If you live in Southwestern or Southern Illinois, you may have seen this sign up on a bunch of roads.
If you're wondering what the sign is about, it's the route marker for the Illinois Great Rivers Ride. The seven-day ride begins next Sunday, Sept. 7, at the Lewis and Clark State Historic Site near Hartford, and the loop ride ends there Saturday, Sept. 13.
As a resident of the metro-east counties of the St. Louis metropolitan area, I welcome the cyclists who are touring our region.
I am, however, concerned about the impression you'll get of our region based upon the first day of riding. Some of what you'll see will fit into the negative stereotypes that many people have of our region.
Next Sunday's route begins at Lewis and Clark site, which has a nice museum that you should visit. The museum is located near the junction of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. Meriwether Lewis, William Clark and their Corps of Discovery spent the winter of 1803-04 near the museum before they took off on May 14, 1804.
Unfortunately, one of the prominent things you'll see near the site is a now-closed chemical plant which isn't very pretty at all.
The route then heads down Madison County Transit's Confluence Trail down to Chain of Rocks Road. Watch out for gravel on the trail and the road that links the trail with Chain of Rocks Road. When you get to the road, I encourage you to turn west and head to the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, which is now a bicycle and pedestrian bridge over the Mississippi River that links Chouteau Island and the city of St. Louis. The smaller bridge you'll cross goes over the Chain of Rocks Canal, which detours barge traffic past the dangerous rocks in the river.
Going east on Chain of Rocks Road, you will be on historic old Route 66. You'll be going through a commercial/semi-industrial area before turning onto Maryville Road into Granite City. For the most part, you'll be going through good, solid working-class neighborhoods.
Unfortunately, the route goes on Mockingbird Lane, which is truly one of the most wretched stretches of road I've ever seen. There's plenty of big bumps and potholes, and they're hard to avoid unless you go out toward the center of the road.
You get a reprieve when you hop on MCT's Schoolhouse Trail. Included are some nice views of Horseshoe Lake, a former oxbow of the Mississippi River. You'll probably also see a few crops that don't look like corn or soybeans. The odds are those are horseradish plants. The soil conditions near Collinsville make the region one of the best in the world for growing horseradish.
You'll turn off the trail on the west edge of Collinsville and then take Fairmont Avenue and Black Lane into the community of State Park Place. When you reach Collinsville Road, a four-lane highway, I recommend you make a side trip to the Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site. Visit the museum that explains the history of the Mississipian people that inhabited the region, and if you have enough energy, walk the stairs to the top of Monks Mound.
The route continues on Black Lane to Bunkum Road. Unfortunately, the St. Clair County Highway Department saw fit to put fresh oil and chip on the road last week, and the surface was extremely nasty last week, even for cars. I hope the oil and chip is smashed down enough by next Sunday for safe passage of the cyclists.
More fresh oil-and-chip awaits you as you travel on 79th and 81st Streets in East St. Louis. When you see the words East St. Louis, you most often think of poverty and crime. Fortunately, the eastern part of the city is generally safe. Frankly, I think the fresh oil-and-chip street surfaces will be a much bigger problem while traveling through East St. Louis that day than anything else.
You'll turn left onto State Street and start heading toward a big hill. Don't worry, you won't climb the hill. If you make a mistake and start climbing the hill, you'll be on Main Street in Belleville. Instead, the route turns right onto Illinois 157 toward Centreville. Illinois 157 isn't very scenic, and it narrows from four lanes to two with a narrow shoulder.
A big hill, however, does await you. You'll turn left onto Illinois 15 and climb a big hill to the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows. It's a worthwhile trip, especially if you're Catholic and understand the symbolism behind much of the features at the shrine. You'll go back down the hill to Illinois 157 and head into Centreville.
On your left, you'll see a sign for the Hwy 157 Spa. If you're expecting mudpacks, massages, facials and soothing New Age music, the Hwy 157 Spa isn't your place. Some of its neighbors include PT's and Boxers 'n Briefs, two adult nightclubs. I think you get the picture.
