- Location
- machesney park IL
After gassing up I connected to a dirt two track in a deep forest with mud rather then sand. Was strange to leave the sand behind so quickly.
Soon I arrived at the trailhead for Mosquito falls. Was a huge parking area full of the hiker types. We were very lucky to score the only spot left in the parking lot.
After a long 1.4 mile hike (several other tourists quit half way thru) it was a rather rough rocky rooted natural terrain. We finally arrived at the fall to see the water rushing down the 6ft drop. Felt good to walk out of the truck and get some exercise. Both of us being very out of shape we felt a sense of accomplishment especially knowing that people in way better shape then us turned back.
After some road miles to make up sometime. (We certainly did not want to camp at walmart again) we arrived at the Log slide overlook. Here we discovered this wagon with huge wheels that was used to carry logs. They would strap the logs under the chassis of the wagon to bring them to the slide.
The Log Slide gets its name from lumberjack stories that tell of logs being sent down a dry log chute, at this spot, it would generate enough friction to cause the chute to catch fire. The chute is long gone however the sand dunes remain.
After leaving the sand dunes behind we raced to find a campsite at the Mouth of the Two Hearted. This area was pretty full of city slicker tourist types in crossover SUVs. Was a huge wide sand highway I felt like I was qualifying for Baja pacing over the sand. When we met a cross road, a couple in a Nissan Murano asked me for directions. “ Do you know where Mouth of the Two Hearted is?” Uh its east that way (pointing my hand).”ah thank you”. The race was on, it was my goal to get there before they took my spot lol. I sped off in the direction of camp like a overloaded trophy truck. Then I made a wrong turn... Crap! Whipped a U-turn. Who was following my dust cloud? That Murano I passed them after the U-turn. Regained the road made up a lot of distance opening the throttle. Rolled into camp snatched a permit did a single turn around the campsites. Girlfriend shouted “THERES ONE TAKE IT!!!” We slid in to the last empty site and set up camp. Whew! Set up tent as the Murano rolled past looking for a spot.
If you look at the trees near our camp their was a forest fire that closed this region a few years prior.
More later...
Soon I arrived at the trailhead for Mosquito falls. Was a huge parking area full of the hiker types. We were very lucky to score the only spot left in the parking lot.
After a long 1.4 mile hike (several other tourists quit half way thru) it was a rather rough rocky rooted natural terrain. We finally arrived at the fall to see the water rushing down the 6ft drop. Felt good to walk out of the truck and get some exercise. Both of us being very out of shape we felt a sense of accomplishment especially knowing that people in way better shape then us turned back.
After some road miles to make up sometime. (We certainly did not want to camp at walmart again) we arrived at the Log slide overlook. Here we discovered this wagon with huge wheels that was used to carry logs. They would strap the logs under the chassis of the wagon to bring them to the slide.
The Log Slide gets its name from lumberjack stories that tell of logs being sent down a dry log chute, at this spot, it would generate enough friction to cause the chute to catch fire. The chute is long gone however the sand dunes remain.
After leaving the sand dunes behind we raced to find a campsite at the Mouth of the Two Hearted. This area was pretty full of city slicker tourist types in crossover SUVs. Was a huge wide sand highway I felt like I was qualifying for Baja pacing over the sand. When we met a cross road, a couple in a Nissan Murano asked me for directions. “ Do you know where Mouth of the Two Hearted is?” Uh its east that way (pointing my hand).”ah thank you”. The race was on, it was my goal to get there before they took my spot lol. I sped off in the direction of camp like a overloaded trophy truck. Then I made a wrong turn... Crap! Whipped a U-turn. Who was following my dust cloud? That Murano I passed them after the U-turn. Regained the road made up a lot of distance opening the throttle. Rolled into camp snatched a permit did a single turn around the campsites. Girlfriend shouted “THERES ONE TAKE IT!!!” We slid in to the last empty site and set up camp. Whew! Set up tent as the Murano rolled past looking for a spot.
If you look at the trees near our camp their was a forest fire that closed this region a few years prior.
More later...