Canoeing Adventures in Northern Illinois: Apple River to Zuma Creek [Paperback]

Bob Tyler (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 22, 2004

In this book you will find descriptions of over 1500 miles on 59 rivers and creeks in Northern Illinois.You will also discover the Indian villages and early settlers and their stories.The author spent over ten years exploring these unique watersheds. From the "Mighty Mississippi" to the smallest canoeable creek, it has all been covered in Canoeing Adventures in Northern Illinois.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Bob started canoeing at the age of 8 at YMCA camp. In 1963, Bob received a Boy Scout canoeing merit badge and has been exploring rivers ever since.Professionally, Bob has spent 30 years in theater as a Audio Engineer.Bob is a devoted husband and father.

Product Details

• Paperback: 174 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse (April 22, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595310109
• ISBN-13: 978-0595310104
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,571,762 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must Have for Illinois Paddlers, May 14, 2004

By 

Thomas M. Lindblade (Rockford, IL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Canoeing Adventures in Northern Illinois: Apple River to Zuma Creek (Paperback)

This is an amazing book, the result of many years of paddling places no one else does, as well as all of the better known paddles in Northern Illinois. It will become the Illinois Paddler's bible.
Not only does it give details on over eighty possible paddles, but there is a tremendous wealth of historical information. There will never be another book like this. Buy it!

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Completely Useless, February 16, 2009

By 

M. Conti (Chicago) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Canoeing Adventures in Northern Illinois: Apple River to Zuma Creek (Paperback)

I bought this book looking for a guide to canoeing in and around the Chicagoland/Rockford area. I'm an intermediate paddler who can enjoy a lazy creek but can handle a little bit of fast water. I expected this book to provide some sort of information about how to paddle the creeks, streams and rivers in the area. I expected some guidance on where to start a paddle, what I might see along the way and where to get out. This book has none of that.

This book provides no maps whatsoever. So without consulting an atlas or the internet I don't even get an idea of where these streams are. There aren't even general descriptions such as map coordinates or even a nearby town name. Heck, at this point I'd be glad to know what county the run is in.

Then there's the viability of taking any of the trips described. Granted I haven't read the whole thing yet, but of the first three trips described: one is described as "blah" by the author and not worth the effort, another isn't navigable even by an expert paddler and the third requires either trespassing on private property or violating posted state park regulations to run. On this last note, the author spends more than half of his introduction providing guidance on how to overcome fencing placed over non-public private streams to the point of giving instructions on how to move electrified cattle fencing without shocking yourself.

The book does point out some vaguely interesting historical nuggets here and there, but not much more than you might find in the tri-fold brochures you can pick up at the ranger's station at any state park. Frankly, this "guide" reads more like the diary of a hippy with a canoe and a healthy disregard for private property, boating regulations and his own general safety. If you're looking for a little help finding a few nice paddles within driving distance of Chicago to fill up a weekend here and there or for short trips, this book ain't it.