Ramble the Rock

Summer Memories: Rock River, Picnicking Paradise

admin — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Nothing beats a picnic with family or friends on a summer day in a naturally beautiful setting like along the banks of the Rock River. Rock River is one of Illinois largest and most beautiful natural features. It spans five counties and runs the length of approximately 285 miles to join with the Mississippi River at Rock Island, Illinois.

You can find a place to picnic or just take in the view of Rock River at various locations in Northwestern Illinois like; Byron, Dixon, Grand Detour, Loves Park, Lyndon, Machesney Park, Oregon, Prophetstown, Rock Falls, Rockford, Rockton, Roscoe, South Beloit, and Sterling.

Castle Rock State Park provides one of the most spectacular views of the river from high atop a sandstone bluff. The park has three picnic areas which offer shelters, tables, grills, drinking water, toilets and a children’s playground to make your picnic experience complete.

Lowden State Park in Ogle County also offers some beautiful views of the Rock River. The Rock River winds for 34 miles through this large state park that offers canoeing, kayaking, fishing, hiking trails and areas for picnicking.

Northwestern Illinois is a picnicker’s paradise, with the natural wonder and peace of dining by the Rock River.

A Destination For The Fishing Enthusiast

admin — Sat, 21 May 2011 00:00:00 +0000

The Rock River is a tributary of the great Mississippi River that flows through Northwestern Illinois and Southwestern Wisconsin, and is widely known as a great destination for the fishing enthusiast.

The Rock River flows through 18 Northwestern Illinois towns: the towns are South Beloit, Illinois; Rockton, Illinois; Roscoe, Illinois; Machesney Park, Illinois; Loves Park, Illinois; Rockford, Illinois; Byron, Illinois; Oregon, Illinois; Grand Detour, Illinois; Dixon, Illinois; Sterling, Illinois; Rock Falls, Illinois; Lyndon, Illinois; Prophetstown, Illinois; Coal Valley, Illinois; Milan, Illinois; Moline, Illinois; and Rock Island, Illinois

Avid fishermen visit any one of these 18 towns to fish the Rock River from shore or from boat. A famous boat landing is situated in the town of Dixon, Illinois, now known as “Dutch Landing.” Political history buffs will know that Ronald Reagan once worked in Dixon as a lifeguard, and his favorite location to fish from was this same spot. Reagan’s nickname was “Dutch” and so the landing was named accordingly.

There are a great number of fish that dwell in the Rock River. Among some of the notable are the white bass, flathead catfish, northern pike, walleye, and bluegill. Grab all of your fishing equipment and head on over to the Rock River for your next fishing trip.

Historic Rock River For The History Buff

admin — Sun, 08 May 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Rock River begins west of West Bend, Wisconsin and runs south to Illinois and then southwest toward the Mississippi River. The river passes through Waterown, WI, Janesville, WI, Rockford IL, Sterling/Rock Falls, IL and finally through Rock Island, IL where the Rock River meets the Mississippi River. Rock River is about 285 miles long.

Originally, those who settled in the area saw Rock River as a method of transportation, but the railroad came into place. The river supplied the power to the mills that were originally in the area. The City of Rock Falls gets is power today from the hydroelectric dam and the river supplies some cooling capabilities to the industry.

Ronald Reagan was once a lifeguard on the Rock River in Dixon. His favorite fishing hole is named “Dutch Landing” and is located southwest of Lowell Park on the Rock River; Reagan’s nickname was “Dutch.”

Rock River is mostly used for pleasure and recreation. Many people fish for catfish in this river because the area is known for having great channel catfish. Flathead catfish weighing 45-50 pounds are known to be found in Rock River. The river is also well supplied with sauger, small-mouth bass, walleye, white bass, drum and bluegill. Besides fishing, many people enjoy boating, water skiing, jet skiing and paddling.

The Rock River in Illinois Twists and Turns Through Various Places

admin — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Many of the folks who live in Illinois, including some who live the along Rock River are Adt customers with home security systems, and they are confident that they can, safely, leave their homes to explore the river’s treasures. Tourists from all over the world are also part of this exploration. Even though the Rock River begins in West Bend, Wisconsin, it moves to the southwest and into Illinois. Some of these areas are Rockford, Sterling, Rock Falls and Rock Island. It eventually meets and flows into the Mississippi River. At first, the river was used as the main means of transportation, and it functioned in this capacity until the railroad made its presence. Later, it was used to provide power from its hydroelectric dam.

As time moved on, the Rock River areas became well known as recreational places, and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources devotes resources to the cause. Fishing is its best-known sport, and many anglers take advantage of Rock River’s sporting opportunities. The river provides great channel fishing, and catfish are the catch of choice. Some of them are large as 50 pounds, and that makes them function as wonderful trophies for those who enjoy fishing. Other types of fish are bluegill, walleye and white bass among others.