(Fortunately, Traverse City, Mich.-area massage therapist Michelle Kuffer will be accompanying the cyclists on their trek. I first met Michelle on the 2006 BubbaFest and got a massage from her on the 2007 West Shoreline Tour. She is very good and surprisingly strong!)
Further into Centreville, you'll turn right onto Illinois 163 and start a climb into more rural parts of St. Clair County, then you'll turn right onto Imbs Station Road and get a nice bit of downhill. But when you turn left onto Wagner Road, get ready for a twisty climb that's a nice challenge. The Wagner Road hill is part of the course for Millstadt Biathlon, which also will be run next Sunday. I suspect, however, that Great River Ride participants will get to the hill well after the biathlon is done.
The route rolls on Wagner and Bluffside roads into Columbia, the Day One destination. If you want a nice view, stop by the cemetery at the top of the hill before heading down the hill toward downtown Columbia. Once in Columbia, there appears to be an additional loop that takes you into the Mississippi River valley before returning to Columbia.
On Day Two, you'll travel on scenic Bluff Road toward Valmeyer. It's a popular St. Louis-area cycling route because it's flat and because of the towering bluffs that overlook the Mississippi River. The popularity also made Monroe County a battleground between cyclists and the natives.
Cyclists were partly to blame because they often did not obey traffic signs and often rode two or more abreast on the road and refused to move over for passing motorists on a relatively busy country road. The locals, however, were guilty of over-reaction. About a decade ago, the county attempted to force group rides of five or more people to get a permit to ride through the county. Thanks to the work of cycling advocates, that policy was modified to groups of 50 or more.
You'll see signs that say "Bicycles ride to the right and share the road," much different than the "Share the Road" signs you're familiar with. To some, the signs are indictative of the attitude Monroe County residents have toward cyclists. My advice is to ride single-file on Bluff Road to minimize problems with the locals.
You'll climb up Woodland Ridge to the "new" Valmeyer. Before the 1993 flood, the village was located on the bottom land just below the bluff and was devastated by that flood. The village, for the most part, decided to move up the bluff so that it would not be destroyed by future floods.
After Valmeyer, you'll ride on rolling to flat roads to the Fort de Chartres State Historic Site. The fort was built in the 1750s by the French, and it was abandoned in 1771. Parts of the fort have been reconstructed. Nearby is the community of Prairie du Rocher, which was founded by French settlers in the 1720s.
On Day Three, the route heads south to Grand Tower. On Days Four and Five, cyclists will encounter their hilliest days, ending in Vienna (pronounced Vy-enna in Southern Illinois) and Giant City State Park near Makanda respectively. On Sept. 12, the ride heads north to Sparta and the World Shooting and Recreational Complex. On Sept. 13, the ride concludes with a trek from Sparta back to the Lewis and Clark Historic Site.
I haven't had a chance to scout the route from Sparta to Hartford, but I suspect it will give you a more favorable opinion of Southwestern Illinois than you might have developed after the first day. I do know that you'll be going through the city of Edwardsville, probably on more MCT trails, and taking New Poag Road to the Lewis and Clark site.
I hope all of you doing the Illinois Great Rivers Ride have a safe and enjoyable trip. I think this year's route will give you a surprising picture of Illinois, especially for those of you who are only familiar with the Chicago area.Labels: bicycle rides, Illinois
Roger 0 comments links to this post 7:51 PM
Find out about the latest cycling news here!
Bicycle racing feeds
» Readers write about helmet-less pros, knee injuries and more
11/21/08 23:12 from The Journal of Competitive Cycling -
» Floyd Landis will ride for OUCH, a re-vamped team formerly known as Health Net-Maxxis.
