McHenry County Conservation Foundation
2008 Pedal-Paddle through the Prairie

6th Annual Event to protect, preserve and enhance our
county's precious natural resources

Sunday, Sept. 21, 2008
10, 25 or 50K bicycle ride or 2 hr. paddle (6 mile)
ENTRY FORM      Release Form

Now there are two ways to enjoy the great outdoors during this annual fundraising event!

Whether by bike or by boat, you'll enjoy fresh air and exercise, make new friends and help support the McHenry County Conservation District!

Pedal

10, 25 or 50K bicycle ride

Enjoy a scenic bike ride through the countryside. SAG and rest stops provided along the way. New 25K route includes new Nippersink North Branch Trail.

Registration is 9:30-10:30 a.m. at Glacial Park

Paddle (new!)

6-mile paddle down the scenic Nippersink Creek

Bring your canoe or kayak, we'll provide shuttle service and support, or canoe rentals are also available from Tip-A-Canoe at a special discounted rate of $40/canoe. Please note, rentals are available for preregistered paddlers only and are limited to 30 on first-come basis.

Registration is 7:30-9 a.m. (see below for check-in information)

Paddle Check-in Information:

Please check-in at the Keystone Landing between 7:30-9:00am on the morning of September 21 st. The entrance is located on Keystone Road immediately north of the intersection of Barnard Mill Road (map). Someone from the Foundation will be present to help you register and to assist with any questions you may have about the day's activities. At Keystone Landing you will unload your canoe or kayak and the equipment you will need (paddles, personal safety device: life jacket, and bottled water). Someone from your group will then drive your vehicle to Pioneer Landing. Once you reach Pioneer Landing, there will be a shuttle service to return the driver back to Keystone Landing. This itinerary will allow you to paddle the creek at your own pace: your vehicle will be available at the end of your trip.

For those renting, canoes and equipment (lifejackets, paddles) will be available at Keystone Landing.  Please select a canoe and load your equipment. Someone from your group will then drive your vehicle to Pioneer Landing so it will be available when you complete your trip.  A shuttle provided by MCCD will bring you back to Keystone Landing to begin your adventure.  Once you reach Pioneer Landing, the rental canoe can simply be left for Tip-a-Canoe rental to transport. 

Or Both!

Feeling energetic? Do both activities for the price of one, just make sure you're back before lunch is over – you won't want to miss it!

About MCCF

The McHenry County Conservation Foundation is a non-profit organization that promotes and supports the goals and objectives of the McHenry County Conservation District and its conservation efforts. MCCF strives to protect, preserve, and enhance our county's precious natural resources: prairies, woodlands, meadows, rivers, wetlands, and streams. Our annual Pedal-Paddle Through the Prairie helps raise funds to support conservation in McHenry County.

MCCF Members receive a discounted registration fee! You can help MCCF make a difference today and forever! Please join us!

About Glacial Park

McHenry County Conservation District's Glacial Park expands to over 3,300 acres featuring rolling prairie, wetlands, delta kames, the Kettle Bog, Lost Valley Marsh, and Nippersink Creek. Four hundred acres are designated as Illinois state nature preserves within the central core, providing critical habitat for 18 species of state endangered and threatened plants and birds, including sandhill cranes and Blanding's turtles. In addition to the re-meandering of Nippersink Creek, district staff and dedicated volunteers have restored hundreds of acres of native savanna, grassland, and wetland communities by removing invasive plant species, conducting prescription burns, and recreating wetlands.

"Glacial Park takes us outside our everyday experience and transports us in time to a land on the eve of settlement, with all of its possibilities stretched out before us in waving prairie grasses and wetlands alive with the call of migratory waterfowl."
-- Ed Collins, Restoration Ecologist

Event Details

Support

We'll have folks patrolling bike routes to provide assistance, plus there'll be rest stops with snacks and beverages. Detailed maps, snack pack for paddlers, and a required waiver form will be provided at registration.

Safety

All riders must wear helmets and obey IL traffic laws. Paddlers must have a PFD for each occupant in the boat (PFDs are included with canoe rentals). Sunscreen's probably not a bad idea either!

Registration Info

Preregister by August 19 2008 and get a free T-shirt!
$22 Individual non-members; $12 for MCCF members
$40 Family non-members; $30 for MCCF members; (add $4 per rider if more than four in family)

Day of Ride:
$5 additional (T-shirt $12 extra if available)

Not a member? Take advantage of this special membership offer — for only $42 (a $52 value!) for an individual or $80 (a $90 value!) for a family you can participate in the Pedal-Paddle through the Prairie and get a year-long membership to McHenry County Conservation Foundation.

Each registration includes Pasta Feast and entertainment.

Registration Times

Paddlers:
Sign in between 7:30-9 a.m., at Keystone Landing. Shuttles will transport back from the end point (Pioneer Landing) on the half hour. The paddle will take about three hours, so plan on being on the water (put in) before 9:30.

Pedalers:
Sign in anytime between 9:30-10:30 a.m. All three bike routes begin and end at Glacial Park .

Please note: Registration will only be open at these times so volunteers can move on to other areas to help ensure an enjoyable time for you.

Lunch:

Our famous pasta feast is served 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Wiedrich Education Center .

Enjoy delicious homemade mostacolli, tossed salad, and fresh bread plus refreshing lemon ice for dessert! We'll also have live entertainment during lunch.

Directions

Glacial Park: Take Route 31 north of McHenry. Make a left onto Harts Road and travel .6 miles to the Glacial Park entrance. Parking is available at the Wiedrich Education Center.

Get Driving Directions

Information

• Entries must be postmarked by August 19th to receive a free T-shirt!!!.
• Registrations will also be available the day of the ride for an additional fee of $5.00.
• Pasta Feast Included
• MCCF members entry fees are discounted. Join today and save! See above for special offer.

Call: (815) 759-9390
E-Mail: MCCFpedal@yahoo.com

State Representative
Mike Tryon