Fox River ride, the first of (I hope) many

Too pretty a day to stay inside. Headed west to one of my  favorite rides, the Fox River Trail.

As usual, I started from downtown Aurora, just east of The Casino That Will Save The City and of course Did Not. Nice huge empty parking lots for us bike riders, anyway.

You could not have ordered a nicer day for a bicycle ride. Upper 60s rising into the lower 70s, low humidity, light wind from the west-northwest.

Lilacs in bloom, trees just beginning to leaf out, brilliant blue sky, I mean, seriously, heartbreakingly, beautiful.

It's pollen in my eye, swear to god. Pollen.

This little lighthouse was built by industrialist George Fabyan on his estate around 1905.

Fabyan supported the Baconian theory, popular at the time, that Shakespeare's plays were written by Francis Bacon.

Rich people: they're just like us, only dumber.

In 1914 the Fabyan purchased and had moved a Dutch-style windmill built c. 1870 from its original farm site in York Center, Illinois, to his estate.

Known as the Fabyan Windmill, this five-story grist mill was restored to working order in 2004. It is known by Shakespeare scholars as "Idiot's Windmill."

I was surprised and delighted by a short train popping up along the east side of the river on the way home. I am a male person, so trains make me happy for some reason.

Then the dappled path back to the car, and (sigh) home. Total was 19.88 miles, according to Cyclemeter. 

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Welcome spring!

I led the Sanctuary Bicycle Group on its first long ride of the season. Wonderful turnout today, 16 riders, which we attributed to pent-up demand. Previous rides were canceled because of the horrible weather we've been experiencing here in the Chicago area. This was the first sunny day in more than a month!

We headed south from downtown Naperville along the DuPage River Trail to Knoch Knolls Park. There, we took the newly extended trail west to 95th Street. A mile or two on quiet suburban side streets later, we entered Springbrook Prairie Forest Preserve.

After the six-mile Springbrook Prairie loop, we rode south on Southern DuPage County Regional Trail, along 75th Street, cutting a bit short along Modaff Road north to Bailey, and back to downtown Naperville.

Apré Bike, delightful conversation and companionship at Hizeman's Bar and Grill. Highly recommend the pork & pineapple tacos.

Distance: 21 miles, with a mix of paved trail, limestone, and side street.

Add 10 miles for me, because I rode from the starting point in downtown Naperville and back.

I'm seriously wheezy tonight — overdid it too early in the season.

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