Man's Corruption of Nature

I'm very sleepy from being outside all day, so this is going to be a short entry. Being that it's Mother's Day, Mama Bear got to pick what we did today. So, we packed up the family and headed out to Starved Rock State Park, in Ottowa, IL. We used to go there when I was younger, and I always enjoyed being surrounded by the natural beauty of the park. Needless to say, it's not the same anymore. In an attempt, I assume, to prevent lawsuits, the dirt paths have been covered with boardwalks, most with railings. There are stairs leading up the hills, rather than dirt trails. The cliffs overlooking the Illinois River have been fenced off, and there are signs posted that inform the hikers that leaving the marked paths is illegal. Not unsafe--illegal. However, their website doesn't entail what the punishment for such a grave offense would be. Maybe the offender is hauled off by the Forest Police, or forced to make cheap crafts to sell at exorbitant prices at the state park's numerous gift shops. It's fair to assume that I was not pleased with the trip, though I did take some good pictures. I'm putting them on Photobucket, as it seems I have almost used up my space limit for the month on Flickr. How sad.
Enjoy the pictures, and if you want to go on a real, come out to Kankakee River State Park. It hasn't been sterilized yet.
~Sushi