River to Rail 2025




 River to Rail ride 2025

Fund raiser for completion of the Kickapoo Rail Trail  -- which when completed will connect Urbana and Danville, Illinois -- ~ 27 miles

Began at Kennekuk County Park with 30, 50, and 60 mile routes

We chose the 30  mile route with some modifications

We began with Ryan Van Duzer's Mantra:

NO Crashies, NO Flatties , NO Whammies!!!




Here riders are arriving and some beginning their chosen route

Steve and Dave prepare their machines

140 or so riders participated


My 1994 Diamond Back is ready!  We didn't have the fanciest bicycles, but surely the oldest

Dave and Steve at Registration

Steves recumbent 'tadpole' trike, my Diamond Back, Dave's Trek 930 -- made in Waterloo, Wisconsin -- yes, its that old


On our way out of Kennekuk Park


Rural Fire Station





Rest stop at the Kickapoo Mountain Bike trail head --- 8 miles in at this point, roughly half way


Trestle over the Middle Fork river 90 feet below


Rest stop at Oakwood Illinois,  15 miles from the start.
Here we modified our route to go west and then north and catch a road back to Kickapoo Park -- extending our ride by around 7 miles.  The 30 mile route is an Out and Back from here


Steve approaches the intersection where he had a major Whammie last year - sailed right thru this time

2024 -- at this point Steve's recumbent split in two -- failed at the point the saddle is attached to the frame  -- after some discussion, the manufacturer sent Steve a new replacement   😁😁

Update Sept '26

It happened again!   Steve (recumbent) Dave and I rode north to Wellington, Illinois.   Back at Dave's we chatted for a while, I went east, Steve went west.

As Steve pulled away, THIS recumbent broke in two!!!


The solution to this has yet to be resolved --- talk about a "You gotta be kidding me" moment!


We rode thru agricultural land as well


And wooded areas back toward Kickapoo Park



That is an exposure of sandstone which contained the coal strip mined here years ago

Lots of wild flowers along the way


Back to Kennekuk park --  Kennekuk was the medicine man of the Kickapoo tribe which lived in this area


Natural prairie within the park


Almost back -- totaled just under 40 miles




Steve and Dave -- they look as though they have had enough for now?  Me 3


White Oak tree, the namesake for the White Oak Barn -- Start/Finish of the River to Rail ride

You will notice many of the riders have finished and gone back home --  I inquired of the Hosts how that could be?  We hit a good 6 or 7 mph (sometimes)   😉


Additional repetitive photos below:


















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