Century Hikers Club

While browsing the Internet for ideas for my list of Things to do in McHenry County, I happened upon the Century Hikers Club on the McHenry County Conservation District site.

I’m not a joiner by nature, but when I saw I’d get my name engraved on a plaque if I walked 1,000 miles, I decided to go for it. It cost $10 to register. All of the miles have to be walked in MCCD preserves, six of which are within easy walking distance of my house. I’d probably already walked more than 1,000 miles within on MCCD property, but I only counted from the day I registered. There were four Mile Marker Awards:

100 miles — T-shirt
250 miles — Patch
500 miles — Pin
1,000 miles — my name on this plaque

The woman who registered me told me about Canita, a dog that walked all the miles with its owner. She didn’t explain why Canita shows up with two different people — did the dog walk 2,000 miles? She also didn’t explain why it’s called the “Century” club when the goal is to walk 1,000 miles, and I’m not sure why it’s a “society.”

I started immediately. Here’s the view when I’d accomplished my first mile, looking back toward the building where I registered. (The trail wound around a lot.)

Silver Creek - May 8, 2009

I walked 5.9 miles on the first day. It took me a little more than two years to accomplish, with some stretches when I did very little or nothing at all (I don’t remember why). It wasn’t a requirement, but I made it part of my goal to walk at least once at each MCCD preserve or trail.

In December, 2011, I found this in the Silver Creek visitor center.

