Du Quoin Illinois - GWRRA Southern Illinois Ride In

I was awake at 4:30 and thought about getting up and finishing yesterday's blog. Instead, I went back to sleep until 6:30. Then I got up and sorted out yesterday's maps and photos, writing an IOU for the story part.

Bill's unique Pack-It Rack

It was 44F out when we headed over to the fairgrounds at 7:40. On the bike. Yes, we still do ride from time to time. The breakfast, included in the registration, consisted of eggs (scrambled by Willie or cooked to order), biscuits, gravy and sausage patties. It hit the spot on this chilly morning.

Early morning breakfast crowd

Scrambling Willie

There were three rides scheduled to go out today. The first was a scenic ride for two wheels only leaving at 9:00 AM. The second was the same but was open to three wheelers, leaving at 9:15. Last of all was a ride to Flamm Orchards and then on  to the Moving Wall at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. We opted for the third ride because Willie was leading it.

The first ride only had a few bikes. The second had a lot more and showed just how many trike riders were in the group. When it came our turn, we had three bikes (Willie, Sandy & I and Charlie) and one car (Jim & his wife). The car would become important later on.

The first ride

Interesting trees at the fairground

The second ride

Ride three (us)

The third ride pulled out just after 10:00. Willie led us across some straight back roads through fields of corn. Periodically, there would be a 40 mph corner and I found Illinois judges the warning speeds better than a lot of other states. We rode down to his town of Murphysboro where the Apple Festival Parade was just getting underway. We skirted the town and started down a series of roads that went through the trees and didn't have centre lines because they weren't wide enough. Finally, when my back tire broke free in one curve, I realized that they had put down a fine layer of stone on top of the blacktop in some places. When my tires were crunching, I took it easy. The route was such that I needed to recover the track from my GPS later on to figure out where we had gone.

Following Willie

Eventually, we came to Flamm Orchards and lined up at the food window. Willie ordered two apple dumplings and found out that they were the last ones, although more would be along in a few minutes. He insisted that Sandy and I take these two and he would wait, so we had them with ice cream. They were awesome, but one between the two of us would have been enough.

Sandy's Gerbing electric jacket liner wasn't giving off any heat. We've had problems with this before but this was the first time this year that she used it. Because it was still relatively chilly, Jim and his wife offered to let her ride in their car. With blankets. I switched to my light gloves.

Charlie, Willie and Jim at Flamm Orchards

The roads on the next stretch actually had centre lines. We rode across to Carbondale and SIU. After being told we couldn't park in the lot next to the Wall, we moved over to another lot and then walked back. There were a lot of veterans present, as might be expected. The wall is a sobering tribute to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice serving their nation, something that needs to be honored no matter what one thinks about the merits of that particular war. There were maps where people stuck coloured pins to note where they served during the conflict.

The Moving Wall

Willie, Charlie and Sandy at The Wall

Sticking pins in the map of Southeast Asia

While we were at The Wall, Willie got a call from Carlene. Butch and Theresa from Kentucky had seen that we were in the area and had driven up to say hello. We skipped the rest of the scenic ride and headed straight back up 51 to the fairgrounds. Butch and Teresa had brought their truck and dog and were patiently waiting for us to return. It was really good to see them. We will be neighbors in Maggie Valley next May, but that is a long way off.

Butch, Teresa and Sandy

There were motorcycle games after all the rides got back but we didn't partake. Later in the afternoon, I saw something I had never seen at a motorcycle rally. They had a dog show. They were all smaller dogs and they were judged on a variety of criteria, but I have no idea what those criteria were.

GWRRA dog show

I spent some time talking to a man who had switched from a Class A gas RV to a 5th wheel hauled by a Ford 3/4 ton diesel. We talked about the power of the diesel handling the 13,000 pound load and he showed me the hitch system. I asked a lot of questions because I hope that a 5th wheel toy hauler is somewhere in our future.

Our future RV?

After the dog show, they presented awards. Our new friend Bill was the second furthest ridden and the second oldest. There were no awards for second, but James rode the furthest to get to the event and received a certificate. Then they drew for door prizes and the official schedule for the Ride In came to a close.

Awards galore

Willie and Carlene and the closing comments

As the others were pulling out, Willie invited Sandy and I back for a pot luck held by their local chapter. We took the bike back to the hotel and then went back to the fairgrounds in the truck, where we enjoyed a meal with Willie and Carlene and their fellow club members. These are great folks and, if the schedules align again next year, we will be by again. Thanks to Willie and The Lovely Carlene for inviting us.

