November 2009 ride

Novembers in Illinois is when winter bluster arrives...you can never plan a ride in November...unless you don't mind the possibility of snow and ice.

But we're okay on this ride, cuz it wasn't planned. You know...an Old Michael Special. Actually griff called Friday night and we met Saturday morning early in Ottawa, IL While having some coffee, we decided roughly what we wanted to do for the ride. We figured we would follow the Illinois River as it heads west then elbows south and take it as far as Peoria. But I didn't know the roads around Peoria, so I figured I would call Airboss...he seems to know his way around a curvy road...even in central Illinois. So I called on a lark and sure enough Karl/airboss gave up what he was doing to give us a tour of the local curvies around Peoria. And believe me, you need a guide to find 'em. Cuz yer in Illinois see.....

Here we are meeting at the gas station in Peoria, Karl on his VFR.



Pretty sweet VFR



Well Karl led us around to some pretty good roads that only the locals would know, then we stopped for lunch at a diner in Mackinaw



Then we headed north where griff split off to head east back to N. Indiana. Karl led me north and west on another sweet locals road back to our original meetup spot. We said our goodbyes and parted ways. I cruised back up the river on this late autumn late afternoon. I finally stopped for some river shots after I got east of Starved Rock State Park.



some late fall river barge traffic





Some tall grasses on an island in the middle of the river





I left the Illinois River valley north of Ottawa and headed to the Fox River valley and home. Last shots of the 2009 riding season - farm fields near Millbrook, Illinois

Thanks for sharing Mark. It's great to be able to sneak in one last ride of the year when old man winter arrives late!

--G

That was a fun day, we need to do it again, as we didn't have time for Yankee Lane, Banta Road, Santa Fe Road, Lounds Road, Tax School Road, or Trombo/Du Pont Roads.