Ran this race this morning and loved it!…read more I have to admit though, things didn't start off looking so good. The exit our GPS told us to take on 55 was closed and the alternative route ended up being closed and we spent an extra half an hour driving in circles trying to find the place. We pulled into the lot - that has a $10 parking fee just to park in an empty gravel parkway....and there was almost no activity going on at the race site. It looked like the day was going to be a total bust. But then..... We started our run and found that the obstacles were in fact split up amongst the course, not all grouped one after the other like it appeared from the starting line. We ran up and down hills, around banked turns, and on and off fields. There were muddy patches, there were dry patches, but basically this was typical 5K fare. The obstacles were where this run really shined. They were all so unique and fun. You had to approach each with a quick strategy chat with your partner, because they all depended on team work and timing. You got to climb walls, traverse water obstacles, and swing from monkey bars. Each obstacle was different from the last and each provided a new and interesting twist to keep things fun. I have done a good handful of "mud runs" in the last year and they are often filled with glorified 'over under' obstacles. The only thing that changes is what your going over or under. Not the case this time. It's hard to pick which obstacle was the best or the most fun. They were all good in different ways. If you couldn't complete an obstacle, you had to pay the penalty - a partner carry! Either you or your partner has to give the other a piggy back ride for a decent distance until you cross the flag line before you can begin making your way to the next obstacle. Great idea! The only down side to this is that more likely than not, one partner will weigh more than the other partner - so that one person is clearly the designated carry-er and one person is the designated carry-ee. Perhaps they can think of a way to make it more fair so the lighter person isn't just a burden for any penalties. If I had to make any changes though - it would definitely be to offer an area to hose down and change into clean clothes after your run. Driving an hour home in marshy water soaked undies was not my favorite part of the day ;)

Cool little bait shop just off 47 , they have all the essentials and the employee was very helpful…read morewith getting me the right setup I needed as well as info on some good spots to fish

I love this place. The owner is nice, he's always got the stuff I need. The atmosphere is amazing…read more He's very knowledgeable about the stuff he works with. He cares about the kids. I highly recommend this place greatly. I will be returning frequently for my fishing/reptile stuff.

On a trip back to my hometown, I went on a 12 mile canoe trip down the Fox River. I loved it! I…read morehadn't been down the Fox in many years. Going to Ayers made it super easy. This way, we didn't have to transport any canoes. They took care of that. We made a 10 AM reservation, which gave us time to drive there and stop for breakfast. We were taken on a school bus with just one other family who was also renting canoes. They drove us to the starting point and we canoed back to Ayers. It was simply a beautiful trip! We saw deer, herons, turtles and lots of geese. The rocks on the sides of the river are amazing. There is a picnic area with bathrooms half-way through with bathrooms and then we canoed the rest of the way to Ayers. The only issue we had, was a small leak in the canoe. It wasn't a bid deal, but we did bail waiter one time.

Super friendly staff! Great prices for an ALL DAY or Half day adventure!!…read more Perfect place to see the true beauty in the Illinois Valley.

Great park located in Elwood. It certainly is a gem for around here. Lloyd Erickson Park is bigger…read morethan expected and is a great gathering place for families and others. Has quite a few amenities. There's a basketball court, picnic shelter, and even a Children's Garden with cool plants. Certainly it's one of the most notable things around. It's not like there's much else to do, to be honest. The park is pretty big, with lots of room for playing or just enjoying yourself. Of course there's athletic amenities. There's a basketball court where most of the action is. Families can even have a cookout. Pretty awesome there's a pretty big picnic shelter. However the centerpiece is the Children's Garden. What a great way to teach about how to grow and take care of plants. Lots of beautiful flowers in here. Plenty other plants to check out. Also there's programs they can participate in. This is a great place for learning. Has lots for a park that many around here don't have enough appreciation for. It's located off of Chicago Avenue and has a parking lot. The Children's Garden closes for maintenance in the mornings on Tuesdays.

Had a Great day of racing Saturday October 25th. Perfect…read moreweather, good service. Want to go again & again!

I bought this as a Christmas gift and the race happened late May. (Perfect time, btw - before…read moreFather's Day and not too hot, but warm enough for those of us in the audience.) He arrived much earlier than his spectators, to get a feel for things and watch other groups to see what to expect. (I'm sure also to see how fast he'd be going and have something to compare himself to!) Registration began 30 minutes before his race time. They offered a number of upgrade packages -- I wasn't there, but I believe an extra 10 laps for $150, $120 for a 2-lap ridealong + video + picture plaque. I wish I knew the extra laps were available, we'd have bought them for him. Next time!! He did get the video and plaque. Because I wasn't sure what to expect as a spectator, I'll comment on that a bit. There weren't many concessions (chips, pop, and gatorade). They sold some RWRE tshirts and hats, but that's about it. Some people were clearly regulars, because they had their own chairs (recommended), coolers, music (?!?!) and sunscreen. It was so fun watching him race. I heard the class was actually really interesting and he learned a lot. The video shows a side-by-side view of his face and the track, the plaque is nicer than I expected. He had such a great time, I know he'll be talking about it for a while!!

I'm so glad we still have a bike repair shop in town. The work I had Jerry do was promptly and…read more nicely done.

If there were clouds to rate this place instead of stars I would give it five clouds Gerry is an…read moreutter asshole and he even charges you to put oil on your chain $120 to change a tire! Give me a fucking break. My brakes were broken after I left and he wanted more money. Cash only. What a joke! Head for the hills.

This looks like a great place to launch a boat. It is definitely the place to observe geese! If we…read morehad had more time, we would have parked, sat on a bench, and watched them do what geese do. We pulled into the parking lot, didn't have time to see if there was more to do, so we drove on. The GPS directed us away from the neighborhood into which the parking lot exit dumped us, so there are two ways in and out. But GPS only showed one way in and out.

We love going here for a walk down the pathway and walk over by the river it's really beautiful and…read moreit gets pretty busy on the weekends in the summer with the boaters and people out for a picnic like us

Professor Ken is wonderful with students of all ages. Not only teaching them self defense, but also…read morelife lessons on how to be the best version of yourself. He truly is an inspiration.

Hey Master Ken, I don't know if you look at these, but I couldn't find you're email, so I was…read morehoping to contact you with this. It is Lucas, one of your students, you had me from when I was 8 to 11, and then I moved to Florida now I am 14 and going to a prestigious school, I just wanted to thank you for everything, if I could add a picture to this, I would add one of my white belt, white belt with yellow stripe, orange belt, blue belt, purple belt, green belt, and green belt with black stripe, all with a green, blue, orange, yellow, red, and black stripe (except the green belt with black stripe, I only got a purple stripe on that). I miss you and hope to visit you're dojo next time I come up to Illinois with my family, Love, Lucas McElyea