Willie taking down the last screw holding the tarp

After supper, we headed back to the hotel, hooked up the trailer and loaded the bike.Then we talked to Patty the desk clerk, who was supposed to be off tonight but stopped by to say hello. Finally, we headed off to the room to pack the gear and get some sleep for the drive tomorrow.

Patty at the Super 8 

Today's Route (76 motorcycle miles):

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Michigan City Indiana to Du Quoin Illinois

We gained an hour this morning due to the time change. They had no Raisin Bran or yogurt on the continental breakfast, so we made do with Special K and toast. Then again, the hotel cost $50 taxes in, and was clean, so I can't complain about cereal. Oh wait, I just did......

We were on the road just after 7:00 AM. It was 10C here under overcast skies, although it was 4C back home and Jamey T was reporting 6" of snow on the ground in Lead, South Dakota. I could have used some Global Warming right about then.

I-94 got busier as we approached Illinois. We crossed Thornton Quarry, one of the largest aggregate quarries in the world. The interstate crosses the middle of it on a dike. When 94 turned north, we continued on I-80/I-294, a toll road. It said I-Pass straight ahead and directed that people paying cash exit to the toll plaza. I saw this same situation where transponder holders were able to bypass the toll plaza once before in New Hampshire. It encourages transponder use. I only had an E-ZPass, so I grabbed a handful of money and headed for the booth. When I got there, the young lady told me my pass worked. Good to know that I-Pass and E-ZPass are interchangeable.

I-94 approaching Illinois

Things get slower

Now we are crawling

Thornton Quarry

The toll booth I didn't need to use

Soon, we exited onto I-57 and headed south. Almost immediately, the urban background dropped away and we found ourselves in peaceful rural surroundings. Lots of corn. There were signs indicating that there was construction ahead on 57 and suggesting drivers consider an alternate route. Then there was a sign at an exit identifying an alternate route. But I figured if most drivers took the alternate route, the main road shouldn't be too bad. In fact, all that we encountered was two single lane sections for bridge rebuilding. We usually encounter more than this with no warning whatsoever.

The land is flat here. Almost like Saskatchewan except prettier. I watched the elevation on the GPS and it didn't change more than 14 feet in ten miles. Following yesterday's discovery, I set the cruise at 70 MPH. The computer told me I was only getting 11 to 12 MP(US)G until I caught a Marten truck doing 69. That was OK so I tucked in about two seconds back and watched the mileage jump to 16/18. This works if the trucks are going fast enough, which they were here.

Crummy view but great mileage

Flatlanders for sure

There was a WalMart just north of Rantoul where we stopped and loaded up on food. Our Styrofoam cooler was packed by the time we were done. I got the feeling that Rantoul would be a very pleasant place to live.

Continuing south, we caught up to a very slow mover hauling hay. Then we caught another that was hauling an unidentified load with a terrible tarping job on it. He tried to secure the tarp with bungee cords but it was flapping severely. I was concerned that it might come off completely, which could spell disaster for any vehicles following.

Slow load

Dangerous load

Further on in Effingham, we stopped at a Culver's because Sandy had a hankering for a caramel cashew sundae. This is a magical dish that I skipped due to the high sugar content. I consoled myself with a mushroom Swiss butter burger. While we were there, Sherm called to say that he and Lanny were in ES but that it was cold and wet. Just like Effingham. They were going to go sightseeing in his truck. I told him we would be in Sunday afternoon. On the way out of town, I fueled at a Phillips 66 and paid $3.349 per gallon.

Culver's in Effingham Illinois

Culver's respect veterans

Best gas prices we have seen so far

After another while of driving, I started to get very tired so we stopped at a McDonald's in Mount Vernon for a coffee to go and a brief walk around. I had to park in a "Buses Only" spot because it was busy and they had no provision for trailers. The fatigue is a real problem but it goes away as quickly as it shows up if I can stop for a few moments.

Sweet tea at Mickey D's - we're in the south again

We finally got off I-57 at Illinois 14 and drove west to DuQuoin. Before we went to the motel, we stopped at the fairgrounds to find the GWRRA Southern Illinois 30th Annual Ride In site. One we were through the main gate, the Ride In directions were well marked with bright yellow signs. Soon we had navigated to the camping area and the blue registration tent. Carlene was in the pavilion but it was just after two and Willie was still at work. Some nice ladies gave us our registration packages and we headed off to the Super 8 to get checked in and settled.

