Exploring the World with Pokémon Go: Des Plaines River Trail 5
I didn’t waste any time and went right back to exploring the world. This time I checked out Des Plaines River Trail 5, or the fifth part of my adventure that featured just the trail alone. This segment alongside the last one are among the most nostalgic places in my childhood. I ran cross country down this segment of the trail during high school. And my dad and I made use of this section of the trail when we would train for half marathons together. It would be an understatement to mention that this trail, especially this section of it is one of the main reasons I enjoy going on hikes.
Anyway, let’s take a look at Des Plaines River Trail 5 outside of the lens of nostalgia. What did adult me find here? Well keep reading to find out.
Mile Marker 10
Mile Marker 10 marked the segment of Des Plaines River Trail 5 that passes right by my high school. You don’t really see much of the campus from the trail which makes really good sense, but just know that its there. I talked a little about the sport fields in a prior blog post where I checked out a nearby park sitting at this same mile marker.
Anyway, the trail travels through a forest preserve that looks like it goes far away in both directions, but not really. The trees are limited to around the river that the trail shares its name with. Its honestly really cool because setting up things this way creates the illusion of being out in the wilderness. Meanwhile if you listen closely you can still hear the outside world. I know that some people might not like this at all, but I’m a fan.
There is no point where you are far from civilization on this trail. And yet, you can still get a glimpse of what this part of Illinois once looked like before Chicago and the suburbs surrounding it were built. This is a perfect place to get into nature without having to spend an incredible amount on gas to experience it.
Mile Marker 10.5
The next segment of Des Plaines River Trail 5 took me beyond Mile Marker 10.5. Yes you read that right. The mile markers on this segment of the trail were just as unpredictable as the other parts. You will see what I mean in the below sections. Anyway let’s move past that for a moment as this is another nostalgic area of the trail.
The area leading up to the bridge is the part of the trail I made use of the most growing up. Cross Country practice and all that took me on this section several times a week. And compound that with several years and I almost remembered all the twists and turns even as I visited this place almost 20 years later. Wow I feel old.
Still, for many of you, these images are all new. And being around an old haunt is rarely a bad thing. I don’t have negative associations with the trail. Its been a high priority on my bucket list to hike the entire thing and mile by mile I’m making my way to that end goal.
Mile Marker 11
I took a lot of pictures beyond Mile Marker 11 on Des Plaines River Trail 5. And there was a lot to see. Illinois looks a lot different from Florida. And perhaps its because I grew tired of all the swamp land after the many adventures I went on down there, but this place feels different and more diverse.
Perhaps its a side effect of an effort to carve out this little corridor of forest preserve that follows the river south towards Chicago. Being able to see signs of civilization from time to time and how those who protect this area work in tandem creates a unique place. And with benches dotting the trail, there are plenty of moments where one is able to sit down and rest. Away from busy lives, one can get a moment or several moments of peace.
Meanwhile, Interstate 94 which this section of the trail passes under, is the opposite of peaceful. Its one of the longest non coast to coast expressways in the United States and is filled with frantic drivers eager to get to their destination as fast as possible just like any Interstate should be used for. But its a stark contrast to the trail as it passes below the road.
Mile Marker 11.75
Another section of Des Plaines River Trail 5 where the Mile Markers were not consistent was here. And the mostly constant tree cover vanished as well exposing me to the sun. Though I did get some lovely views of marshland too. A lot of people that live in Illinois either don’t know or forget that it once was a giant marsh. Not a tropical one like Florida, but there is enough rain that falls to sustain wetlands like the ones that the river flows through.
While the sun had its time to shine, there was plenty of cloud cover in the sky that protected me partially burned neck from it. And even then, this sunlight is no where near as intense as the rays I had to contend with in Florida. I imagine that things will cool off a bit over the next few weeks allowing me even more chances to be out and about.
Mile Marker 12
For whatever reason, I took very few pictures around Mile Marker 12 on Des Plaines River Trail 5. Partially its due to the next mile marker being so close, but I think the main reason was wondering if I would be able to make it past the next segment. I was coming up to a low bridge where the trail gets very close to the river. And I was noticing that the water level was fairly high. Passed some bathrooms on the way. Didn’t need to use them, but it was nice that they were there.
Mile Marker 12.25
Past the bathroom and through the woods, to a flooded underpass I went. That marked the end of my adventure on Des Plaines River Trail 5. I made it a little beyond Mile Marker 12.25 before I had no choice but to turn around. A shame because I knew it in my muscles that I could keep going. But that just means another adventure is on the horizon.
I found some trees on this part of the walk that had been cut in unusual ways. Naturally I got pictures of that. I also loved how the reflection off the water in the flooded section shows the sky. The water wasn’t very deep so I was surprised that the reflection came out so clear. Hopefully the flooding will go away soon, but if not, I’ll simply start on the other side of that bridge for my next adventure.
It was nostalgic walking a segment of the trail that I have hiked so many times in my youth. But soon I’ll be bidding goodbye to that nostalgia. Because I have never explored too far beyond where I stopped today. Within a few mile markers of here, I’ll be exploring completely new ground.
Pokémon Go
Now that I have talked about my hike and how it felt exploring Des Plaines River Trail as an adult while reflecting on my childhood, let’s move on to how Pokémon Go was on this section of the trail. I’ll admit I was a bit disappointed compared to earlier sections. The spawns were only plentiful on the southern half of this hike. The northern half while having more Pokestops and even a few routes between them was almost void of Pokémon to catch. Its a weird dynamic for sure.
Still, compared to some other trails I have hiked, this was still a good spot to play. Just come stocked with Pokeballs because there are very few Pokestops once you get away from the high school.
I walked a whole lot and hatched tons of eggs as a result. Nothing spectacular but every dud is one closer to a good one. And I shouldn’t complain since my last several hatches had some good ones. Stardust is stardust and hatching eggs is a reliable way to get plenty of it.
I didn’t look towards the sun this time and so didn’t look like I was miserable. Now that I have walked the path of the this trail that meant so much to me as a kid and teen, I can look forward to uncharted territory as I explore what lies beyond where I practiced for races growing up. This trail goes all the way towards Chicago and so I have tons of ground to cover and an incredible number of places to see.