September 22, 2011: Morris, Ill to Chicago Heights, Ill: (50 miles)

Another beautiful fall day in the Midwest!  Cal did wear a long sleeved shirt and I am wearing a vest as the temperatures are cool in the morning and evening – perfect biking weather.  Cal came to the end of the I & M canal on the south edge of Joliet. We followed a Google map route 3 miles through Joliet to the ‘Old Plank Trail’.  The Old Plank trail was a bikers dream!  It was paved and smooth in comparison to the condition of the I & M Canal.  Cal averaged approx 11mph whereas on the I & M it was 8.5mph.  The Old Plank trail went as far east as Chicago Heights. It was only 2:30pm at this point, but due to our evening activities Cal stopped riding for the day.

The Old Plank Road

At approx 5:00 we left Chicago Heights for downtown Chicago to attend an evening event sponsored by Rotary.  Rotary is one of the leading partners in the fight to eradicate polio from the globe. India is one of the last four countries with a polio issue.  Rotary’s current International President is from India.  Tonight the guest of honor was India’s Minister of Health who has a passion for good health and polio eradication in India.  Since he became the Minister of Health this passion has lead him to commit huge sums of government funds to help with the eradication of polio, plus now the Indian Government is fully supporting the World Health Organization (WHO) and Rotary in their efforts.  The great news is that since January 1, 2011 there has only been 1 new Polio case in India. This is beyond imagination, but what Rotary has spent millions hoping to achieve. After visiting both India and Nigeria, we have always felt that these countries have to take ownership in the eradication of this disease and this is now happening in India and Nigeria –both countries are seeing results for which everyone is thrilled. 

Chicago Skyline

Union League Club Building

Rotary International President Banerjee with Cal and Rachel

The evening was lovely.  It was held in the elegant Union League Club building where the Rotary One Club meets weekly.  There was a group of approximately 80 in attendance, with over half being of Indian nationality, and of the Indian community in the US/Chicago.  Cocktails were followed by a 5 course delicious dinner.  It was great meeting other Rotarians.  The evening was a success! We arrived back at the hotel at approximately11:00. 

I almost forgot - yesterday (Thurs) I drove 9 miles south of I-80 at Joliet to the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetary.  We had no idea there was a National Cemetery in this location until this past summer.  Dear friends from Michigan buried a parent there this summer.  It is a lovely place on the open plains of Illinois. I am glad I took a few minutes and drove out there.

By tonight night we will be in Indiana and probably in the Eastern time zone.  

                    

Sorry we did not post this blog on Thurs pm, but we were too tired!