11/21/08 22:25 from The Journal of Competitive Cycling -
» First Endurance EFS
11/21/08 21:25 from The Journal of Competitive Cycling -
» The Coach(ed) Corner: Donât be that guy
11/21/08 19:21 from The Journal of Competitive Cycling -
» Fred Dreier's final report from La Ruta 2008
11/21/08 17:08 from The Journal of Competitive Cycling -
» Piepoli 'B' samples positive
11/21/08 16:53 from Yahoo! Sport - Cycling
» Barloworld focuses on youth
11/21/08 15:58 from The Journal of Competitive Cycling -
» Leonardo Piepoli's B-sample from the Tour comes back positive for CERA EPO.
11/21/08 14:14 from The Journal of Competitive Cycling -
» Rock Racing hires Rudy Pevenage
11/21/08 13:42 from The Journal of Competitive Cycling -
» Valverde to focus on Tour in 2009
11/21/08 12:50 from The Journal of Competitive Cycling -
» Aussie pursuit team scores World Cup win
11/21/08 12:26 from The Journal of Competitive Cycling -
» City council to decide fate of local Tour of Missouri bid - Hannibal.net
11/21/08 12:07 from Tour of Missouri - Google News
» Armitstead crash hits GB chances
11/21/08 10:48 from BBC Sport | Other Sports | Cycling | World Edition
» Armstrong to face Hincapie Down Under
11/21/08 07:58 from Yahoo! Sport - Cycling
» A visit to the sports clinic delivers answers to a wounded rider itching to get back on his bike.
11/21/08 05:02 from The Journal of Competitive Cycling -
» Farrar's at camp, but his thoughts are with his hospitalized father - VeloNews
11/20/08 22:59 from Tour of Missouri - Google News
» UCI Track World Cup season continues in Melbourne
11/20/08 22:57 from USA Cycling News Headlines
» Farrar's at camp, but his thoughts are with his hospitalized father
11/20/08 22:50 from The Journal of Competitive Cycling -
» Garmin-Chipotle riders make suggestions for GPS improvements
11/20/08 21:55 from The Journal of Competitive Cycling -
» Defending champ Greipel back for more at '09 Tour Down Under
11/20/08 20:55 from The Journal of Competitive Cycling -
» Three-time Olympian, 61, still cycling, coaching - San Diego Union Tribune
11/21/08 19:22 from Lance Armstrong - Google News
» Angelo Zomegnan is happy about Armstrong coming to his race - Cyclingnews.com
11/21/08 12:24 from Lance Armstrong - Google News
» Sports Briefing | Cycling Armstrong vs. Hincapie - New York Times
11/21/08 09:29 from Lance Armstrong - Google News
» England manager Fabio Capello uses 'the look' to pep up his players - Telegraph.co.uk
11/21/08 07:49 from Lance Armstrong - Google News
» Try the NEW ESPN Search: - ESPN
11/21/08 02:18 from Lance Armstrong - Google News
» Lance Armstrong afraid French fans might attack - Los Angeles Times
11/21/08 00:21 from Lance Armstrong - Google News
» Miami Mayor Manny Diaz Named One of America's Best Leaders of 2008 - MarketWatch
11/20/08 21:08 from Lance Armstrong - Google News
» US News Names Diaz as One of America's Best Leaders - Miami New Times
11/20/08 19:38 from Lance Armstrong - Google News
» Lance Armstrong Named One of America's Best Leaders by US News ... - MarketWatch
11/20/08 18:49 from Lance Armstrong - Google News
» US News Media Group and Harvard's Center for Public Leadership ... - MarketWatch
11/20/08 17:45 from Lance Armstrong - Google News
» Biking adds to a healthy lifestyle, subtracts from costly commute
