beingtxstate

Finally, the weather and my schedule worked out so that I could take a little jaunt out into the country. Total ride was just under just over 19 miles, and it was so peaceful to be alone with my thoughts, the rolling road, and the breeze.


That's the "mighty" Kaskaskia River about 10 miles from its source. All the small creeks are ditched and straightened like that here in order to drain the field tiles.


Obligatory bicycle shot 1


That pretty much wraps up the scenery here. Also, this is township and range country, which makes for some of the straightest long stretches of road. Sometimes, like today, that's good, other times it will drive you mad.


Obligatory rolling cockpit shot


All of the little towns in this area serve one purpose: Get the corn and soy beans to market. This being the case, these little towns spring up around a RR track with a grain mill/silo.


Seymour, IL. Not much here other than the silo...though there were a few quaint, if run down houses.


Bondville, IL, the next town over.


Pretty much self-explanatory


Obligatory rolling shadow shot. It must have been the 1st time I've see the sun since October!


Obligatory bike shot 2 This is the foot bridge over Copper Slough about 100 yards from my house.

Overall it was a wonderful ride. I got fresh air, didn't freeze (even though there is still snow and ice about), and got the invigorating feeling of renewed motivation for more, longer rides! I hope next week works out so I can go explore some of the many other little farm towns around here.

East Hill

Great commentary .

I have changeable weather here--one minute it looks as if it is going to pour buckets, the next minute it's clear as a bell!

But the flowers are starting to emerge, and so shall I .

By the way, there needs to be some serious painting on that P.O.

East Hill

beingtxstate

That could be said about everything in both of these towns. Nothing looked like it had had a fresh coat of paint since the 70's

East Hill

I was trying to decided if that P.O. started out pink, or if it had just faded from red .

East Hill

markhr

thanks for posting - looks hilly

beingtxstate

Got to love the midwest! The biggest hills are the overpasses! It is all about headwinds here...

Mazama

Thanks for the post. Looks nice and chilly there.

markhr

I can sympathise, I once did almost every underpass on the North circular in London. Now that was hard work.

Swimjim

Come up my way. That don't call Illinois the flat lands for nothing. Wisconsin is a whole different animal. I'll take you out near Holy Hill and you'll be saying holy c**p if you can in fact finish the ride.

Jim

10 Wheels

Nice Bike, Thanks for the pics.

BigBlueToe

I enjoy the midwest, though I've never really lived there. I did spend two summers in Winner, South Dakota, and I've done the RAGBRAI. It's so different from Northwest Washington, where I grew up, or the central coast of California, where I live now. After driving through the midwest a couple of times I thought it was the most boring place and wondered how anyone could live there, but after spending some time I came to realize that it had it's unique charm.

Thanks for sharing. I enjoyed the pictures and your captions.

tpelle

Took my first ride in probably a month today. I think it got up to pretty close to 60F today. I did about 24 miles, and was one whipped puppy at the end. The first half of the ride was a long gentle uphill, but against the wind. At my turnaround point it started to drizzle. I put on my helmet cover - I was already wearing a rain/wind jacket and windpants - and started home.

I was passed by a total of eight riders on seven bikes - one a tandem - and I envied that guy his stoker (for more reasons than one). They were pretty strung out - first a group of three with one clyde who was keeping up but looking pretty bonked - then a single rider, then the tandem, then two more riders bringing up the rear, and I bet there was a gap of a mile between each group.

My legs were really tired on the way home, and for the final leg of a mile or so I can take one of two branches. One branch has a long moderately uphill grade, and the other route is pretty flat with one steep hill at the end. I took the second one, but when I got to the hill I was just too pooped out. I walked the bike up the hill! First time I've done that in months.