May 8, 2009 — Silver Creek — 5.9 miles (5.9 total)
May 12, 2009 — Hickory Grove/Lyon’s Prairie — 5.2 miles (11.1 total)
May 14, 2009 — The Hollows — 4.4 miles (15.5 total)
May 19, 2009 — Hickory Grove/Lyon’s Prairie — 6.4 miles (21.9 total)
May 21, 2009 — Hickory Grove — 1 mile (22.9 total)
May 23, 2009 — Prairie Trail — 17.5 miles (40.4 total)
May 29, 2009 — Hickory Grove/Lyon’s Prairie — 4.7 miles (45.1 total)
May 31, 2009 — Hickory Grove — 2.5 miles (47.6 total)
June 3, 2009 — Hickory Grove/Lyon’s Prairie — 4.0 miles (51.6 total)
June 8, 2009 — Fel-Pro — 3.0 miles (54.6 total)
June 15, 2009 — Silver Creek — 6.6 miles (61.2 total)
June 24, 2009 — Hickory Grove — 3.5 miles (64.7 total)
June 29, 2009 — Glacial Park — 2.0 miles (66.7 total)
July 12, 2009 — Fel-Pro — 3.0 miles (69.7 total)
July 15, 2009 — Fel-Pro — 3.0 miles (72.7 total)
July 16, 2009 — Hickory Grove — 1.5 miles (74.2 total)
July 18, 2009 — Hickory Grove/Lyon’s Prairie — 7.1 miles (81.5 total)
July 26, 2009 — Silver Creek — 6.7 miles (88.2 total)
August 23, 2009 — Silver Creek — 6.2 miles (94.4 total)
August 31, 2009 — Stickney run — 2.2 miles; Silver Creek — 2.3 miles (98.9 total)
September 1, 2009 — Hickory Grove — 2.7 miles (101.6 total)
October 13, 2009 — Hickory Grove — 2 miles (103.6 total)
October 19, 2009 — Silver Creek — 5.3 miles (108.9 total)
November 7, 2009 — Brookdale — 2 miles; Beck’s Woods — 1 mile; Rush Creek — 3 miles (114.9 total)
November 14, 2009 — Glacial Park — 5.1 miles (120 total)
November 21, 2009 — Fel-Pro — 1.5 miles (121.5 total)
April 2, 2010 — Silver Creek — 5.3 miles (132.6 total)
April 3, 2010 — Hickory Grove/Lyon’s Prairie — 5 miles (137.6 total)
April 5, 2010 — Hickory Grove — 2.2 miles (139.8 total)
April 10, 2010 — Hickory Grove/Lyon’s Prairie — 5.5 miles (145.3 total)
April 12, 2010 — Hickory Grove — 3 miles (148.3 total)
April 19, 2010 — Fel-Pro — 4.8 miles (153.1 total)
April 21, 2010 — Fel-Pro — 5 miles (158.1 total)
April 23, 2010 — Hickory Grove — 3 miles (161.1 total)
April 26, 2010 — Hickory Grove — 4.5 miles (165.6 total)
May 2, 2010 — Fel-Pro — 5 miles (170.6 total)
May 11, 2010 — Fel-Pro — 5 miles (175.6 total)
May 16, 2010 — Fel-Pro — 4 miles (179.6 total)
May 17, 2010 — Fel-Pro — 4 miles (183.6 total)
May 18, 2010 — Hickory Grove — 2.2 miles (185.8 total)
May 22, 2010 — Fel-Pro — 4.5 miles (190.3 total)
May 28, 2010 — Fel-Pro — 5 miles (195.3 total)
May 31, 2010 — Fel-Pro — 4.3 miles (199.6 total)
July 15, 2010 — Fel-Pro — 6.3 miles (205.9 total)
July 19, 2010 — Fel-Pro — 5 miles (210.9 total)
July 21, 2010 — Hickory Grove — 5.1 miles (216 total)
July 25, 2010 — Fel-Pro — 5 miles (221 total)
July 26, 2010 — Fel-Pro — 5.5 miles (226.5 total)
August 1, 2010 — Fel-Pro — 5.4 miles (231.9 total)
August 9, 2010 — Prairie Path — 5.9 miles (236.8 total)
August 12, 2010 — Prairie Path — 5.9 miles (242.7 total)
August 16, 2010 — Prairie Path — 5.9 miles (248.6 total)
August 19, 2010 — Prairie Path — 7 miles (255.6 total)
August 23, 2010 — Prairie Path — 5.5 miles (261.1 total)
August 27, 2010 — Fel-Pro — 5 miles (266.1 total)
August 30, 2010 — Prairie Path — 7 miles (273.1 total)
September 2, 2010 — Prairie Path — 7.3 miles (280.4 total)
September 6, 2010 — Hickory Grove — 3.5 miles (283.9 total)
September 8, 2010 — Fel-Pro — 5 miles (288.9 total)
September 11, 2010 — Prairie Path/North Branch/Hebron Trail — 18.3 miles (307.2 total)
September 15, 2010 — Fel-Pro — 5.3 miles (312.5 total)
September 17, 2010 — Hickory Grove/Lyon’s Prairie — 5.5 miles (318 total)
September 19, 2010 — Fel-Pro — 5.1 miles (323.1 total)
September 20, 2010 — Fel-Pro — 5.1 miles (328.2 total)
September 22, 2010 — Fel-Pro — 5.5 miles (333.7 total)
September 25, 2010 — Silver Creek — 6 miles (339.7 total)
September 28, 2010 — Hickory Grove/Lyon’s Prairie — 5.7 miles (345.4 total)
October 8, 2010 — Hickory Grove/Lyon’s Prairie — 7.7 miles (353.1 total)
October 10, 2010 — Fel-Pro — 4.5 miles (357.6 total)
October 15, 2010 — Fel-Pro — 6.1 miles (363.7 total)
October 16, 2010 — Hickory Grove/Lyon’s Prairie — 6.5 miles (370.2 total)
October 19, 2010 — Fel-Pro — 5.5 miles (375.7 total)
October 21, 2010 — Fel-Pro — 5.6 miles (381.3 total)
October 22, 2010 — Hickory Grove/Lyon’s Prairie — 6.6 miles (387.9 total)
October 25, 2010 — Fel-Pro — 6.1 miles (394 total)
October 27, 2010 — Fel-Pro — 5.6 miles (399.6 total)
October 29, 2010 — Hickory Grove/Lyon’s Prairie — 6.5 miles (406.1 total)
October 30, 2010 — Fel-Pro — 5.5 miles (411.6 total)
November 1, 2010 — Fel-Pro — 5.6 miles (417.2 total)
November 2, 2010 — Fel-Pro — 5.4 miles (422.6 total)
November 5, 2010 — Boger Bog — 1 mile (423.6 total)
November 5, 2010 — Harrison Benwell — 2 miles (425.6 total)
November 5, 2010 — Elizabeth Lake — 2.1 miles (427.7 total)
November 6, 2010 — Fel-Pro — 5 miles (432.7 total)
November 8, 2010 — Fel-Pro — 5.7 miles (438.4 total)
November 10, 2010 — Prairie Path — 11 miles (449.4 total)
November 11, 2010 — Fel-Pro — 5.1 miles (454.5 total)
November 14, 2010 — Fel-Pro — 5.4 miles (459.9 total)
November 15, 2010 — Fel-Pro — 5.5 miles (465.4 total)
November 18, 2010 — Hickory Grove/Lyon’s Prairie — 6.5 miles (471.9 total)
November 20, 2010 — H.U.M. Trail — 7.5 miles (479.4 total)
November 20, 2010 — Ridgefield Trace — 4 miles (483.4 total)
November 22, 2010 — Fel-Pro — 6.3 miles (489.7 total)
November 23, 2010 — Hickory Grove/Lyon’s Prairie — 6.5 miles (496.2 total)
November 26, 2010 — Fel-Pro — 4.2 miles (500.4 total)
November 27, 2010 — Fel-Pro — 3.4 miles (503.8 total)
December 1, 2010 — Fel-Pro — 4.5 miles (508.3 total)
December 3, 2010 — Hickory Grove/Lyon’s Prairie — 6.5 miles (514.8 total)
December 6, 2010 — Fel-Pro — 4.2 miles (519 total)
December 10, 2010 — Hickory Grove — 6.2 miles (525.2 total)
December 13, 2010 — Hickory Grove — 1.4 miles (526.6 total)
December 15, 2010 — Hickory Grove — 1.5 miles (528.1 total)
December 18, 2010 — Silver Creek — 6 miles (534.1 total)
December 20, 2010 — Fel-Pro — 3.4 miles (537.5 total)
December 31, 2010 — Fel-Pro — 5 miles (542.5 total)
January 2, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 6.5 miles (549 total)
January 5, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 2 miles (551 total)
January 7, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 5.2 miles (556.2 total)
January 9, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 3 miles (559.2 total)
