but it’s more fun to walk outside, smell the air, see the flowers, the trees, people, dogs, etc. Last fall, WP Automattic, invited photography buffs to take pictures on a 5K walk. We had a beautiful, colorful fall in 2015, and my photo essay of that walk can be accessed here.

The following is a travelogue of some of the paths and sidewalks I have walked, organized by state.

WISCONSIN, the state in which I was born and grew up, and where I spent many summer vacations at our former cottage, has many state-supported trails as well as city walks.

On the trail

On the trail

Dale didn’t want to walk, so I took a trail by myself.

Urban walks have become increasingly popular as people in cities have demanded more green spaces. The next several pictures were taken in Beloit, in southern Wisconsin. An example of an urban walk is this nice river walk there which runs alongside the Rock River, and with different things to see and do along the way.

The day was hot and windy – Dale refills his water bottle at this fountain in the shape of a lion. (It was donated by the Lions Club!)

Longer view of turtle’s shell – there are repeated sections of faces – perhaps those of the students who worked on it. (Many have been destroyed, possibly by exposure to the elements for 10 years).

A child’s sentiment, scrawled near a spot where people go fishing.

ILLINOIS, the state in which I’ve lived for the last quarter century, also has followed the trend of creating hiking and biking trails, and there are also unique opportunities to hike into the past.

I live in the Chicago suburb of Des Plaines, which has its own river walk along the Des Plaines River. I’ve seen hikers, bicyclists, and roller bladers on this trail! You can pick it up either by parking south of a viaduct off of Schwab Road, or via stairway on the northeast corner of Miner St. and River Rd. This trail connects with longer hiking/biking trails through forest preserves on the north and south ends. To the north is Big Bend Lake, about 2-3 miles from the beginning of the River Walk, where small boats (no motors) are allowed for fishing and leisure.

Section of the river walk

Map of the area, showing points of interest and the route of the walk/trail.

Another walking and biking (and rollerblading) trail nearby is an 8-mile loop through Busse Woods, which traverses part of Elk Grove Village, Rolling Meadows and Arlington Heights. I’ve walked, biked and cross country skiied on this trail.

One of the most interesting places to visit in Illinois is just outside of St. Louis, near Collinsville, Illinois. Cahokia Mounds has a museum and hiking path to explore the mounds and learn about the ancient people, one of the tribes of the Mississippians, who lived there. In 1250 AD it was a city larger than London! There is even an archaeological dig, where volunteers can sign up to spend a week in the summer painstakingly searching for artifacts. I’m tempted to do this!

To build the mounds, the inhabitants of Cahokia transported the soil in baskets over long distances. Monks Mound is a platform mound, thought to have been used for political or religious ceremonies and may have had large buildings at the top. Two other types of mounds, which were smaller, were conical and ridge top mounds. These were used as burial sites or for marking important locations. (Reference)

INDIANA – We have recently returned from a three-day trip to Indianapolis, a city I had never visited before. Indianapolis actually has two walks developed by the city. One is called The Cultural Trail, which covers 12 miles and 6 districts of the city.

The other is the Canal Walk, which starts at White River State Park, but can be accessed at other spots along the way. River or canal walks are very popular today, since San Antonio (see below) created a beautiful one which is a major tourist attraction. The Indianapolis Canal Walk is not as elaborate, and in fact, is flanked in many sections by large condo buildings. But there are monuments, a couple of restaurants, opportunities for water sports, and concerts performed on certain nights of the week. And it is a nice walk to cool off at the end of a hot day!

Two monuments: Left – 9/11 monument with two pillars from the Twin Towers; Right – USS Indianapolis, last cruiser to be destroyed in World War II. The story of this ship is engraved at the bottom – only 318 people survived out of 1,196 on board.

9-11 memorial. These are two pieces of the Twin Towers. The canal walk provides easy access to this monument, with a curved walkway up a small hill.

USS Indianapolis Memorial. The story is told on the bottom half of the memorial but I obtained a brochure and read the harrowing story of this ship. It was the last of its class to be deployed in WWII. 1,196 people were on board, only 318 survived.

Murals were painted under the bridges. In some places, the canal is quite polluted.

This pretty landscaped yard is for use of the public to exercise. Group yoga sessions are held here, for example.

Leaving the Midwest and going to the Southwest, first to:

TEXAS, specifically San Antonio with its famous River Walk:

The River Walk in San Antonio is quite extensive with many entry points.

There is lots of lush vegetation and shady trees.

The River Walk is highly developed, with many (rather high priced) restaurants and shops. There are also historical landmarks that are accessible from the walkway.

ARIZONA  – Last December, we were in Tucson, hoping to get away from the cold weather of the Midwest (it turned out to be just as cold there!) and to visit my cousin that lives there. There is a walk you can take to orient yourself which takes you through downtown Tucson and some historical places to visit. All you have to do is follow the turquoise line painted on the sidewalk.

The line took us through downtown and into courtyards. It led to the San Agustin Presidio, an old fort in Tucson. We toured the Presidio with a guide recounting the history of the presidio, telling us about many of the plants on display, and drawing our attention to small details.

San Agustin Presidio in Tucson

Outside the presidio, following the turquoise line was a Time Line of southern Arizona’s history.

We saw murals and mosaics on the facades of buildings and on walls.

We saw quirky houses in different neighborhoods and a large flower arc in a churchyard, to honor Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe, the patron saint of Mexico.

We didn’t walk the entire path of the turquoise line – we were too tired!

I could add many more walks, but I have decided to end here this travelogue of walks in places I’ve been.