Loose Nut Dual Sport 2014: So. Illinois - Nov 1 & 2, 2014

Loose Nut Dual Sport Ride 2014: Southern Illinois - Nov 1 & 2, 2014

PLEASE NOTE: the Lake Tree Inn suggested motel may not be a recommended choice - see page 51 of this thread for details


Mark your calendars - we are currently planning the 3rd Annual Loose Nut Dual Sport Ride in Southern Illinois on the 1st & 2nd of November, 2014. It has been a great time the last two years - we plan to do it again next year and the next year and the next year. Just remember.......it's always going to be a new ride in a new area.........no repeats. So for 2014, we decided that the southern Illinois area would be perfect. Not only that, BigDogAdventures has been railroaded into helping with the tracks and points of interest. 2014 is destined to be the best yet.


Link to the GPX tracks for to the 2014 Loose Nut Dual Sport in Southern Illinois:

http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?p=25228788#post25228788



Link to the 2013 ride:
http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=873494

don;t miss the AWESOME video of the 2013 ride: by Indiana Bones
http://advrider.com/forums/showpost.php?p=22904696&postcount=518

don't miss the AWESOME Hoosier Motorcyclist Article of the 2013 ride by: Hoghead650
http://advrider.com/forums/showpost.php?p=23151032&postcount=533

Link to the 2012 ride:
http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=822082

More Details to Follow - Stay Tuned.

LN

Yes Steve railroaded me into helping out with the routing----but he didn't have to twist my arm very hard.
I have so appreciated attending the 2 previous Loose Nuts rides and----well----------it's an honor.
Actually---he bribed me with Peach Cobbler----Ala-mode no less !!!!
Mrs. "Nuts" so graciously made the Peach Cobbler last year.
Mrs. "Dog" will make a couple Apple Pies this year.

This years ride will start and finish each day in Fern Cliff State Park---just 1.5 miles South of Goreville, Illinois.
People wanting to Motel it can go about 10 miles North to Marion, Illinois at the intersection of I-57 and route 13 where there is a huge
pick of Motels, Restaurants---Wal--Mart------whatever you might need.

The route difficulty
as with the 2013 Loose Nut ride is easy for good riders---especially on smaller bikes.
Big bikes probably will have some trouble in places---especially if your a little new to offroad riding.
I recommend a 650 or smaller bike with a 21" front wheel---maximum 400 lbs. But you be your judge.
Knobbies will be a big advantage in places.
There are 2 places where a very big adventure bike might have trouble.
One has lots of mud and water holes---but can be easily by-passed.
The other you will be riding in a creek for a mile or so in river rock---I rode a 950 KTM thru it without much tadoo----but a big BMW might bury itself.
I will have a route around that also.

I've had people ask me if they could make these sections----It is impossible for me to answer that question. It will be up to you and your bike.

There is zero single track or what I would call trail riding on this ride. Trail riding (single track) is illegal in all of Illinois except on private ground.


The Campground

$20 for Class A electric sites with an available shower in the Deer Ridge Campground----sites 1-59.
These can be reserved online at http://reserveamerica.com
I've used this site to reserve campgrounds before----------it works and shows you availability of each site.
Class A sites 24-59 must be reserved 7 days or more in advance-----Sites 1-24 cannot and are first come first serve all year.
You cannot reserve these sites till about 6 months before you want them. So reserving these 7 months or more in advance is not possible.
Tent sites are available too for a lesser fee---along with walk-in sites----these sites are in a different area than the Class A sites (electricity).
Or----you can just come and claim a site when you get there which I'm sure is what most people will do.
Showers open till Thanksgiving.

Firewood
Firewood brought into the campground has to be local and cannot contain the "Emerald Ash Borer" which has killed a lot of ash trees.
Also----even if the firewood you bring in is OK------you have to burn it or haul it off.
Dead fall can be taken out of the campground woods--no chain saws.




Also--this is confusing----reserving campsites ends Oct. 31st.---then it becomes first come first serve for "all" sites. So to reserve a spot for the weekend---just reserve it for Oct. 31st only---and you'll be in the site and nobody can run you out of it for as long as you want. Do not try to reserve a site after Oct.31st-----it won't let you.

