Day 25 ending near Atlanta, IL

September 17, 2015

Woke up this morning the same time as yesterday - 4:20am. Worked on report and packing. Ate breakfast at 9:48am. Today was a planned short riding day - just needed to get to Hickory Lane Campground near Atlanta. Or should I make it a long day and ride all the way home - 56 straight-line miles away? There's a chance for rain today, but more so tomorrow. It's supposed to be much cooler on Saturday. Originally I'd planned to arrive home Saturday evening (I'd skipped one of my scheduled days off). I could take a day off Friday at Hickory Lane, while it rained, if they have a pavilion for me to hangout under. Or maybe it won't rain. We'll see.

There'd been a fellow out mowing nearby earlier here at Friends Creek, and he pulled up and parked just as I was about to leave. He'd been a state police officer for several years, and had stories to tell. Then he moved on to talking politics. After more than I wanted to hear of that, he let me go (at 11:35am).

First I headed west across the road to Bethel School, a one-room schoolhouse in the park. Got yesterday's report sent in from there. I left shortly after noon, with 0.3 miles logged so far. If it wasn't for the planned shorter-distance day, I'd have been concerned. One factor in my favor was the wind. It was still from the south, and I was going northwest.

Took off sailing north on Friends Creek Park Road. When I got to Ospur Road, I turned west. Going west was not the free ride going north was, but it was cooler.

Farmers were harvesting big-time today. Seemed like a combine popped out of every field I passed. Lots of opportunities for pictures.

At 1:45pm, I turned north onto Weldon Springs Road. I stopped for a break at the entrance to Weldon Springs State Park. Back on the road north, I thought, "I ought to have gone into the park to get a photo of the springs. Well, I'll just go in on the north road to the park". When I got to the north road, I was surprised to see it blocked off as a deadend. Oh well, I'd seen the springs several times before with my family. I'm moving on.

Made it to Clinton, and to one of the two restaurants I had marked as places to eat in Clinton: 'Ted's Garage'. At first I couldn't tell if they were open. They were. Their entrance is at the back. Ted's Garage is all about cars and car parts. Menu items reflect this. Per recommendation of the waitress, I ordered the Fanblade (tenderloin sandwich), and had a Mudflap (brownie with ice cream) for dessert. All very good.

I left the garage at 3:47pm, and followed my waypoints to get out of town. First they had me going past the town square. This wasn't a problem - there was little traffic. Made my way to Sunset Road west of town. Then north at 5:05pm on Hallsville Road for one mile. Back going west on Tabor Road. Crossed into Logan County at 5:48pm, and over Kickapoo Creek at 6:25pm. I'm going to be arriving later tonight than last night!

At 6:35pm, I was at the camp office for Hickory Lane Campground. An older gentleman (Walter) and younger woman (Lisa, Walter's daughter) were at the counter. Tent camping is $10 a night. I asked about keeping my options open on staying a second night. No problem. Tent site areas were pointed out to me. Walter enjoys talking, and I was enjoying listening to the stories, but Lisa suggested I'd miss getting a good sunset picture if I didn't get back outside. I purchased a strawberry soda, then left. The sunset was pretty much over by then.

I checked the suggested camping spots. They're kind of full at this campground, thanks to pipeline installation workers who are temporarily staying here. I'd crossed the pipeline earlier this evening. It's going between Pontiac and Centralia, if I heard correctly. I noticed a picnic shelter above the lake near the suggested tent sites. With the predicted rain, that would be a great place to set up the tent next to - or better still - underneath the shelter. I went back to the office to see if that would be OK. No problem. In fact, I was told about an outlet at the picnic shelter I could use. I got another soda and was all set.

There was just enough light left to get set up. Stars and the moon are out, and there's a nice breeze coming over the lake to the south. I'm hearing distant train whistles now and then. I called my friend Jim back in Morton to let him know about my great set-up. It was just lacking a campfire. I plan to fix that tomorrow, if I'm still here. And I probably will be. I'm going to let report-writing wait until the morning.

There's lighting, thunder, and spitting rain now at 9:45pm. But I'm ready.

Jeff

Spent: $14.83 plus $4 (lunch) + $10 (campsite) + $2 (strawberry sodas) = $30.83.

Day 25 - Cisco, IL to Atlanta, IL

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+ plus signs indicate pictures added after returning home from the trip +