The First Trip
Friday, October 10, Saturday October 11, and Sunday October 12, 2008
Despite being October, the morning was warm for this time of year, and the day would get even warmer. Besides being a major first trip for Kasey on the bike with me, it was a trip that seemed like it was just not going to happen. With only a day or two to spare, the plans got firmed up, and here we were mounting up on The Pearl for Kasey's first overnight voyage.
We started out of Danville heading south on SR 39. To make some time in the morning, we hit the super slab known as I-70, and turned out some "blue collar" miles. We stopped in Terre Haute, Indiana, and took a break. We stayed on the Interstate until Greenup, Illinois, and then switched over to the parallel and original highway, US 40, also known as The National Road.
It was not to long on this more laid back, less traveled highway that we arrived in Effingham, Illinois. Our first stop here would be for lunch, at the apptly named Cruisers Cafe. It was a near fast food place, owned by a mom and pop, with great food and atmosphere, as we ate outside.
Once again, we did not travel all that far before I spied down a side road a Covered Bridge. We pulled down the lane, checked out the bridge, and the view from the windows.
Back on the road, we headed south US 45. This road was mostly straight, and got us to US 50, where we turned right, and headed west again. At SR 6, we turned south again, and meandered our way to SR 13. After passing through Zenith, we turned west again on SR 161. We rode another south to west exchange on SR 3 and then SR 15.
On the southern edge of Mount Vernon, Illinois, we took another fuel and rest break. We were now on SR 37, and we headed into Whittington. We turned west on SR 154 and crossed a beautiful and huge body of water called Rend Lake. Then it was south on SR 148.
You are not going to believe this, but along this road we pulled into the town of Chittyville. We were alerted to a sign for Chittyville Storage. The laughter had not subsided from that when we passed the Taco Trim. We have no idea what this business does, but our imaginations filled the helmets with laughter. So much that we missed our fuel stop.
If we weren't laughing enough, we turned at SR 25, and we were on our way to The Little Grassy Fish Hatchery. These places were all very funny to us, I hope have conveyed it enough that it was funny to you. If not, then you need to go there, when you see it, you will laugh.
We cruised on SR 25 to SR 24 to SR 23. All these roads meandered around, and lead us to SR 1 and into Giant City State Park. We got a little lost, and the glow of the Low Fuel Light was not helping my anxiousness. After riding through the park, we arrived in Anna, Illinois, and quickly found a gas station.
We rode through Jonesboro, Illinois, and down SR 9. Then south on SR 3, and into East Cape Girardeau. This would take us across the mighty Mississippi River. Now in Missouri, we hit another super slab, I 55, and head south until another back road arrived.
We took SR K through Scott City, and then south on SR N. This meandered south along the river. This road wound its way through farm fields and such, many of them being harvested. Then west on SR D for a bit to head back south again on SR 77. Sounds like stair stepped our way, and we did, but there were lot more than just ninety degree turns along the route.
We turned to head west for the last time on SR 62. Then we pulled into the town of Sikeston, Missouri. We could see the sign for Lambert's Cafe, Home of the Throwed Rolls as we rode into town. After checking into the hotel, that was our destination for dinner.
We woke on this Saturday Morning some 380 miles away from home. We were refreshed, got something for breakfast, packed up the bike, and began the day's ride. Once again we started on the Highway, I 57 to be exact, and headed back east. We veered off at US 60. We had a very brief moment back in Illinois, as we cross the Mississippi again, and then back over into Kentucky, crossing the Ohio River.
In Kentucky, the road kept the name US 60, and we made our way east through the state that hosts The Derby. We made our way into Paducah, and made our first stop for lunch. The ride so far this morning had been filled sun and perfect tempertures.
SR 60 would be the road of choice for after lunch as well. We made our way along the Ohio River. We rode through little Kentucky Town with the names of Burna and Salem. As we rode through the latter, Kasey reminded me that she had a ancestor that went through the Witch Trials in a town further east of here.
