Southern Illinois

Great------------hope you have many years of good times riding with him. Sure wish my son hadn't quit riding and started the corporate thing. I've just got the memories now.

Did he get a street leagle wr? My ridding buddy is really interested in them says they make 2 differant ones.

Yes he did, he put 250 miles on it today, he said it is loosening up and get a little more peppy. The Yamaha shop said this was the last year they were making it, who knows if that is correct but your friend might want to look into that.

Mark, Yesterday I went down and parked at Horseshoe lake where you did. I rode the levee bypassing Cairo, crossed the Mississippi and immediately got on the levee riding South. I rode levees almost all the way to Caruthersville Mo. I crossed into Tennessee and found the levee roads asap. Rode levees almost entirely to Hickman. Rode the twisty paved roads to Wickliffe KY. I crossed the Ohio and bypasses Cairo again on the levee. I rode the field roads South of Horseshoe lake and was done. I bet I rode close to 150 miles of levee roads. Cows on the levee New Madrid Confederate monument
Tennessee levee

Great-----------that is some fun stuff-----------and the weather has been awesome lately.
Mark

Watch yourself around Dutton Chapel next Saturday. The Nine Day Trail Ride will be finishing up, but may still have hundreds of horses around there. You may get a lot more looks.

Is that restaurant at the Double M Campground? Only place I can imagine it being.

YOu're getting dangerously close to Hog Rock down in that territory!

Yes it's at the Double M----------I love riding down and having breakfast there.
Me and Loosenut have done that multiple times.
Only open on weekends.
And closes seasonally in the dead of winter sometime-----December ???

And the other cool thing about the place--keeping in mind this is a horse campground-------on the TV in there they are constantly playing old Westerns--------some in black and white. It's common they have on Josey Wales or a John Wayne movie. True Grit was playing while me and my wife were there.
This completely eliminates the 99% of crap on your home TV
Mark

That's good to know. We were actually near there yesterday morning. Went east from Equality instead, going through Shawneetown on our way to a little loop into KY. Crossed on the ferry at Cave-In-Rock and then ate catfish on the boat in E-town. Boy, was that good, as usual!

Came back by Iron Furnace and up and over Williams Hill. Great day for a ride.

Mark, my best friend and co-worker just said he talked to you and your wife for a little while saterday, Clint was his name, he is hard of hearing and rides a KLR.

Yes----------I met him and his son at the gas station in McCleansboro.
My wife commented how nice and polite both of them were.
They talked about their big ride they just finished on the Blue ridge parkway.
Bikes looked very well set up.
I didn't notice his hearing.
We thought they were friends-------not father and son.
Just was neat to see father and son out and enjoying each other. You don't see that much anymore it seems.


We are contemplating camping at Fern Clyffe this weekend---------it's suppose to cool off again and riding some more of the tunnel Hill trail on our bicycles. May even try to get Loosenut to come. He's got a brand new toy hauler that needs used.
Mark

Yes my son and I and Clint and Wade spent 9 days on a 2,200 mile trip to the BRP and SMNP, we had some rain but all in all it was a good trip, Clint and his son are as close as any father/son I have ever seen, we spend quite alot of time together, at work, riding, or farm related things.

We were going to do the forest road last thinking maybe they mite be loading up, but no such luck, we turned around where the horse trail met the FS road, didn't want to tangle with the throngs of horse riders, the tension is already high enough between horse people and moto people, maybe next time we can ride it.

I
Wanted to say thanks to our tourguides let's do it again soon!

It was a fun day for sure.

Well was out pokin' around for small towns----------population under 10.
Found Raddle, Illinois just north of Grand Tower not far from the Bottoms Up Bar and Grill.
Population 2 maybe ?????

Anyway this town has some significance for us adventure riders and music lovers as this is where they have the "Raddle In the Bottom" music festival each year. I've never been but am going to try to be there this year if I'm back from Nevada at that time ???
This year "HayDuke and his wife Tammy " (adventure inmates) are playing there this year.
They are very good---I've watched some of their you tube videos.

The date is September 24th, 2017-------not sure about the time-----------Cowboy Brad knows more about it-----------calling Brad on the Red phone.

Chester bridge is still standing and hasn't blown in to the river again.
I always hang here for a while each time I come hear and relish in telling whoever pulls in about when the whole middle of the bridge blew into the river in 1942---------and have yet to find someone who already knew it------even locals.
Built 1940
Went in the river 1942
Rebuilt and re-opened 1944

There is a plaque there that states the bridge has only been closed once in all it's life because of flooding---in 1993----------------not so--------it was closed this year for a few days.

http://greatriverroad.com/meetohio/moeventpages/raddlemusic.htm

Well crap my favorite old bridge in Illinois is no longer passable--------it was barely last year.
We had to skip over some missing boards------but you can't do that now.
Water has always gotten over the bridge bottom occasionally--------but looks like the boards just floated away this time.
This bridge was built in 1892 and goes over the Little Wabash river just North of I-64.
You can get to it from both sides on gravel and dirt roads.

Same bridge last year.