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There are
many good resources for GIT trail maps.
I went to the
local chamber of commerce to get Maps that the state of Illinois provides, but each map was huge and offered too much detail.
To top it off, one of the key parts of the trail was on a map that was not available.
The idea of using these maps to navigate was worrisome. A lot to carry and a
lot to get wet.
ACCURATE
DETAILED "Cue Sheets"
http://www.Bikelib.org has the best
maps and "cue sheets" that I found for the Grand Illinois Trail. They
have turn by turn directions. I had a false start on the beginning of my
trip and backtracked two miles to make sure I took these maps with me. At
the time I thought I was being over cautious, but in the end, the trip would
have been miserable without them. As I used the printed copies, I used the
back side of the pages for my trip notes.
A
Second Source for Maps and Cue Sheets
Openlands.org has another set of maps. This was the first set that I found.
I printed them with the map on one side and the directions on the
other, I laminated 4”x6” cheat cards that I could attach to my improvised
mount. The idea was I could use them in the rain and did not need to get a
plastic map holder. When taking pictures of the bike, they look really cool,
but they are not very useful. I was traveling in a clockwise direction for
this trip, and these directions travel counterclockwise. The maps do not
have the detail you need when you are going through the metropolitan areas. They're pretty though...
***COMING SOON*** (Summer 2008)
Beyond the accomplishment of completing the Grand Illinois Trail rugged, is
just completing the GIT at all! Why not add a little comfort? A key source
of aggravation/anxiety is getting off track and having to find your way back
again. If you get way off track you could end up spending all day catching
up. Here's a hint: don't follow the Hennepin trail eastbound under a harvest
moon, you might find yourself at the top of the feeder canal instead of
Bureau Junction. Hey... that could happen! Anyway... if you have a GPS and a
solar battery charger or some other method of charging batteries, you might
consider a handheld GPS. We will be featuring the entire Grand Illinois
Trail in your choice of GPS format. Load the maps into your GPS, ride, have
fun, follow the dotted blue line. Easy. Bookmark this page for future
developments.
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