We took a refueling stop in Marion, Kentucky, then switched roads and headed north on SR 91. After a few miles of making our way through farm country, and seeing some crops being brought in, we came to a stop to await the Ferry Boat that would carry across the Ohio River into Illinois.
We weren't the only two wheelers on board, another couple pulled in behind us on the boat. The boat trip was a slow and tranquil ride across the river. It was a great chance to relax, and let someone else do the driving. We pulled off the ferry and headed through the town of Cave In Rock.
We would be on SR 1 heading north, and take that until SR 4, and then head west. We were riding into the Shawnee State Forest. After following some beautiful road deep in the valley of the park on SR 10, 17, and 15, we were heading north.
We found the road heading to the Garden of the God, and began our ascent. We pulled onto Garden of the Gods Drive, following a truck with a bunch of kids in the cab, and in the bed. When we arrived at the parking lot, we saw lots of motorcycles. In fact, I bet half the people here arrived by a bike.
After touring one of the most beautiful sites in the Midwest, we headed out north and into the town of Equality, Illinois. SR 13 going east would return us back to SR 1, and we head north.
Another gas stop would come in Ohama, Illinois. Then we were back heading north on SR 1. In the town of Carmi, we had to make a detour, around the town's parade. It was will marked with waving Police Officers, and we made our way through town, and caught some glimpses of the festival. Kasey probably got a better view than I did.
As the day was growing on, we pulled into Mount Carmel, Illinois. This would be where we would stay for the night, and the first stop was finding the hotel. We checked in, and wondered where there was to eat. We finally settled on a Bar-B-Que joint that sounded like a locally owned place. As we crossed the street, and pulled into to fuel up, the sun was setting behind us. It was not a long trip to the restaurant, but my mouth was watering for Bar-B-Que. But on what, Ribs? Chicken? I wasn't sure, and how was I going to decide? As luck would have it, I didn't have too, they had a Buffet!
My appetite was sated, and we headed back to the hotel. The sky was now dark as we parked The Pearl for the night and settled in.
The sun rose on Day Three, the final day of the trip. It was Sunday, and kind of a lazy morning. After the complementary breakfast served up by the Super 8 hotel, we made our way through Mount Carmel, heading north.
We started on SR 1, then used a River Road along the Wabash until we hit gravel. We turned around, and headed back to SR 1 through many farms. We didn't see anyone stirring for miles, just the wheat waving in the wind.
At US 50, we made our way east into my old college town of Vincennes. About a year ago I was back here for a interview to instruct the students in the area of what I learned here. We strolled around, touring the campus, and a few houses that I was looking at if I had got the job and moved here.
We then headed out of town. We were passed a time mark where I would usually take a break, but the timer was not going off in my iron butt. At the northern edge of Vincennes, we took SR 67, and began our way north and east back to Central Indiana.
After riding through a couple small towns, we arrived in Sanborn, Indiana, and Kasey announced that she needed a break. I am sure I was ready for one too. We pulled into a gas station, and relaxed for a bit.
Back aboard The Pearl, we continued on SR 67. SR 231 merges into this road, and leads us to Spencer, Indiana, our destination for lunch. We pulled into the parking lot, and I saw several motorcycles. This was not unusual, as it was nice day, and this is a biker friendly place. These bikes looked familiar. Sure enough, after some people poured out of the place, and I knew the faces. It was the Terre Haute Chapter of the Cruiser Club. After a brief chat and introductions of Kasey, we went to eat, and they hit the road.
Another delicious lunch, in fact, I think the only thing better than the food on this trip would be the weather! We lucked out on that no rain, just sunshine. The trip was coming to an end, we had passed the 700 mile mark. SR 67 lead us north of Spencer, but we stayed on SR 231 when it turned east.
We followed US 40 east to SR 75, and then north again. The rest of the trip was following county roads 300 South, 200 South and then 50 south into Danville.
Kasey's first big trip was over, and she came through with flying colors. We would talk about how we spent all this time together, over eight hours of the day against each other on the motorcycle. The music player never was turned on, we talked almost the whole trip! I was little sad that it was October, and not March or early April. I am going to have to wait until we can take another long trip, but I will be looking forward to it!