Mississippi River Books

www.rambletherock.com — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0000

If you want to truly get your arms around the history and lore of the Mississippi River and its charm and mystique then you may want to tap into a few of the following books that cover the river running backwards to the ecological changes witnessed over time. Enjoy!Wicked River: The Mississippi When It Last Ran Wild (Lee Sandlin) is considered a “grand epic” that portrays a forgotten society on the edge of revolutionary change by taking a look at one of the most colorful, dangerous, and peculiar places in America’s historical landscape: the strange, wonderful, and mysterious Mississippi River of the nineteenth century.Immortal River: The Upper Mississippi in Ancient and Modern Times (Calvin R. Fremling) is a well-illustrated primer to the Upper Mississippi River and presents the basic natural and human history of this magnificent waterway. It’s written for the educated lay-person who would like to know more about the river’s history and the forces that shape as well as threaten it today. It melds complex information from the fields of geology, ecology, geography, anthropology, and history into a readable, chronological story that spans some 500 million years of the earth’s history.When the Mississippi Ran Backwards: Empire, Intrigue, Murder, and the New Madrid Earthquakes (Jay Feldman) sheds light on the now-obscure yet pivotal period between the Revolutionary and Civil wars, uncovering the era’s dramatic geophysical, political, and military upheavals. The author paints a vivid picture of how powerful earthquakes in 1811 and 1812 made an impact on every aspect of frontier life including the river running backwards — and why similar catastrophic quakes are guaranteed to recur. The Mississippi: A Visual Biography (Quinta Scott) documents the progression of the Mississippi River from its source at Lake Itasca to the Gulf of Mexico, with hundreds of stopping points along the way. Scott explains how we have changed each site depicted, how we try to manage it, and the wildlife that occupies it. This majestic book is nothing less than a natural biography of the Mississippi, showing that, to understand the river and its floodplain today, we must understand the natural processes we have disrupted.

The Rock River

www.rambletherock.com — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 10:49:17 +0000

One of the biggest natural features in Illinois is the Rock River. This stretch of water reaches about 285 miles in length and connects with the Mississippi River. The merging spot of the two rivers can be found in Rock Island. The river runs through five different counties, including Lee, Ogle, Rock Island, Whiteside and Winnebago. If you’re interested in viewing the Rock River for yourself, you can visit the following Northwestern Illinois locales:OregonByronRockfordSouth BeloitRocktonRoscoeMachesney ParkLoves ParkGrand DetourDixonSterlingRock FallsLyndonProphetstown

A glimpse at Presidental history in Galena

www.rambletherock.com — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 13:45:54 +0000

One of the most popular tourist destinations in Northwestern Illinois is the home of Ulysses S. Grant. The future president was a military leader during the Civil War and the reason the Union won. Elected in 1868, Grant was the 18^th president of the United States.Located in Galena, visitors can tour White Haven between 9:30am to 4:00pm; the tours usually last thirty minutes. Admission is free, but you have to obtain a ticket before touring the home. Tickets, as well as the showing of A Place Called White Haven, are found at the Visitor Center.Alongside the tours, the home offers monthly events as well as a Ulysses and Julia Grant museum. Monthly events have ranged from a free teacher workshop to a “John Y. Simon Day and Ulysses S. Grant Lecture.” The museum (found at the historic stable), allows you to explore the history of Grant, ranging from his life’s work and his marriage to Julia Dent.If you’re staying near Galena, be sure to view the home of a man who dramatically shaped American history.

The Burpee Museum of Natural History

www.rambletherock.com — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 20:44:42 +0000

Located in Rockford, The Burpee Museum of Natural History has eight exhibits over the span of four floors. Home to the infamous “Jane: Diary of a Dinosaur” display, as well as exhibits like “The First People,” it’s the perfect stop for anyone who loves natural history.The museum’s most popular exhibit is “Jane: Diary of a Dinosaur.” At 21-feet tall, the T-Rex remains are a showstopper. It took four years to restore the dinosaur and showcase her skeleton; but it was worth the wait. Not only has the exhibit won an award, but the dinosaur is considered part of the ten greatest discoveries of the century.Moving away from dinosaurs, “The Ordovician Sea” explores the natural history of Rockford. Before there was The Rock River, there was a sea. This exhibit reveals what that sea was like through a collection of recovered fossils. From local to national, “The First People” exhibit covers the history of Native American culture. The museum has delicately recreated part of a Native American village, including canoes and a wigwam as a portion of the display.The above collections are only three of seven permanent exhibits. Take a trip through the “Carboniferous Coal Forest” display, “Windows to Wilderness” exhibit, the” Geoscience” collection, and the “Dean Olson Viewing Lab.” The museum has temporary exhibits, too. Enjoy “Grossology” until December, or “Giants, Dinosaurs of Africa” starting February of next year.The museum is open from 10am to 5pm and if you’re a member (or your child is under 3), tickets are free. However, for all other guests, tickets can be purchased for 7.