greetings from
Raise the (Barn) Roof in Illinois
Fox River Trail:
For old-fashioned fun on the western
outskirts of modern Chicago, plan to visit the Fox
Valley Folk Music & Storytelling Festival (
foxvalley
folk.com
) on Labor Day weekend, Sept. 6–7. The
event is Illinois’ largest folk festival, with musical and
storytelling acts running continuously on eight stages
from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday and Monday. One
highlight is a community barn dance; attendees also can
enjoy music and dance workshops, entertainment for
children, and a sale of folk art including stained glass, tin
ware, pottery and woven goods. Musicians are encour-
aged to bring their instruments to join impromptu jam
sessions all over Geneva’s Island Park, where the event
takes place; folks are welcome to picnic while they listen.
The park is smack dab in the middle of the picturesque
Fox River Trail, which closely follows the river as it contin-
ues north to Algonquin and south to Oswego.
Length & surface:
43.4 miles; asphalt, concrete, crushed stone
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End points:
Bolz Road at Sandbloom Road (Algonquin) to
Washington Street at Oswego Village Hall (Oswego)
Get Your Tail on the
Trail in Pennsylvania
D&L Trail:
Get Your Tail on the Trail! (
tailonthetrail.
org
) was designed as a fun way to combat the high rates
of obesity, diabetes and coronary heart disease in
Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley. The Delaware & Lehigh
National Heritage Corridor (D&L) and St. Luke’s
University Health Network teamed up to establish
the program, which promotes healthy lifestyles and
outdoor fitness through special activities, such as
the 165 Mile Challenge. Participants in the chal-
lenge register online to log their miles walked, run
or biked over a six-month period, from May 1 to
Nov. 1. The goal of 165 miles is in recognition of
the D&L Trail, which will one day span that length
in its journey fromWilkes-Barre to Philadelphia.
Another activity, the Fall Frolic Along the Towpath,
will take place Saturday, Oct. 17, on the D&L Trail
segment through Walnutport. Frolic attendees will
learn creative ways to improve their health, how
to properly fit a bike to their body, tips for finding
the best running and walking shoes, and more.
Length & surface:
13.9 miles; ballast, cinder and
crushed stone
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End points:
Near Riverview Drive
at the river’s bend (Walnutport) to Bridge Street
(Weissport)
To learn more about these and other trails, check out TrailLink.com, a searchable database of more than 30,000 miles of trails nationwide.
The website and TrailLink apps include detailed trail descriptions, interactive maps, photographs and first-hand ratings and reviews.
By Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
TrailLink
Courtesy delaware & lehigh national heritage corridor
Kevin kessler
rails
to
trails
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fall.15
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