Despite being October, the morning was warm for this time of year, and the day would get even warmer. Besides being a major first trip for Kasey on the bike with me, it was a trip that seemed like it was just not going to happen. With only a day or two to spare, the plans got firmed up, and here we were mounting up on The Pearl for Kasey's first overnight voyage.
We started out of Danville heading south on SR 39. To make some time in the morning, we hit the super slab known as I-70, and turned out some "blue collar" miles. We stopped in Terre Haute, Indiana, and took a break. We stayed on the Interstate until Greenup, Illinois, and then switched over to the parallel and original highway, US 40, also known as The National Road.
It was not to long on this more laid back, less traveled highway that we arrived in Effingham, Illinois. Our first stop here would be for lunch, at the apptly named Cruisers Cafe. It was a near fast food place, owned by a mom and pop, with great food and atmosphere, as we ate outside.
Once again, we did not travel all that far before I spied down a side road a Covered Bridge. We pulled down the lane, checked out the bridge, and the view from the windows.
Back on the road, we headed south US 45. This road was mostly straight, and got us to US 50, where we turned right, and headed west again. At SR 6, we turned south again, and meandered our way to SR 13. After passing through Zenith, we turned west again on SR 161. We rode another south to west exchange on SR 3 and then SR 15.
On the southern edge of Mount Vernon, Illinois, we took another fuel and rest break. We were now on SR 37, and we headed into Whittington. We turned west on SR 154 and crossed a beautiful and huge body of water called Rend Lake. Then it was south on SR 148.
You are not going to believe this, but along this road we pulled into the town of Chittyville. We were alerted to a sign for Chittyville Storage. The laughter had not subsided from that when we passed the Taco Trim. We have no idea what this business does, but our imaginations filled the helmets with laughter. So much that we missed our fuel stop.
If we weren't laughing enough, we turned at SR 25, and we were on our way to The Little Grassy Fish Hatchery. These places were all very funny to us, I hope have conveyed it enough that it was funny to you. If not, then you need to go there, when you see it, you will laugh.
We cruised on SR 25 to SR 24 to SR 23. All these roads meandered around, and lead us to SR 1 and into Giant City State Park. We got a little lost, and the glow of the Low Fuel Light was not helping my anxiousness. After riding through the park, we arrived in Anna, Illinois, and quickly found a gas station.
We rode through Jonesboro, Illinois, and down SR 9. Then south on SR 3, and into East Cape Girardeau. This would take us across the mighty Mississippi River. Now in Missouri, we hit another super slab, I 55, and head south until another back road arrived.
We took SR K through Scott City, and then south on SR N. This meandered south along the river. This road wound its way through farm fields and such, many of them being harvested. Then west on SR D for a bit to head back south again on SR 77. Sounds like stair stepped our way, and we did, but there were lot more than just ninety degree turns along the route.
We turned to head west for the last time on SR 62. Then we pulled into the town of Sikeston, Missouri. We could see the sign for Lambert's Cafe, Home of the Throwed Rolls as we rode into town. After checking into the hotel, that was our destination for dinner.
We woke on this Saturday Morning some 380 miles away from home. We were refreshed, got something for breakfast, packed up the bike, and began the day's ride. Once again we started on the Highway, I 57 to be exact, and headed back east. We veered off at US 60. We had a very brief moment back in Illinois, as we cross the Mississippi again, and then back over into Kentucky, crossing the Ohio River.
In Kentucky, the road kept the name US 60, and we made our way east through the state that hosts The Derby. We made our way into Paducah, and made our first stop for lunch. The ride so far this morning had been filled sun and perfect tempertures.
SR 60 would be the road of choice for after lunch as well. We made our way along the Ohio River. We rode through little Kentucky Town with the names of Burna and Salem. As we rode through the latter, Kasey reminded me that she had a ancestor that went through the Witch Trials in a town further east of here.
We took a refueling stop in Marion, Kentucky, then switched roads and headed north on SR 91. After a few miles of making our way through farm country, and seeing some crops being brought in, we came to a stop to await the Ferry Boat that would carry across the Ohio River into Illinois.
