http://www.tedvillaire.com Outdoor pursuits in the Prairie State Sun, 31 Oct 2010 22:20:22 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en I lose track of time while running on trails. The sight of birds zipping through the understory and the discovery of a coyote's paw print on the trail always make me forget about the ticking clock. The fragrance of trailside wildflowers has the curious effect of releasing my mind from ... http://www.tedvillaire.com/running-chicago-trails/ Just in time for the arrival of summer in the Midwest, I'm thrilled to announce the release of four new outdoor recreation guidebooks that I wrote. Here they are. Road Biking Illinois: A Guide to the State’s Best Bike Rides Camping Illinois: A Comprehensive Guide ... http://www.tedvillaire.com/books-released/ [caption id="attachment_1687" align="aligncenter" width="579" caption="A July morning on the Fox River"][/caption] The following article first appeared in the May 2010 issue of Competitor Chicago magazine. Thanks to the magazine for allowing me to post the article here. Ten feet above my head, a single swallow twirled through the air, every so ... http://www.tedvillaire.com/lazy-river/ Kick off your summer by learning about great places to hike in the Chicago region. On Wednesday, May 5, 2010, I’ll be giving a presentation at the Warrenville Public Library. While showing photographs, I’ll be highlighting some of the lovely natural areas in Chicago’s west suburbs and beyond. Whether ... http://www.tedvillaire.com/book-presentation-west-suburbs/ [caption id="attachment_1643" align="aligncenter" width="604" caption="Tunnel Hill Trail in Southern Illinois"][/caption] Anyone who's passed within 100 feet of me during the past year knows that I have four new guidebooks that will be released this coming spring. Three of the books—Best Illinois Rail Trails, Illinois Road Biking, and Camping Illinois—required many months of ... http://www.tedvillaire.com/new-guidebooks/