The Thin Blue Ride - Part 2 Day 71 - Tunnel Hill, IL to Marion, KY

Sunday, August 18th, 2019

Ride Report:  61 Miles, 3,190 Total Miles, 15.0 Avg. mph, 4,160 Ft. Climbing, 5,021 Calories.  The last of which was good for a Super Sized Double Quarter Pounder Meal at McDonalds when we arrived in Marion this afternoon.  1,400 calories, BTW - I checked.  Add in the fries and we're up to maybe 2,500 total?  Only another 2,500 to go and I'll break even today...

So - Illinois went quickly eh?  One full day of riding and two partial days - that was it.  At mile 50 today we were loading The Rig on a ferry (Yes an actual ferry.  Cool right?) to cross the Ohio River into Kentucky.  There are pics below.  Then just 12 more miles to Marion, KY.  Which is where we sit right now, in the "War Eagle RV Park".  Josh, the owner, must be an Auburn fan?  That's the only thing I can figure.  So, most of the pics today will be Illinois, but there's a bit of Kentucky toward the end.  Here we go...

OK - something was up with these cows and the white one to the right of the herd was the ringleader.  When I stopped to take their pic, he was the first one who noticed me.  Then he whispered something to his friend on the right edge of the herd.  The reader can see that the one on the edge is looking over his shoulder at me.  The next thing I knew, the entire herd was heads up, giving me the stink eye and trotting my direction.  They all had horns.  They looked like they meant business.  These are COWS for God's sake.  Maybe they're a cow gang.  I think I saw one of em flashing gang signs with his hind hoof.  I beat a hasty retreat.

This is the hill we fled down to escape the cow gang.

Unfortunately, at the other end of the downhill in the previous pic was one of the more difficult climbs of the day.  At the top of which is the "Hilltop Auto Repair" shop.  Good thing he took on cars for a living, not gonna get many people riding their bikes up here to get em fixed.

I just thought this was kinda cool looking.  As Susan's dad, Howard, would say, "Pretty country around here."

Susan snagged this one of me pulling into a break in The Rig.  Uphill, always uphill to get to The Rig for a break.  What's up with that?  Used by permission of Susan Schoen Photography, LLC.

Then there was this.  The Ohio River is still probably 35 miles away and somebody hauled this derelict houseboat way out here.  It makes one wonder.  At least, if ya spend 4 hours a day on a bike, one has time to wonder...

We found this nice little park in Elizabethtown, IL - right on the banks of the Ohio River.  If the reader looks closely they will see a diminutive Statue of Liberty to the right of the pergola.  I believe it's one of those donated by the Boy Scouts in the 50's.  It looks just like the one South of Smith Center, KS. 

The view the other direction down the Ohio River from that same park.  I forgot to get out of the way before I took the pic.

Now we're getting close to the ferry at Cave In Rock, IL.  That's an actual town name.  No kidding.  There's a state park nearby with caves - in the rocks.  But to get there, I have to take a little country lane renowned as a "scenic byway" by all sorts of groups who designate such things.  It was a horrible road - with two hills that ran grades of 16%.  Oh - and a dog that chased me as I pulled into town. (The second of the day, BTW.  The other was a Pit Bull that was serious about chomping on my leg.  But that's another story.)  In addition to which, one could never get even a glimpse of the river while on the "scenic byway".  But the road did have one saving grace.  A half mile after turning off the highway and onto this road, a local resident had established a break area for tired riders.  Check it out...  

It came complete with this bike rack...

A charging station next to this little house...

This tree: which came pre-puckered and was waiting for just the right rider to come by.  Fortunately for the tree, I finally got here.

And shortly we made it to Cave In Rock.  Which distressed Delta...

...because he thought we totally missed the ferry ride.  He didn't understand that it was just going to the other side of the river and would be right back.  I got him calmed back down.

And in the interim, rode down to the shore and back.  There was a reason for this.  Susan said her Teamsters contract didn't include driving onto a ferry.  Apparently the Teamsters can transport those container thingys down TO the dock, but can't actually drive onto a boat FROM the dock.  Sigh.  Who knew.  This is the problem with Unions...  So, this meant I had to drive The Rig onto the ferry.  But I also had to ride to the edge of the river so I didn't miss out on any part of the T/A.  It all worked out.

The Rig - wake boarding and hanging ten!

Once aboard (some nautical lingo there) Teamsters are all about the photo op.  This is Susan and I on the Loni Jo headed across the Ohio River.

Delta also made it aboard.  But he said his downtube was upset and he wanted to stay by the rail just in case he tossed up some grease.  Didn't want to get it all over the deck.  Very considerate of him.  I felt bad that we didn't have any Dramamine.  Poor guy.  But once we made it to the other side he got back to his normal self in short order.

This is a shot of Susan and I with the river as a back drop.  Not as big as the Mississippi, but good sized regardless.

A view of the "rocks" from which Cave In Rock derives its name.  Can't see any caves from here.  Maybe we should change the town's name to just "Rock".

And on the other side of the river - Kentucky!  That Matt Bevin - what a good guy to put this sign up so I could take a pic with it.  I'd vote for him if I lived in Kentucky.

State number nine.  Susan was sure to let me know that her contract also includes language limiting her appearances at state line signs to no more than two in any 7 day period.  Guess I'll be figuring out how many days till we hit Virginia later tonight.

The climb up out of the Ohio River Valley.  The last big climb of the day.  Oh yes - and the route headed South at this point - into a 12-15 mph wind.  Uphill of 7% plus 12 mph headwind = bad news!

And shortly after entering Kentucky, I came across this.  (Cue Dukes of Hazzard music.)  Hmmm...  It looks like Kentucky might be a good state in which to engage in political discourse.  I guess we'll find out.  More on this as it develops.

Final note: we only rode 12 miles of Kentucky today.  The hills, heat and wind were brutal.  I hope today didn't set the stage for the rest of the state.  Two of the three at any given time I can deal with.  Both the trifecta is just plain unpleasant.  I'm pretty sure that's the word I used out on the road today - yes, yes it was - unpleasant.

Till next time.