We weren't the only two wheelers on board, another couple pulled in behind us on the boat. The boat trip was a slow and tranquil ride across the river. It was a great chance to relax, and let someone else do the driving. We pulled off the ferry and headed through the town of Cave In Rock.
We would be on SR 1 heading north, and take that until SR 4, and then head west. We were riding into the Shawnee State Forest. After following some beautiful road deep in the valley of the park on SR 10, 17, and 15, we were heading north.
We found the road heading to the Garden of the God, and began our ascent. We pulled onto Garden of the Gods Drive, following a truck with a bunch of kids in the cab, and in the bed. When we arrived at the parking lot, we saw lots of motorcycles. In fact, I bet half the people here arrived by a bike.
After touring one of the most beautiful sites in the Midwest, we headed out north and into the town of Equality, Illinois. SR 13 going east would return us back to SR 1, and we head north.
Another gas stop would come in Ohama, Illinois. Then we were back heading north on SR 1. In the town of Carmi, we had to make a detour, around the town's parade. It was will marked with waving Police Officers, and we made our way through town, and caught some glimpses of the festival. Kasey probably got a better view than I did.
As the day was growing on, we pulled into Mount Carmel, Illinois. This would be where we would stay for the night, and the first stop was finding the hotel. We checked in, and wondered where there was to eat. We finally settled on a Bar-B-Que joint that sounded like a locally owned place. As we crossed the street, and pulled into to fuel up, the sun was setting behind us. It was not a long trip to the restaurant, but my mouth was watering for Bar-B-Que. But on what, Ribs? Chicken? I wasn't sure, and how was I going to decide? As luck would have it, I didn't have too, they had a Buffet!
My appetite was sated, and we headed back to the hotel. The sky was now dark as we parked The Pearl for the night and settled in.
The sun rose on Day Three, the final day of the trip. It was Sunday, and kind of a lazy morning. After the complementary breakfast served up by the Super 8 hotel, we made our way through Mount Carmel, heading north.
We started on SR 1, then used a River Road along the Wabash until we hit gravel. We turned around, and headed back to SR 1 through many farms. We didn't see anyone stirring for miles, just the wheat waving in the wind.
At US 50, we made our way east into my old college town of Vincennes. About a year ago I was back here for a interview to instruct the students in the area of what I learned here. We strolled around, touring the campus, and a few houses that I was looking at if I had got the job and moved here.
We then headed out of town. We were passed a time mark where I would usually take a break, but the timer was not going off in my iron butt. At the northern edge of Vincennes, we took SR 67, and began our way north and east back to Central Indiana.
After riding through a couple small towns, we arrived in Sanborn, Indiana, and Kasey announced that she needed a break. I am sure I was ready for one too. We pulled into a gas station, and relaxed for a bit.
Back aboard The Pearl, we continued on SR 67. SR 231 merges into this road, and leads us to Spencer, Indiana, our destination for lunch. We pulled into the parking lot, and I saw several motorcycles. This was not unusual, as it was nice day, and this is a biker friendly place. These bikes looked familiar. Sure enough, after some people poured out of the place, and I knew the faces. It was the Terre Haute Chapter of the Cruiser Club. After a brief chat and introductions of Kasey, we went to eat, and they hit the road.
Another delicious lunch, in fact, I think the only thing better than the food on this trip would be the weather! We lucked out on that no rain, just sunshine. The trip was coming to an end, we had passed the 700 mile mark. SR 67 lead us north of Spencer, but we stayed on SR 231 when it turned east.
We followed US 40 east to SR 75, and then north again. The rest of the trip was following county roads 300 South, 200 South and then 50 south into Danville.
Kasey's first big trip was over, and she came through with flying colors. We would talk about how we spent all this time together, over eight hours of the day against each other on the motorcycle. The music player never was turned on, we talked almost the whole trip! I was little sad that it was October, and not March or early April. I am going to have to wait until we can take another long trip, but I will be looking forward to it!
Comments