Fifty Plus (50+) - The River's Down Again!

The river is finally down- I get to do my favorite ride tomorrow! Two rivers, three ferries, hills and flats.
Pics from the flood... Mississippi (road pic) and Illinois Rivers, just above where the Miss and Illinois rivers meet at Grafton, Il.

I know that ride.

So where and when do you start?

If everything goes per plan, I'll leave my house (near Jerseyville) about 7:00, head to St. Charles via Grafton Ferry, come back via Golden Eagle and Brussels. Only unknown is the Golden Eagle, but their "Closed" sign was down at the Brussels ferry tonight.

How fast do you normally ride?

With a little more advance notice I could meet you at Seburger and Hwy B or maybe at Smartt Field but I don't think that I could get it together by tomorrow morning.

Normally ride about 15 average. This was a ride of opportunity- was expecting to ride to Alton and back, drove the RR on the way home to scout it out, and the ferry was open. We talked about organizign a St. Charles ride last year, and never got to it. Have to make it a sure thing this year.

I'd be for that. 15 might be a bit of a push for me but I can do it. I'm thinking that September or October would be good. "Three Ferrys" is a good ride.

Yippee! Enjoy it.

Or it could rain overnight and turn all the dirt covered trails and roads into a mess again...

Or it could rain overnight and turn all the dirt covered trails and roads into a mess again...

I noticed that this morning too.

I'm in South (St Louis) County. I'd be up if you promise not to leave me in the dust (or mud).

I'm in South (St Louis) County. I'd be up if you promise not to leave me in the dust (or mud).

You can trust me on that one.

I revived the thread from last year- let's take the ride organization there...
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=326554 (http://http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=326554)

It seems to me I have been hearing about that flooding for over a month. Is that just my imagination? If not, where did all the water come from to cause the flood and why did it stay around so long?

Two months, really. SNow melt, then extended rain in the Mississippi River basin, up north. Stays around so long because the river and basin/floodplain are massive.

Wow, that bike path sign tells the story of just how flooded it got.

You're going to need some rains to clean those trails off. I don't care much for those mud-covered asphalt trails.

You're going to need some rains to clean those trails off. I don't care much for those mud-covered asphalt trails.

If you think that's bad, just wait until autuum. There's a pretty good little downhill on that trail with a sharp turn at the bottom where the falling leaves collect. I think that the local orthopod has adopted that section of the trail.

I rode from Marquette Park to the "Dragon Cave" and back recently. The trails in Grafton were still submerged. They may be dry now but I would expect a layer of mud.
I often ride the levees in Calhoun Co. on my mtb. We are having mud and loose gravel issues.
A group ride sounds interesting. 15 MPH would be pushing it for me, but I could probably do it.