My trek ends here, the western head of the Wabash Trail, which meets the Interurban Trail near the Wabash Ave. and MacArthur Blvd. intersection in Springfield, #Illinois, USA. If I were to follow the dedicated bike lanes two more miles to the west, I would meet up with the Sangamon Valley Trail - a 25-mile roundtrip path between Springfield and rural Central, Ill. But after about 30 miles of biking and dinner waiting at home, it's time to call it a night.

Sangamon County, #Illinois and #Springfield leaders have been inspired by nearby efforts to convert old #rail lines into #pedestrian and #bike paths. Our neighbors in nearby Madison County have built up a significant bike path network along the #Mississippi River, and the Rail to Trails movement makes #grants available for similar #infrastructure projects.

One of the neatest parts of the Interurban Trail: It's directly adjacent to an active rail line that shuttles brings freight and @amtrak #TrainTravel passengers between #Chicago, #STL, #LittleRock, #Austin, #SanAntonio, #Tuscon #Yuma and #LosAngeles. The southbound #TexasEagle went by this evening, as did this northbound @unionpacific freight #train.