It was a foggy and humid morning as I started the day along the Mississippi River. The road from the campground into Chester took me beside a very large correctional facility. I thought the architecture of the brick building was pretty cool. So, I stopped to take a picture but the camera lens was fogged up from the humidity. To as insult to injury, a guard who was driving by and coming on duty, told me to put the camera away or else they will be running you out of the area. OK, I pushed on. But, I did get some good pictures of the bridge that comes over the Mississippi.
A short distance out of town a BMW pulls up beside me and rolls down their window. Although I was kind of expecting a rude comment or a gun in my face, they nice lady inside wanted to know if I was from around here. I told her I was from Ohio, but wanted to know where they wanted to go. They were looking for the bridge over to Missouri. Well I can help you with that!
Continuing on, I had to contend with big semi dump trucks hauling coal to and from the barges on the River. More than one of the trucks found the need to honk their horn at me as they approached. Remember, there is no shoulder, I have a mirror on my helmet to see them coming, and I was not weaving, so what’s the big idea of honking at me? Besides, you don’t expect it and it sends a scare through your bones. After I finally got past their loading/unloading terminal, it was much better. I decided to take the Adventure Cycling optional route that follows the Mississippi River Levee road for about 15 miles. It was pretty neat, plus it took me past another loading /unloading spot for coal. In this case the coal was coming in on rail cars and there was a big conveyor system that was making huge piles of coal. The coal is then loaded on barges on the River. I stood and watched for a while, it was pretty neat.
Next, I ventured down a stone road embankment that leads right to the shore of the mighty Mississippi. I touched the water and took some more pictures. The balance of the ride along the levee was really nice, but I don’t understand why farmers build their houses and barns right on the other side of the levee. Can you say flood?!
There were numerous dog chases today. Why do dogs think they own the road and feel the need to chase me down? Thankfully none were extremely vicious, but I would just assume they would stay in their own yard. The point and yell “NO!” technique seemed to be pretty effective today.
About 5 miles from the stop for the night, I encountered a “Road Closed Ahead” sign on the edge of Carbondale, IL. Oh Boy, I don’t need that now. You would think I would learn, but I decided to go up to the spot and hope to find a way around it. Well, there was a local traffic only stipulation, so I made it through most of the long area of construction. That is until the final 500 feet prior to where I need to turn. It was closed totally. I stood by the barricade for a while looking rather sad. It would be about 6 miles to reverse my travel to this point. Then I decided to just try walking the bike in the front yards of the homes that boarder the road. Well, I made it and on my way to the destination. Whew!!
The evening was spent at the Little Grassy Lake Campground in Makanda, IL (just south of Carbondale, IL). We ventured into Carbondale, IL, walked the mall, drove around Southern Illinois University campus and grabbed a bite to eat. Using the computer, we had our nightly look at the pictures I took during the day. It was another hot day over 100 degrees. Can we get a break?
Big Coal Depot near the Mississippi
Black Beauty taking in the view of the Mississippi
Nice house, but the Carbondale school mascot is the Terriers?? I don't think of little terriers as very threatening.
Carbondale is the home campus of Southern Illinois University
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