Get some exercise, enjoy nature during Prairie Pedal
Riders who take the Prairie Pedal Sunday not only will explore nature as they ride their bicycles but also as they rest to learn about animals or taking an adventure with soil.
The Prairie Pedal is a family-oriented bike ride and festival organized by the Liberty Prairie Conservancy since 1996.
Steve Barg, the conservancy's executive director, said the pedal is a chance to enjoy the open spaces that the conservancy and many others work to preserve.
"Everyone is anxious to get out and celebrate the open spaces that make life so attractive living here," he said.
Registration will begin at 8 a.m. and go to 11 a.m. at Lake Forest Hospital Acute Care Center on Route 120 west of Route 45 in Grayslake.
Participants choose from four routes -- 4, 9, 12 and 25 miles -- all of which run through the Prairie Crossing conservation community and the regional trail system of Libertyville Township.
The 25-mile route also will take riders through downtown Grayslake and the Rollins Savanna Forest Preserve.
Barg said this also is a bicycle ride with a purpose. That is to help people understand the varieties of animals that also call these habitats home.
"They can see how important these places are not just for recreation but the wildlife that shares these places with us," he said.
At one rest stop along the routes, Linda Breuer, a raptor rehabilitator, will display live hawks and owls and share information about their habits and habitat needs.
At the Almond Marsh Forest Preserve, riders will get to use optical equipment to view great blue herons and other birds that use the rookery along Route 120 for nesting.
When riders reach the finish line at the Byron Colby Barn, they can see two first-time education activities at the Prairie Pedal.
The first is the Soil Adventure Mobile of the Field Museum. The Soil Adventure Mobile uses scientific displays and hands-on activities to reveal the diversity of life underground and the important role that soil plays in our lives.
The Prairie Crossing Charter School, one of Prairie Pedal's sponsors, also will feature education activities, including a movie on water conservation made by students.
Riders will have the chance to interact with a variety of reptiles courtesy of the Lake Forest Wildlife Discovery Center.
Visit the Liberty Prairie Conservancy's Web site at www.libertyprairie.org for details and to register or call (847) 548-5989, ext. 33. People also can register the day of the event.
The cost to join is $25 for adults and $15 for children ages 6 to 17. The event is free for children under age 6.
Each year, the Prairie Pedal raises $10,000 to $20,000 for the Liberty Prairie Conservancy. The nonprofit organization preserves wildlife habitat, farmland and other open space throughout Lake County.