11/21/08 19:53 from C.I.C.L.E. ::
» The Sweetener in the Bailout
11/21/08 19:51 from C.I.C.L.E. ::
» Columbia Mayor Hindman works to improve intersection safety for walking & bicycling
11/21/08 18:20 from BicycleNews-MoBikeFed
» Kansas City approves Citywide Trails Plan
11/21/08 18:15 from BicycleNews-MoBikeFed
» Special Transportation Committee Meeting Tomorrow
11/20/08 23:45 from C.I.C.L.E. ::
» Trek introduces chainless bicycles
11/20/08 20:01 from C.I.C.L.E. ::
» Social networking, bicycle commuter style
11/20/08 19:58 from C.I.C.L.E. ::
» Put People on Paseo FAQ
11/20/08 18:33 from BicycleNews-MoBikeFed
» Bicycling on interstate freeway bridges--yup, it does work
11/20/08 18:20 from BicycleNews-MoBikeFed
» Put People on Paseo Campaign in Kansas City Star; Boneheaded MoDOT comments drive me to pledge another $1000
11/19/08 04:00 from BicycleNews-MoBikeFed
» Family of Robert Osborn displeased with sentence in murder
11/19/08 03:22 from BicycleNews-MoBikeFed
» Fatal rear-end collision with bicyclist results in traffic tickets only
11/19/08 03:14 from BicycleNews-MoBikeFed
» My sister tried to kill me on a bike ride
11/18/08 19:39 from C.I.C.L.E. ::
» Murderer of bicyclist Robert Osborn sentenced to 15 years
11/17/08 22:54 from BicycleNews-MoBikeFed
» Choosing a Bicycle
11/17/08 22:22 from C.I.C.L.E. ::
» Holiday greeting cards for cyclists
11/21/08 16:48 from Cyclelicious
» To stud or not to stud
11/20/08 21:10 from Cyclelicious
» Sinyard: Specialized could buy GM, but won't
11/20/08 21:10 from Cyclelicious
» Fixed and broken
11/20/08 12:00 from Cyclelicious
» Guitar Hero + Bicycle Mashup
11/19/08 23:55 from Cyclelicious
» Trek belt drive bicycle on CNN
11/19/08 20:37 from Cyclelicious
» What Measure B means for South Bay transit?
11/19/08 13:00 from Cyclelicious
» Cyclelicious for mobile devices
11/19/08 09:00 from Cyclelicious
» Boris Johnson rides his bike
11/18/08 22:45 from Cyclelicious
» It slices it dices it...
11/18/08 18:32 from Cyclelicious
» Let's Get Visible
11/18/08 17:19 from Cyclelicious
» Happy Monday
11/17/08 18:45 from Cyclelicious
» Important automotive recall
11/16/08 04:04 from Cyclelicious
» Gun racks for bicycles
11/14/08 19:55 from Cyclelicious
» New Specialized Concept Store to open in Palos Verdes
11/14/08 18:03 from The Cycling Dude
» Sidetracked
11/22/08 02:06 from Up in Alaska
» Bad joke time....
11/21/08 16:48 from Bike riding donut guy
» I'm famous!
11/20/08 19:01 from Up in Alaska
» Guidelines for Cats
11/20/08 16:15 from Bike riding donut guy
» Quit already, would ya.......
11/20/08 11:19 from Bike riding donut guy
» Bookkeeping
11/19/08 07:13 from Up in Alaska
» Notes
11/18/08 03:02 from Dan On Bike
» I'm right at that point........
11/17/08 18:10 from Bike riding donut guy
» Did you ever wonder................
11/17/08 10:26 from Bike riding donut guy
» First tracks
11/17/08 05:46 from Up in Alaska
» Mmmmm Mountain Dew.....
11/16/08 11:15 from Bike riding donut guy
» Cold November rain
11/16/08 06:00 from Up in Alaska
» November is lovely
11/15/08 00:29 from Up in Alaska
» Sorry if I offended anyone.........
11/14/08 10:17 from Bike riding donut guy
» Cranksgiving 2008
11/13/08 15:11 from Bike riding donut guy
Cycling blogs
Other blogs of note
Archives