A beautiful start to my two day ride. We’d watched the weather throughout the week, not sure if it would even happen. Saturday morning looked reasonably clear, if a little cool. I set out with the thought that I wanted to go at least to the tunnel early in the day, then see how the weather held. Sunday was always in doubt.
Karnak to Vienna is quiet and nearly deserted. The crushed gravel trail is bordered thickly by trees and the occasional farmland.
For miles, I see only scattered other riders and hear nothing mechanical except the clicks and tire crunch of my own bike.
A startled turkey darts across my path, while insects and birds click and chatter from the bordering woods and swamps.
The beautiful Vienna city park sets off the most populated part of the trail. The trail crosses under Highway 24, bringing the return of traffic roar, but still offset by the calls of the busy wildlife. At around milepost 221, it winds under a tunnel. Not, The Tunnel, but one long enough to be a little dark and to feel like a doorway back to the woods and instant muffling of modern noise.
I was apparently worrying the woman riding behind me. She caught up to me at one photo and scribble stop to ask if I was alright.
When I told her I just loved to stop to look at everything and take pictures, she told me about this bridge a few miles ahead.
Not sure how she’d feel about what I did to get this shot.
(it wasn’t that bad, really, I was more worried about dropping the camera than myself)
The Namesake Tunnel, a dark 543 feet and a literal light at the end of the tunnel. The air is cooling just from the thick stone leading up to the entrance. It’s completely dark inside, in spite of the sunlight glow from the other end. The confidence of my passage was bolstered mostly by the large group I’d just watched ride through. I’d forgotten the recommended bike light for this spot, and might have been a little more nervous otherwise.
Past the tunnel, the trail is fast and mostly on the friendly side of a gentle incline.
I spin quickly through New Burnside and into Stonefort as scattered raindrops begin to splash at my face.
A couple at our B and B in Vienna had told us we had to try the Buckethead’s Catfish and BBQ in Stonefort.
We definitely second the recommendation.
Day two of my ride showed every intention as starting out as promised. Light drizzle as we ate breakfast at the Perkins House in Vienna, had shifted to a steady downpour as we hauled bags and bike out to the truck.
We decided to follow the plan anyway of driving back to Stonefort and just see what happened by the time we got there.
It was beautiful! By the time we arrived, the sun was out, the air was warm, and skies only slightly cloudy.
The trail parallels Route 45 now. There’s a fair amount of traffic noise, but thick woods intermittently obscure the road and muffle the sounds. It seems less traveled here. In places the center of the trail sprouts a line of weeds, not yet trampled by riders.
At Harrisburg, the trail shifts into several miles of paved city trail. It edges the town then curves around farmland and fields.
The final few miles into Eldorado alternated between a narrowed gravel trail, another short paved section, and then a strip so narrow, I’m afraid I might have lost the path somewhere. It widened eventually and lead into the town and a bare parking lot.
A few blocks on, a beautifully landscaped city trail system lead in two different directions. I learned later, that the official end of the trail was at the local high school, but I never found that.
I wasn’t worried about it at that point. I made it to Eldorado, so I feel like a did the trail. In any case, I spent two days in the gorgeous woodlands of southern Illinois and the Shawnee National Forest.
Rambling ... 