Availability Of Campsites------This time of year is prime camping season for folks--the reserved sites were almost full when I was there in November of 2013. I recommend you reserve sites early.

Firewood--your suppose to bring local wood and burn it up there---and you can gather dead fall in the woods if you like.
No chain saws.

Alcohol is allowed--local laws apply.



The park is beautiful with big nice rolling hills---lot's of things in the park including this waterfall.
Places to picnic---take a walk--a nice lake to visit with huge shelter--hiking trails.






Restaurant In Goreville


Since organizing this ride----one of the restaurants in Goreville (Delaney's) will not be open on weekends--------a real bummer.
So just one tiny, tiny restaurant for breakfast----it's called H&H and doesn't even have a sign---but it's behind the gas station on the West side of the road. This place cannot handle all of us---or even half of us.

Subway---at the North end of town is open at 7AM both Saturday and Sunday and has breakfast sandwiches.

There's also a great Bar--B--Cue place not far away---7.5 miles away called Triple E Bar-B-Cue-----and they serve a fine breakfast.
It opens at 7AM both Saturday and Sunday and is more equipped for a crowd.
Go North on route 37---go 4.5 miles turn right to stay on route 37.
Go .3 miles turn right on Lake Of Egypt Road.
Go 2.7 miles East to Triple E Barbecue on your left (North).




GPS File For The Ride


A gps file for the ride will be provided in a .gpx format.
There will be 2 tracks for each day----all 4 under 500 points.
There will be many waypoints on the file for the campground, shower at campground, Gas, Food and neat stuff.
Pay attention to the waypoints as they come on to your screen-----you may ride right by something really neat.



People without gps's can always follow someone that does.
Be sure and inform the guy you are following you don't have one so he can keep an eye on you at turns. If you get lost----it's not your group leaders fault------it's the fault of the guy that was riding in front of you and was suppose to be watching out for you. Ride with people that ride your pace.
Don't expect real fast riders to wait on you--they probably really don't want to.

There will be no maps or rollcharts for guidance---just gps tracks.

There will be no "gps routes" provided---just a track log. Routes that are made with one version of gps mapping software can't be shared with a person with another version--------it doesn't work. If you want a route in your gps you will need to create it yourself for your gps----that's what I will do.

When do kickstands go up each day ????
Whenever you like----we will not be riding in one group--I expect people to break up into 20 groups or so.

GAS


Saturday Gas
In downtown Goreville there are 2 small gas stations with snacks.
On Saturdays route there is gas available out by the interstate in Golconda about 32 miles in to the
the ride--get off route to get gas there----but most people
can probably make the 143 miles to gas in the town of Grand Tower----this station is on the route and it has snacks.

Sunday Gas
42 miles to first gas---just barely off the route---pay attention to the waypoints.
102 miles to next gas---and lunch if you desire.
Then it will be another 70 miles to gas in the town of Vienna.

Food on Route

Saturday
After breakfast in Goreville---there are snacks and the typical gas station food available at the 2 gas stops.
But if you can hold out for 160 miles--there is a cool place to eat called the Bottoms Up Bar and Grill after you leave Grand Tower
which the route goes right by---looks like an old barn----but it ain't. It's in a little town called Nunert----population 6.
Don't eat too much-or you won't want beans that night.
Me---I'm eating a big breakfast in Goreville---and just light snacking the rest of the day in anticipation of beans---and cobbler back at the campground.



Sunday
About 90 miles into the ride just North of Cave-In-Rock there is a waypoint "Gas/Food/CaveInRock"----eat there if you like----she will make you
a sandwhich just like your mother made you when you were a snot nosed kid---or throw you out if you don't behave.
or continue on the route for about 15 miles and there are more opportunities to eat in downtown Cave-In-Rock.
There won't be another gas station till the town of Vienna about another 70 miles.


Mileage
Saturdays route is 226 miles long----start very early to make a nice leisurely day of it.

