Shawn, I just wanna let you know that as a born & raised Central Illinoisan, I thoroughly appreciate all the hard work you do on your content on all your platforms. I grew up right next to the Rock Island Trail and I have lived along the Illinois River for most of my life. Yet - despite my lifelong enthusiasm for nature, history (particularly indigenous history), science, and especially how all those things converge to create such diverse arrays of hidden precious gems we are lucky to have scattered throughout our state - I have much to my heartbreak, not yet been able to find my way to all those spectacular real-life enchanted places I have always wanted to explore (including those I’m still unaware of at this time) due to being unable to secure exploring partners over the years between my homebody family & friends; even when I attended NIU and was within an hour of Starved Rock & Matthiessen for 4 years of my life. But all that considered…whether I have to end up going it alone or not, with inspiration from your content, I’ve decided that Southern Illinois / Garden of the Gods and all the other cool spots scattered throughout the ancient formations in the southern part of our beautifully-diverse state is most likely the most worthy place of being the first-ever place I explore alone; because there’s no way I can leave this earth someday without making sure I spend every second I can get the chance to do so in the natural paradises we’ve been gifted with the duty of preserving right in our own backyards. Thank you for reminding me how to literally connect to my long lost natural roots, my good sir.😎😁🌲🌳🪨🍂🍁
@@HikingWithShawn 😁 of course, and thank YOU, my friend; because your impact means a lot!💖 safe travels & stay wild…knowing how much of a small world this whole state is (but especially in the rural downstate areas when compared to upstate suburbia) i’ll probably unknowingly run into you entirely on accident one of these days on the trails once i start coming down there to camp out regularly😂😅
I've fished the lake several times. I never knew that was there. Interesting. 👍
It’s a cool spot
Shawn, I just wanna let you know that as a born & raised Central Illinoisan, I thoroughly appreciate all the hard work you do on your content on all your platforms. I grew up right next to the Rock Island Trail and I have lived along the Illinois River for most of my life. Yet - despite my lifelong enthusiasm for nature, history (particularly indigenous history), science, and especially how all those things converge to create such diverse arrays of hidden precious gems we are lucky to have scattered throughout our state - I have much to my heartbreak, not yet been able to find my way to all those spectacular real-life enchanted places I have always wanted to explore (including those I’m still unaware of at this time) due to being unable to secure exploring partners over the years between my homebody family & friends; even when I attended NIU and was within an hour of Starved Rock & Matthiessen for 4 years of my life. But all that considered…whether I have to end up going it alone or not, with inspiration from your content, I’ve decided that Southern Illinois / Garden of the Gods and all the other cool spots scattered throughout the ancient formations in the southern part of our beautifully-diverse state is most likely the most worthy place of being the first-ever place I explore alone; because there’s no way I can leave this earth someday without making sure I spend every second I can get the chance to do so in the natural paradises we’ve been gifted with the duty of preserving right in our own backyards. Thank you for reminding me how to literally connect to my long lost natural roots, my good sir.😎😁🌲🌳🪨🍂🍁
Thanks for this comment. It means a lot ❤️
@@HikingWithShawn 😁 of course, and thank YOU, my friend; because your impact means a lot!💖 safe travels & stay wild…knowing how much of a small world this whole state is (but especially in the rural downstate areas when compared to upstate suburbia) i’ll probably unknowingly run into you entirely on accident one of these days on the trails once i start coming down there to camp out regularly😂😅