N 1920th St to E 2750th St (Rt 78) near Annawan, about 3.3 miles August 6, 2021

 It was a beautiful sunny morning for my ride today. The beginning spot had plenty of parking (located at  41.427926, -89.962939 ) , some information about the Hennepin and an outhouse. Much of this section of the trail had tall bushes, brush and trees between the bike path and the water that partially obscured the view of the canal.  Some areas were more shaded than others and the shade was welcome! The surface of the trail started as asphalt/gravel but after the bridge it changed to an unpaved fine gravel.  However, the fine gravel rode smoother than the old deteriorating asphalt that was rockier in spots. Highlights of this stretch include a metal railroad bridge, another fun aqueduct, a volunteer corn stalk, and a great blue heron.  You could also hear the roar of cars and trucks from I80 nearby and see it from the aqueduct.