Jim's Ride Across America: Day 21 Goreville, IL to Chester, IL

Yorktown, Va to Chester, IL Completed 1207 Miles

Biking Detail Goreville, Il to Chester, IL

Day 21 Monday, June 1

Left our cozy little cabin at 8:00 AM and we got back on the trail at 8:10, headed to Carbondale. Will meet up with Andreas this evening so solo riding day and SAG day for Margie. Went through several miles in the Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge. Road kind of rough but no traffic and very scenic. Two pretty lakes along the route, Devils Kitchen Lake and Little Grassy Lake. Pretty stretch. Saw two deer next to the road. Arrived in outskirts of Carbondale about 10:15. We went off trail to the city center. Went past U Southern Illinois (Salukis) then to the bike shop.

Had a great early lunch at Longbranch Cafe and Coffee Shop in Carbodale, and had the first latte of the trip!!!! Back on 51 to meet up with the trail and then off to Murphysboro. Got to Murphysboro and while pulled over to decide which route to take (Alternate levee route or through Murphysboro) up came Andreas! Back on the road together to Chester along the levee route. Nice and flat for miles...nice change. Still very cloudy and cool with a few sprinkles. Rain coat weather.

Stopped at Bottoms Up Bar and Grill in Neunert. Closed on Mondays, but the owners father (Gerald) drove in as we stopped and opened it up for us! Couldn't get food but served up some nice cold beer. Had a great rest and visit! Place fills up every Wednesday night for their chicken special ($3.00) coming from as far as Carbondale and beyond...serving as many as 500 meals in one night and up to a two hour wait. Amazing. What a fun place in the middle of nowhere out on the Mississippi levee.

Gerald told us it was 15 miles to Chester before we left. Must have been a different way. We went along the levee and it was 15 miles before we met IL3. Another 10 miles to Chester after that. The road from Bottoms Up to IL3 was also pretty rough, like it had been scored, and then tar and gravelled and then cleaned up. Slightly better than riding on a Brillo Pad for 15 miles. It was so nice to have smooth highway the last 10 miles even though it was longer than anticipated. The final cruel surprise was the entry to Chester. After riding on the flats for 30 miles or so and 70 miles into the ride, we hit four or five climbs at 7%-8% in the 3 mile entry to Chester. Not a nice welcome!

Andreas stayed at the Eagles Lodge Bicycle Shack in Chester. Little to rustic for us so we traveled to Perryville, MO (12 miles away) to get a room at the Comfort Inn. Only one motel in Chester and no vacancy. Rooms filled with railroad workers and truckers! Will dive back to Chester in the morning and hop back on the bike route and cross the Mississippi by bike this time.