Sandy with our goodie bag

Head organizer Carlene heading for registration

 Nice banner

The motel was just a short ways from the fairgrounds. We pulled into a mostly empty lot and Patty checked us in. Then we unloaded the bike and parked and unhooked the trailer before carrying all the bags up to the second floor room. No elevator, of course.

About 4:00 PM, we headed back to the fairgrounds in the truck. This was the first time in a long while that we have attended an event where we knew almost nobody, so we got into meet and greet mode. First we talked to Mike and Peggy who we had met in the Soo last year. Then we sat with Bill, Joan and James from up on Highway 24 in the northern part of the state. Then I got wandering and met Hub and his wife and Nate and Tina. While I was talking to them, I noticed a red stain on my clean jeans. As I wondered where it came from, I further noticed a lot of blood running down my right forearm. Tina was a nurse and got out a huge first aid kit, patching three nicks in my elbow. I have no idea what I did, but he Plavix blood thinner causes me to bleed like a stuck pig from time to time. Thanks, Tina.

Supper started at 5:00 and consisted of buns, large quantities of pulled pork, beans and slaw. It was great. After supper, I watched a tame Canada goose mooching popcorn. He insisted on being hand fed and, when the lady feeding him stopped, he would tug on her jacket sleeve until she gave him some more.

Mooching goose

Willie arrived a bit early. The evening activity consisted of Dirty Bingo. This moves faster than our Kris Kringle Dirty Santa. Every one wrote down six numbers between 1 and 40 on a sheet of paper. There were a lot of wrapped gifts at the front. Willie called numbers and, when one of yours came up, you would go to the front and get a gift but not open it. When the gifts ran out, those whose numbers were called would take a gift from someone who already had one. Like our game, the goal was to have the last number called. Willie said at the outset that most people would have nothing at the end after their friends stole from them but that whining and crying was not permitted in Dirty Bingo. Sandy and I were lucky enough to each end up with a gift. Hers was Fiddle-Faddle and an insulated mug while I got glow-in-the-dark bracelets.

Willie calling Dirty Bingo

James, Joan, Sandy and Bill

Our two gifts

After Bingo, some of us went to the Country Store downtown for ice cream. Those who follow this blog will remember how the proprietor, Bob, won two lotteries which allowed him to retire from his main job and keep the shop open. The ice cream was excellent and the ambiance was unique.

We headed back to the motel and got in about 8:00. Although I set the blog post up, I didn't get a chance to finish the story. So much for staying caught up.

Today's Route (338 Avalanche miles):

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Sudbury Ontario to Michigan City Indiana

After a summer that ahs involved way too little travel, we were really looking forward to getting on the road to the VROC Eureka Springs World Reunion in Arkansas. This has traditionally been our last hurrah before settling in for the long winter months.

It was a busy week getting ready to go. The Avalanche suffered a cam/lifter failure after the WWR trip in August, requiring a very expensive repair. To increase protection, I took it in and had the oil changed to full synthetic. I also bumped the tire pressures up from the recommended 30 PSI to 35 (the Silverado recommends 35 despite being the same weight and GVWR as the Avi). I took the trailer in to Larry's to have a loose wheel bearing checked and both sides greased. And I tried to change the rusted out exhaust tips on the bike but broke a bolt off, so I took it to Northstar to have them drill it out and re-tap the hole. They also installed the micro-switch on the brake lever so the cruise control would work and changed the burnt out trunk light bulb.

With all the rolling stock dealt with, I caught up all my Treasurer's work for the MS Society and the Freedom Riders, as well as attending the first Action Sudbury meeting of the fall. And I still got in nine holes of golf on Tuesday. After all this, I was really ready to get out of town.

We had steady rain all yesterday afternoon and evening, so the bike didn't get loaded until after I got up this morning at 5:30 AM. It was warm last night despite the rain, but a cold front had passed through since then. The temperature this morning was 7C but felt like 3 (38F for those using that other scale), however, the rain had ended. With the cold and damp, it was a perfect morning to appreciate our membership in the WHORE (We Haul Our Rides Everywhere) ranks. Sandy was smiling as she climbed into the cab of the truck.

