Segment 10 Day 4 Zion->Lake Forest 19 miles

High of 72 degrees.

Thursday, September 24

I began this day by hiking out to the Illinois Beach State Park. This park protects several different types of habitat including over six miles of lakeshore, and over 4,o00 acres of wetlands, prairie, dunes, and swale. I had hoped to hike the entire shoreline of this park, but the south end is a restricted nature preserve and wetland.

The beach is unique because it is bookended by the Zion Nuclear Power Plant on the north end, and a conventional coal power plant on the south. I walked through Waukegan in the middle of the day. This harbor has a toxic industrial history and is in the process of getting cleaned up.

I walked on a bike path from the Great Lakes Naval Station (an active naval base on the lakeshore), and walked it all the way into Lake Forest.

Segment 10 Day 3 Racine->Zion, IL 23 miles

High of 74 degrees.

Wednesday, September 23

This was the longest day of this segment, and one of the longest of the entire trek at 23 miles. I passed through the city of Kenosha at mid day and met up with Susan Remson and her dog Burlee (in third photo). They walked with me along the lovely Kenosha lakeshore for a bit and Susan filled me in on the recent history of the city. Then, I took a break at Susan's condo where we shared crackers and cheese and iced tea.

The shoreline was quite varied this day. I stayed near it and walked it whenever possible. I crossed into Illinois this day, where the Lake Trek began back in March.