Sundays ride is 204 miles long.

Too many miles for you ????? Want to get home early ????
I don't believe in cutting a ride short so you can get home and mow the grass or get your beauty sleep before work the next day.
So----just short cut the course however you like. You will be disqualified however
For non gps users----I'd bring a map.

Campfire Entertainment
Will be provided by "Nasty Ned and His Nine Nasty Nose Pickers"


Food For Thought
For you poor guys with jobs-------why not get Friday and Monday off of work-------or at least Monday.
That way you can enjoy this ride and being with friends without being in a hurry and worrying about hurrying thru the ride or short cutting the ride just to get home.


Nearest Motel
Contact Info:
Lake Tree Inn & Suites
9600 Lake of Egypt Road
Marion, IL 62959
618-995-1738
A waypoint for this motel will be on the gps file.
GPS coordinates:
N37° 37.221"
W88° 58.524"



It's actually not even close to Marion--but has a Marion address.

GPS File Is Done--Here is the link to it.

http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?p=25228788#post25228788

GPS file notes.
If you have no idea what to do with this gps file or don't know if your gps will even load tracks---please take all those questions elsewhere in the gps forums ---otherwise we'll have 300 pages of gps questions on this thread. Try to get all that out of the way before arriving at the ride.

1. Be sure and note---there are 2 tracks for Saturdays route--please note they cross each other---but are different colors---so pay attention or you'll get all screwed up and find yourself riding the route backwards.

2. Tracks are less than 500 points each so should be no problem loading into a proper gps that has the capability to load tracks---if yours won't---your on your own on what to do. IF you want to make a "route" out of the track (I am for myself) you are on your own to do so. Please don't post routes you made----other people will have other mapsets and probably won't be able to use them. Tracks are universal and always work.

3. Lots of nice waypoints for gas, food, and neat stuff--pay attention to them. Some of them are cautions that you need to know. Most are neat stuff to look at.

4. Please note "Slow For Horses" in the high knob area.

5. There is one hard section on Saturday---and one on Sunday. I am not about to tell you if you can ride them or not--this has already been talked about in this thread. But there is a short track to get around it---and a waypoint to tell you which way is hard and which way is easy.

6. When riding thru the campground right on the Mississippi river-----riding out on that sand will find you in jail.

7. These tracks have been ridden recently---but things can change overnight----a road could be blocked---or gated--or become private--or a horrible dangerous situation could have developed----you are responsible to heed these signs. Example----a gate can be put up on a levee overnite---they put them up whenever they feel like it----find your way around. Do not go past a no-trespassing sign or a gate.

Scouting Ride
This will give you a very good idea of the terrain this ride goes thru.
And may help you decide just what bike you need to do the ride.
My 690 is so slow---I get literally passed by a baby cow in this video--how humiliating is that ????

Click HD----in the settings to get a real good looking video--if you have the speed.
<iframe width="853" height="480" src="" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

More Shawnee Forest Video 10-7-14---this "WON'T" be on the 2014 Loosenut ride.
<iframe width="853" height="480" src="" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

In and waiting patiently

Lets do this.

IN!!!

Sent from here..

I will provide food and cook at the campground on one night if everybody agrees.. However it will be what I cook ( spicy bratwurst) and I don't want to hear any pissing and moaning about it! No matter how bad it is I'm sure it will be followed by peach cobbler...

Sent from here..

This is pure torture! I'm counting down the days like a prisoner waiting for release.

Not to take away from Killer's bean soup on the other nite!

Sent from here..

IN, pending life and stuff, and THANK YOU for planning ahead

I have to choose my vacation slots before the first of the year...

if i be still alive , why not

I got a 20gal cast iron pot to bring next time so we won't run out.

So count me IN

shit i can help u out cook that, know few trix , ask Nick

Wow--By then i'll have been retired for 6 months. Think I can fit that weekend into my busy schedule. Many places to go--so little time

. I'm in and want to help this year.

I'm in and camping this time around :eek1.......most of you wear your footie pajamas around campfire right

Planning on it

Well I am gonna try to make this one.