Ride suggestions.

[tbone]

I am looking for ideas on 1-day ride suggestions here in Illinois. I am close to Peoria. I have some ideas of my own but always interested in new options. just looking for areas and destinations that I can get to and home in a day. I have been up around Galena. I am sure I will go back that direction again. Great riding. But I know there are alot of hidden gems that you guys have.

Tbone

[GiG]

Go to Poopy's for lunch. Have the Poopy Burger & Shitty Fries.
Cross the river & visit Reb. Tell him we said "Hi". 
Ride up the River on the Iowa side. Stop at the place on the River  near the thing. Get hit on by the chunky karaoke lady there.
Ride up to Minnesota eh. Go up the hill. Enjoy the curve.
Haul ass for home 

[Wizzard]

Go to Poopy's for lunch. Have the Poopy Burger & Shitty Fries.
Cross the river & visit Reb. Tell him we said "Hi". 
Ride up the River on the Iowa side. Stop at the place on the River  near the thing. Get hit on by the chunky karaoke lady there.
Ride up to Minnesota eh. Go up the hill. Enjoy the curve.
Haul ass for home 

Yeah,, what he said.
Have you been to Starved Rock? Great riding around there and hiking.
Go ride along the river from St louis down to Carbondale,, or even Sykeston.

[tbone]

Get hit on by the chunky Karaoke lady???? is there more to the story??   I have not been to Starved Rock but have a few in the area that want to make that run. Pretty Sad. Due to this group I have seen more of other states than I have my own. Great suggestions so far. Kicked around going to Sikeston to Lamberts for supper. Would have to get a hotel. Could not possibly ride after eating there.

[fudgie]

Get hit on by the chunky Karaoke lady???? is there more to the story?? 

With GiG, yes!

[Hef]

A couple of trips which you might want to do on a weekend (2 days) since you are near Peoria, but are great rides. (1) Great River Road - Starts at Alton, IL (route 100) and follows the river which you can see at all times up to Grafton, IL. Routes 100 and 96 are both good rides. (2) Anywhere in SE Illinois (Shawnee Forest) Rt 34, 45, and 146. Also Rt 1 will take you to Cave In Rock, IL. A beautiful area and the cave was used in the movies Daniel Boone and also in River Pirates. Cave in Rock also has a ferry crossing there which takes you to some great Kentucky roads. Also off Rt 1 have an area called Garden of the Gods which has some beautiful rock formations and scenery.

[cookiedough]

Best bet as mentioned Ottawa/LaSalle/Peru IL for Starved Rock and nearby Matthieson state parks, but more so for the walking them vs. riding roads in my opinion.  Been to both state parks and at times during high water (as is normally the case along IL river) or in the frozen winter (bald eagles all over),  the waterfalls (frozen sold in winter) are truly amazing, but be prepared to walk and walk miles and miles to see most of them.  Best to do one state park in one day (Matthieson only takes 2 hours tops to walk around it all) but Starved Rock state park cannot see it all in 1 day, takes 2-3 days to see all the waterfalls.   

I guess come to WI since, hate to say it,  northern and central IL is pretty boring cycle roads for the most part.   Southern WI though is not much better, but it is at least not flat roads with more curving and hilly roads?

[GiG]

Get hit on by the chunky Karaoke lady???? is there more to the story?? 

With GiG, yes!

The "Offshore" near Bellevue IA, neat place to stop for a burger, great view of the River.
I like to stop and chill there for an hour on my way to Sturgis.
Karaoke appearantly is the big entertainment in Bellevue and the lady with the microphone and song book get treated like a rock star there 
I didn't mind talking to her when she came over and I told her I would not be sticking around.
Well, that's my story and I'm sticking to it since certain female VRCC types monitor this board... 

[tbone]

Great feedback. I really appreciate it. and Gig.  our lips are sealed.