Jogging McDowell

About the Book

A large eight-point white-tailed buck, in a dignified walk, crosses a winding trail. A white-tailed doe stands in front of a mist-strewn river. White wing-shaped blossoms of Dutchman’s breeches grace the trail’s edge. Great horned owls hoot in the morning twilight. A coyote sings in dawn’s early light. There is more to a Midwestern forest preserve than a place to walk your dog or have a family picnic! McDowell Grove Forest Preserve, in Dupage County, Illinois, is no exception! Fortunately, I live only a short jog from McDowell in my condominium home in Naperville, Illinois, not far from Chicago, our nation’s third largest city. In combination of exercise and seeking out solitude and photo opportunities, I have spent several years doing pilgrimages through McDowell Woods. My adventures and discoveries, along with photographs of her wildlife, wildflowers, autumn colors, and forest and prairie landscapes, and a brief human history are all combined in the book Jogging McDowell: Discovering Chicagoland Wilderness. There are also quotes from famed author Henry David Thoreau and legendary singer-songwriter John Denver. This is the wilderness in my backyard, Jogging McDowell.

About the Author

Les MacLean was born December11, 1953 to Dr. and Mrs. Malcolm Shaw and Eleonora Monti MacLean Jr, the second of two children, in Madison, Wisconsin. His love for nature began, as a small boy, in Cacapon State Park, West Virginia, where my dad attended seminars. This is where he saw his first deer, hiked his first trail, and crossed his first stream. While growing up, they lived in East Lansing, Michigan then Iowa City and Solon, Iowa. On their way to visit his grandparents, aunt, uncle, and cousins in California, they visited numerous national parks including Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Zion, Lassen Volcanic, and Sequoia. The happiest part of his childhood was when they moved out to the country near Solon, Iowa. On May 22, 1973, Les graduated from Solon Junior-Senior High School. He attended the University of Iowa for his first year of college where his dad taught journalism. Following his dad's untimely death on February 20, 1974, they transferred to Utah State University where he received his bachelor of science degree in wildland recreation. During the summer of his sophomore year, He visited Alaska with Denali and Katmai NationalParks included in his itinerary. He saw two wolves and numerous grizzlies, moose, dall sheep, caribou, and more but only had a super 8 movie camera at the time. Still the memories will be with him a lifetime. He was married from 1974-1979 but they divorced, no children. In the spring of 1988 he visited Great Smoky Mountains National Park. In August 1990 he visited Mammoth Cave National Park. He received his Master of Arts in Education, interdisciplinary studies(journalism), Wayne State College, Wayne, Nebraska. From the summer seasons 1991-1999, he worked in, and around, Glacier National Park, for Glacier Park Incorporated, as kitchen steward, executive steward, and groundskeeper. During that time, he wrote songs and played them at lobby shows, firesides, and open mics. He also composed, and presented slide shows "Home in The Mountains" and "Glacier Dynasty". Montana's governor saw one of his slide shows and enjoyed it. From October20th to December 30th, 1992, Les worked at the Grand Canyon. He now live in Naperville, Illinois. During this time, he made 7 return trips to Glacier, visited Missouri HeadwatersState Park, and Shenandoah, Theodore Roosevelt, and Acadia National Parks. He also made a return visit to West Virginia's Cacapon State Park, June2013, his first visit since he was 11 years old.