Matthiessen Park, IL

I love winter and xc skiing, but I sure like when spring starts coming around and the bike comes out. Just like an old friend that you haven't seen for a long time, you can pick up right where you left off. That's the way it was today as I headed off to Alabama for 2 weeks of work.

Got to Utica, IL and thanks to my iPhone mountain bike app, found the Matthiessen trail.
It was everything I remembered it to be....maybe that's why I like having drastic season changes....putting the bike down for the winter for a few months makes picking it up in the spring that much more fun.
I have a fellow biker friend that lives close to this trail and I found out after my ride that he did some work on this trail last summer. They did a nice job.

New Keens coming, but not here yet, had to use the old ones, still work fine.
Spring and Fall are nice before all the foliage blocks the views.
Vermillion River before it dumps into the Illinois.
Burls.

Saw 3 deer, they knew where to run for safety. Took it slow and easy, looking for antler sheds. No luck.