New Year Ahead

I realize that there have been few readers since I got back from my Transamerica bike trip but I’ll take the rap since I’ve barely written anything since then.  I spent 2019 coaching track for the first time and working the front gate at the Indiana Dunes State Park over the summer.  Then back to my fall cross country gig.  My hope for another bike trip at the end of the cross country season got squashed by two weeks of sickness.  I didn’t realize I was sleep walking through the year until our travel partner for part of the bike trip, Finley, contacted me to see if I wanted to ride part of the Northern Tier route in 2020.  The adrenaline surge was immediate!  It turns out I can’t leave when he is leaving because I’ll be involved in the high school track season until June, but the seed was sown. I’ve decided not to work at the park this summer to free up some time and I’m thinking of following in Finley’s footsteps, so to speak.  The route goes from Indiana to the western North Dakota state line.  Much of the route will be new to me.  I’ve asked Steve about joining me but he hasn’t committed yet.   Actually I haven’t committed yet either.  I’m not big on resolutions but having something out there to work for is exciting.  By the way I bought a Bluetooth keyboard, a tip from Finley, to type out my blog entries just in case I take the next step.  Happy 2020!

Dunes National Park

So one of the consequences of the recent budget agreement is the transition of the Dunes National Lakeshore to the Dunes National Park.  I haven't heard that there will be any substantive changes, aside from changing the signs,  but I'd like to offer some suggestions without any knowledge of whether they're realistic or not!  Here goes:

1. Partner with the county parks department or anyone to fix and maintain the Calumet Trail!  This is a east/west linking trail that allow access to the state park from the Prairie Duneland Trail without resorting to roads!  As is the trail is pathetic!
2. Make the trail between the Cowles Bog parking lot and Waverly Road an official trail!  
3. Find somewhere to add some camping!  The current campground is inadequate.  These could be walk in or canoe camps?!
4. Expand!

That's all I've got off the top of my head.  I'm sure I'll think of more and time goes on.