After getting breakfast and coffee at Tim Horton's, we were rolling at 7:30 AM heading out through the Soo. Our destination for the day was Michigan City, Indiana, just over 600 miles away. As we drove along, we tuned into talk radio and listened to the coverage of the 13th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

The leaves were starting to change colour as we chugged along into a headwind. We stopped at Tim's in McKerrow to use the facilities and so I could re-torque the trailer lug nuts. They were fine, as were the bike tie-downs. However, there was a glitch. When I ordered the trailer, I got the optional rear stabilizer jacks to allow me to load the bike without being hooked to the truck. I had them down the other day to check the bearings and I guess I didn't get the left one locked up properly. I don't know how long I had been dragging it, but the flat foot plate was ground off as was part of the shaft. One mounting bolt was broken but the aluminum mounting plate was thick and didn't suffer any damage. I got out the tool kit and removed what was left of the jack. I'll have to mount a new one when I get back.

All that's left of the left rear stabilizer jack

Odd looking cloud

Leaves starting to change

The rest of the trip to the Soo was uneventful. We stopped at still another Tim's for a comfort break and then proceeded to the International Bridge after taking a detour to avoid a closed section of Wellington Street. I stopped to put the extended absence greeting on my Canadian cell phone and get out my US TracFone, a ritual every time we cross the border.

The International Bridge crossing can be a problem if traffic gets backed up but today was a charm. It took a total of 15 minutes to wait in line, talk to the officer and then clear the toll booth. All this despite heavy construction work on the plazas. The electronic signs above each lane were configured to remember 9/11, a nice touch.

Short line at the International Bridge

US Customs & Border Protection remembers 9/11

Just off the bridge, we saw an electronic sign that said "Don't veer for deer". The latest recommendation is that, if a collision is unavoidable, it is better to hit the deer rather than swerve into oncoming traffic or go off the road and roll. I can't see this as an attractive strategy when on a motorcycle.

On the way south, we encountered an southbound  stretch of I-75 that was closed due to construction. We were forced to get off at Rudyard and follow a back road almost to St. Ignace. Then we found the Mackinac Bridge was under construction and traffic was restricted to the centre steel grate lane. Actually, this is not unusual since they are usually doing bridge maintenance. It didn't bother us in the truck but a few bikes ahead of us didn't like it. One was a Warthog, a law enforcement club. I gave them plenty of room in case they got into trouble.

Short toll line at the Big Mac

Bikes ready to cross on steel grating

 We stopped at Indian River for fuel. I was hoping to get a gas station sandwich but they didn't have any, so we settled for the McDonald's across the street. Up until now, I had been experimenting with traveling 55, 60 and 65 MPH. All seemed to be giving me the usual 12 to 13 MPG. So I cranked it up to 70 and, instead of downshifting for the hills, I cancelled the cruise control on the grades. The fuel mileage was the same, perhaps a tad better. The new driving mode should enable us to cover more ground for the same cost.

We left I-75 for US 127 South and followed it to US 10 near Clare. Driving east on 10, we stopped at a Marathon for some snack food to help me wake up. I got cheese and venison sausage in a package that took my Buck knife to get open.

Reaching US 131, we turned south. Before Grand Rapids, we had to get off and take another detour due to a closed freeway. With all the road construction going on, I have to wonder where Michigan is getting all the money.

Another line to get off a closed freeway

Been driving too long......

We made one last stop at a Benton Harbor exit for more fuel. Sandy, the kids and I accidentally found ourselves in downtown Benton Harbor back in 1989. It was like a scene from On The Beach with all the stores closed and nobody to be found. It was scary. We didn't go back downtown to see if it has improved.

Sandy phoned her Mom as we were in the home stretch to let her know that all was well. We arrived at the Super 8 in Michigan City just before 8:00 PM. There was a Culver's restaurant nearby but, after the snacks, neither of us was hungry enough to walk over. I spent the evening posting the bills, importing the photos, making the maps and finishing this blog entry. I want to stay as caught up as possible this trip.

There is a couple here at the S8 who left Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan yesterday evening heading to visit family in Ontario. The guy is RCAF and was formerly in Cold Lake. He rides a 900 Vulcan Classic so I suggested he check out VROC.

Tomorrow, we head on the DuQuoin, Illinois and the GWRRA (Gold Wing Road Riders Association) Ride In being organized by Willie Wonka and Carlene. We'll ride with them on Saturday before heading on to ES on Sunday morning.

By the way, I left the ASUS XP Netbook at home and am using a Dell Inspiron Windows 7 machine that I inherited from my father-in-law. So far, a few challenges have cropped up but nothing that I haven't been able to deal with.

Today's Route (628 Avalanche Miles):

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