Greetings from N. Illinois!

[Jeanine]

Born and raised in Chicago, I now reside about 34 miles west of the city. I've always been an outdoors person and have hiked in a couple of countries outside the US (China, Switzerland, Canada, Bonaire, and Mexico). These days, I'm mostly a day hiker. I have an affinity for the Shawnee National Forest because I discovered it during COVID and I think it saved my sanity. Have met some great people there and amazingly, the area is really dog friendly (we keep our guy on his leash - but he loves to swim and people at the swimming holes in the Shawnee always seem to welcome him in to play with them). I try to get to the Shawnee a few times a year, we have a trip planned for next month. My bestest hiking buddy is my dog Magellan, but my husband runs a close second. We are fortunate to live off the Prairie Path so I have quick access to several forest preserves and James Pate State Park. Here is a family photo of us at our "first" stop of every trip to the Shawnee - just can't miss sunset there. And yes, the husband and our boy Magellan are in the photo. LOL I'm the fam photog so most of our family portraits look like this. The husband and I will be hiking Denali this summer. Very much looking forward to that. Thanks for letting me join the forum!

 

[Shawn]

Welcome to The Hiking Forum

Very glad to have you here!

 

[Driftwoody]

Born and raised in Chicago, I now reside about 34 miles west of the city. I've always been an outdoors person and have hiked in a couple of countries outside the US (China, Switzerland, Canada, Bonaire, and Mexico). These days, I'm mostly a day hiker. I have an affinity for the Shawnee National Forest because I discovered it during COVID and I think it saved my sanity. Have met some great people there and amazingly, the area is really dog friendly (we keep our guy on his leash - but he loves to swim and people at the swimming holes in the Shawnee always seem to welcome him in to play with them). I try to get to the Shawnee a few times a year, we have a trip planned for next month. My bestest hiking buddy is my dog Magellan, but my husband runs a close second. We are fortunate to live off the Prairie Path so I have quick access to several forest preserves and James Pate State Park. Here is a family photo of us at our "first" stop of every trip to the Shawnee - just can't miss sunset there. And yes, the husband and our boy Magellan are in the photo. LOL I'm the fam photog so most of our family portraits look like this. The husband and I will be hiking Denali this summer. Very much looking forward to that. Thanks for letting me join the forum!
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Hi Jeanine, I'm also from northern Illinois, and frequently hike in Shawnee. I'll be glad to share some of my favorite places there, though the "Hiking with Shawn" guy is probably the best source around. He looks an awful lot like the administer of this forum.

 

[Shawn]

Hi Jeanine, I'm also from northern Illinois, and frequently hike in Shawnee. I'll be glad to share some of my favorite places there, though the "Hiking with Shawn" guy is probably the best source around. He looks an awful lot like the administer of this forum.

Thank you so much for your kind words about me