North Branch Trail & Botanic Garden biking

It was another gorgeous day, so we celebrated the Fourth with a 35+ mile round-trip ride on the entire length of the North Branch of the Chicago River Trail. As I had predicted, the highway, expressway, and tollway drive was with little traffic, but the bike trail was heavily populated with bikers, walkers, and joggers. The entire ride was through magnificent Cook County Forest Preserves and the dozens of picnic areas and pavilions we passed were filled with hundreds of families and groups enjoying BBQs and various sports. We stopped in Morton Grove for a lunch at KFC during our 3.5 hour ride.



Our ride included circling Skokie Lagoons at the north end of the trail, with a side excursion into the Chicago Botanic Gardens. The 385-acre Garden features 23 unique gardens situated on nine islands surrounded by several lakes of the Skokie Lagoons. An immense bike parking area (this photo is only 1/2 of it) was nearly full since the only charge into the gardens is a parking fee, but bikers can enter free.



We walked the gardens for an hour. Though there was large attendance, the grounds are so huge we never felt crowded, and the floral displays convey a feeling of calm and relaxation -- especially my favorite island -- the Japanese Gardens. Here are a few pictures of the gardens:









The gardens also feature 180 bonsai in 20 styles...



The 75 degree temperature precluded getting overheated from the exertion of biking and walking so much, but to guarantee we wouldn't be stricken with heat stroke, we each had a Dove bar in the cafe at the gardens. It must have worked, because we both weathered the weather fine!