Day 9

Sunday Oct. 10th, 2004

Joe Hart had to ride all the way to Marseilles, Illinois so he went his way---Kevin had went home last night so it was just me and Jay riding home as we live in the same town.

N37°52.623' W90°07.765'

We were riding down some old country backroad and Jay stops all of a sudden---I figured he had to pee, but I looked to my left and here was this suspension bridge hid off the road. I don't know how Jay seen it when he rode by. Probably the best find of the whole trip. I don't think either one of us had ventured down this road before. The bridge went over the "River Aux Vases"

We looked the construction of this bridge over really well---It appeared to be completely in its original condition. All the boards looked the same---it was along way across and was very rickety. I was a little afraid of crossing it--but cross it we did. The upright structures are just trees with the limbs chopped off.
We had to see what was on the other side of course--and as you can see here it went over and dead end road down to a remote farm house. We looked on the GPS's and it was a dead end road.

The fall color in this shot were just awesome.

The bridge was so rickety that I told Jay that I'm sure I will come back to this bridge again---but I don't think I'll walk over it again.

Sometime last spring I found the entrance to this levee on the Southeast side of Cape Girardeau, Missouri. It lead us for miles into the historic town of Fort Kaskaskia ----a town which had to move when the Mississippi changed it's course in 19 something or the other and the old town is now completely under water.
This lead us out to the town of St. Mary's where I bailed off the main road down this very seldom traveled little road.
What a beautiful little one lane road. Jay couldn't believe how deep it was.

 

I then bailed off the main road South of St. Mary's and got on another levee---Jay was hanging way back and getting some nice photo's. Here you can see me approaching the bridge over the Mississippi river at Chester, Illinois. This levee will drop you right onto the main road at the West end of the bridge. Looking at this picture now is so sad--as the ride was about over for us. Soon winter will be setting in and I can only look at these pictures.


Before going over the bridge---I dropped off the main road again and got under the bridge----I just can't seem to be happy on the main roads it seems.
You can ride down this little road if it is dry and the river is down and get right down on the sand along the Mississippi river to have some fun in the sand. I thought Jay better not take his BMW down there.


The Bridge Home--Chester, Illinois

Ride Epiloque