February 19, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 5.2 miles (564.4 total)
March 3, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 5.2 miles (569.6 total)
March 4, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 3 miles (572.6 total)
March 6, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 5.1 miles (577.7 total)
March 8, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 5 miles (582.7 total)
March 11, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 5.3 miles (588 total)
March 12, 2011 — Hickory Grove/Lyon’s Prairie — 6.5 miles (594.5 total)
March 15, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 5.5 miles (600 total)
March 18, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 5.5 miles (605.5 total)
March 26, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 3 miles (608.5 total)
March 28, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 5.5 miles (614 total)
March 30, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 5.5 miles (619.5 total)
April 1, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 5.5 miles (625 total)
April 2, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 3.1 miles (628.1 total)
April 4, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 5.5 miles (633.6 total)
April 5, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 5.5 miles (639.1 total)
April 8, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 5.5 miles (644.6 total)
April 9, 2011 — Marengo Ridge — 4.5 miles (649.1 total)
April 9, 2011 — Coral Woods — 2.8 miles (651.9 total)
April 11, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 6.1 miles (658 total)
April 13, 2011 — Hickory Grove/Lyon’s Prairie — 6.5 miles (664.5 total)
April 14, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 3.1 miles (667.6 total)
April 16, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 5.2 miles (672.8 total)
April 17, 2011 — Hickory Grove/Lyon’s Prairie — 6.5 miles (679.3 total)
April 20, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 5.5 miles (684.8 total)
April 22, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 5.5 miles (690.3 total)
April 24, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 4.2 miles (694.5 total)
April 27, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 5.5 miles (700 total)
April 29, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 3.1 miles (703.1 total)
April 30, 2011 — Hickory Grove/Lyon’s Prairie — 6.5 miles (709.6 total)
May 2, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 6 miles (715.6 total)
May 3, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 5.5 miles (721.1 total)
May 5, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 4 miles (725.1 total)
May 7, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 6.1 miles (731.2 total)
May 9, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 6.1 miles (737.3 total)
May 10, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 3.1 miles (740.4 total)
May 14, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 5 miles (745.4 total)
May 16, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 6.1 miles (751.5 total)
May 18, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 3.3 miles (754.8 total)
May 19, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 6.1 miles (760.9 total)
May 21, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 6.1 miles (767 total)
May 23, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 6 miles (773 total)
June 6, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 5.5 miles (778.5 total)
June 8, 2011 — Hickory Grove/Lyon’s Prairie — 6.5 miles (785 total)
June 10, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 5.5 miles (790.5 total)
June 11, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 3.2 miles (793.7 total)
June 13, 2011 — Pleasant Valley — 6.5 miles (800.2 total)
June 14, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 5.5 miles (805.7 total)
June 17, 2011 — Exner Marsh — 3.9 miles (809.6 total)
June 17, 2011 — Prairie Trail — 8.8 miles (818.4 total)
June 18, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 5.5 miles (823.9 total)
June 20, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 4.1 miles (828 total)
June 22, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 5.5 miles (833.5 total)
June 24, 2011 — Fox Bluff — 3.2 miles (836.7 total)
June 24, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 3.3 miles (840 total)
June 26, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 6.1 miles (846.1 total)
June 27, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 3.3 miles (849.4 total)
June 29, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 6.1 miles (855.5 total)
July 1, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 6.1 miles (861.6 total)
July 2, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 5.5 miles (867.1 total)
July 6, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 5.5 miles (872.6 total)
July 7, 2011 — Hickory Grove/Lyon’s Prairie — 6.5 miles (879.1 total)
July 8, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 6.1 miles (885.2 total)
July 11, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 6.1 miles (891.3 total)
July 13, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 8.7 miles (900 total)
July 14, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 6 miles (906 total)
July 15, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 3.1 miles (909.1 total)
July 16, 2011 — Hickory Grove/Lyon’s Prairie — 7.2 miles (916.3 total)
July 17, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 6.2 miles (922.5 total)
July 20, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 4 miles (926.5 total)
July 22, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 6.1 miles (932.6 total)
July 23, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 5.5 miles (938.1 total)
July 24, 2011 — Prairie Path — 12.6 miles (950.7 total)
July 26, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 6.3 miles (957 total)
July 29, 2011 — Fel-Pro — 6.1 miles (963.1 total)
August 6, 2011 — Prairie Path — 6.2 miles (969.3 total)
August 7, 2011 — Prairie Path — 6.2 miles (975.5 total)
August 10, 2011 — Prairie Path — 7.5 miles (983 total)
August 12, 2011 — Glacial Park — 8 miles (991 total)
August 12, 2011 — Prairie Path — 9 miles (1,000 total)

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