The flooded section on the Red Loop along River Road (see pictures from our hike last Friday a few posts down) was twice as deep today, and biking through its 100 yard length today gave us all wet socks and shoes -- a small price to pay compared to the hundreds of flooded homes upriver from here or the many thousands flooded out in western Illinois and in Iowa. I couldn't stop to take a photo until I reached dry land, so this photo doesn't show us in water so deep our sprockets were in water.
No additional rain today, but the state park is the wettest I've seen it in a long time. The trail is kept in excellent condition, but numerous wet spots are evident, and the levee section of the trail was nearly flooded over in 2 places on the Yellow (Dam) Loop.
Today we were joined by fellow retired Fremd colleague Marty and her husband Dave. Here's the group shot: (l to r) Len, Patti, Dave R., Dave E., Marty, and Marlene.
The current and water level are even higher than Friday as seen from the nearly equal levels on each side of the McHenry Dam, and the last of Wisconsin's torrential rains haven't even gotten here yet!
Our joy at being out on such a beautiful day was tempered by the activity at the dam. Earlier, several older gentlemen in a rented rowboat lost control of the boat, were swept through the dam's open spillway gates, and capsized, and the man who wasn't wearing his life jacket was drowned. Emergency personnel were still on the scene, taking photos and interviewing witnesses. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.
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