The Road King has it's first 100+ on it, it's ready to go crusin'. I'm in Central, IL (Springfield), looking for some great 1-2 hours rides and stopping by a grease pit hangout to fill me up. Any suggestions?

I already have Hannibal on my radar map, need to map out the backroads to it, no I72 for me, like two lane country side.

 

One of the best rides in Illinois, is the river ride - along the Mississippi River.

I know this would be more than a couple hours for you, but we enjoy it to get the best out of a day.If you ever plan a longer ride or an allnighter, I would recommend this ride, a motel in St. Louis and great food and suds at Fast Eddies in Alton http://www.fasteddiesbonair.com/

If you like, I would map out a nice ride for ya. If you've neverridin' the river roads, you need to see what you are missing

I'm just estimating now, but I would say an hour and a halfto get from your place to 79 South in Mo. orRt. 96 on the Illinois Side, then 2 hours to St. Louis (Alton), couple hours to relax and enjoy lunch at Fast Eddies, then another 2 1/2 hours to get you back home (on secondary roads along I55).

It's a great ride.

 

RT66. Well marked in Ill.

 

I'd ride up I 55 until about Lincoln, then I'd get off and continue north on Old Route 66. Shortly after Mclean ( a really small town) you'll come across something called Funk's Grove, they make Maple Syrup there. Very wooded, very scenic albeit not very long drive. Four of five miles of 20mph road, then turn around and head back to Rt 66. Continue north and up North of Bloomington Normal about 20 miles is a turn off to Lake BLoomington off of I-39 (you pick up I-39 just at the north edge of Normal) anyway, run up to Lake bloomington, nice road runs round the lake, greasy spoon there called Green Gables. Been there for years, they don't take plastic.
You exit off I39 to the east to hit lake bloomington, you can reverse direction, cut across I39 going west and about 3 miles later, a nice lake called Lake Evergreen or Comlara Park. WATCH OUT FOR DEER!!!! Then if you are still wanting to ride, go back to I39 and run another hour north to Starved Rock State park, great hiking. Little town called Utica there, has some leather shops and several greasey spoons to eat at.

PM if you need more info.
j

 

My Grandma,Grandpa & Uncle run a decent bar & a separate restaurant in Decatur, Il.

You could ride 55 up Lincoln then take Route 10to Clinton, Il.
Then Hop on 51 to Decatur.

Or you could take 55 South to the Raymond Exit & take Route 48 into decatur.
RT 48 is a 2 lane Road that is a nice ride too (Goes thru Taylorville)

Bar has 99 cent draft beers w/ mugs straight out the freezer.
Restaurant bakes bread fresh daily & is fairly cheap to eat at.

Elmers Ole Time Inn
3550 E. William St


Claire's Family Restaurant
2502 E. William St
http://www.claresfamilyrestaurant.com/

 

there are quite a fewdecent grease pits up around peoria area or....The GoosePit in Banner, TheEnd Zone in Mackinaw,Birdies(i think thats what its called) in Kingston Mines,plus a ton more. pm me if you ever come up this way and maybe we could have a cold one.[sm=icon_cheers.gif]

 

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and the ever popular...."the burger barge"
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oh yeah The Burger Barge is awesome. i only live couple miles from there.