Walking with the birds beats stuffed shopping any day
Stuffed?
Shopping?
Stuck at work?
Although some of you out-of-your-gourd turkeys will take to the malls today, some stuffed souls will, instead, be toiling away at work.
I can't help you avoid the work part, but, if you want to avoid the crazed, stuffed shoppers, consider taking a hike at Raceway Woods, that fine haven tucked along Route 31 and Huntley Road in Carpentersville.
Sandy Gjermstad of West Dundee just went hiking in Raceway Woods for the first time. "What a treasure!" she said.
She's got that right. It's a peaceful place where you can meander among the trees wrapped around what once was the Meadowdale International Raceway.
It's a great example of preserving open space and history even as we fill what seems all available land with new development. You can enter either off Route 31 just north of Lincoln Avenue or off of Huntley Road west of Spring Hill Mall and east of Sleepy Hollow Road.
Plan for the future
Sandy contacted me because she thinks Carpentersville and other area communities should take a close look at improving existing developed areas and protect our still-open lands. She wrote to add her "two cents" after my recent column in which I'd urged a similar tact along the Longmeadow Parkway corridor.
As Carpentersville vies to make some of that region a retail corridor, I'd said we sure need that new bridge, but I think it's essential to preserve treasures like the Fox River and the natural areas along there. Sandy wants local communities to consider meshing that retail development in existing corridors to protect the natural areas like Raceway and the Brunner farmland which could host Longmeadow.
I've heard from others that there is quite an effort to ensure just that. As I learn more, I'll sure share, OK?
Racing past
You history and car buffs might want to mark your calendars. I see that plans are in full swing for the 50th anniversary celebration of the first race at the Meadowdale International Raceway next Sept. 13-14. See details at meadowdaleraceway.homestead.com.
Shopper alert
Back to shopping for a second -- shoplifters beware. Algonquin police just united with a private firm to go undercover at the Algonquin Commons. The combined effort nabbed seven shoplifters on the first sting and Police Chief Russ Laine says plenty more are planned. Initially aimed at the shoplifting crews that roam from one shopping area to another, this one nabbed "homegrown" high school shoplifters.
Holidays in full swing
Bill Dodds of Isaiah 53 invites us to take a moment from our hectic schedules to enjoy the band at a couple of holiday performances. The Christian band will perform at 9 and 10:30 a.m. services Dec. 9 at Faith Community Church, 10547 Faiths Way, Huntley. They'll also perform a Christmas concert at 7 p.m., Dec. 14 at Fellowship of Faith Lutheran Church, 6120 Mason Hill Road, McHenry.
I sure hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and have a great start to your holiday season, be it with the birds, in the malls or, even, at your desk. See you Sunday!