Fordham/CitySquash Cross-Country Bicycle Ride
Day 26 Murphysboro, Illinois to Cave In The Rock, Illinois
Fordham Coach Bryan Patterson and several players are cycling from San Francisco to New York to raise money for CitySquash, a not-for-profit after-school enrichment program based in the Bronx at Fordham University.
Coach Patterson is sending reports to DailySquashReport.com from the road.
July 1, 2011 - Actually let’s start with the night and the camp site - Murphysboro Lake State Park. A really off the beaten path site by the side of a lake, and pretty spooky! We had pitched the tent earlier in the evening and had gone into Carbondale to get the puncture repaired. We also had dinner and then went to watch “Transformers” not a bad movie with lots of action.
Naturally the good guys win, what’s new? We’d all decided to relax, hence the movie, then back to the camp site in the dark, and lo and behold a raccoon had raiding the trash bag which Jack had hung up on a pole.
Van lights on and mosquitoes, insects and other such bugs were all around the van. Andriy and I went to the tent but in the meantime a group of raccoons came back to the trash! Jack, Felipe, Angel and Raymond were in the van, and were actually a little scared. I think the theory was that if they got out they would be attacked by the raccoons, be bitten and die from rabies.
So now a plan to scare off the raccoons! Lights on high, van engine on and revving, then back and forth with the van, headlights flashing, but to no avail, The raccoons were no doubt enjoying themselves! Meanwhile Andriy and I were watching all this from the tent, talk about comic antics!
The comments were the best – “they’re leaving, not they’re not!”. “Yes they are”. No they’re not”, “Oh come on raccoons what have we done to you?” I could just imagine a raccoon saying “Well you left the trash out, thanks”. Then the great escape and the run to the tent all of 10 yards, in and “Close the zippers, don’t let them in!”. So we were safe, or were we?
The noises in the night were loud and many, we tried to work out what they were – bullfrogs for sure, ducks (not sure), dog howl or was it a coyote, fox, or whatever? Definitely had moseezes (mosquitoes) in the tent too!! Raccoon type noises again. Back for more no doubt! Finally sleep.
Caution in the morning incase the raccoons were there to attack us and our food! I think that this might be the fastest that we have packed up. Felipe showed us his bites! Man they must love him, the mosquitoes! We were very quickly on the road to Cavenrock or Cave in the Rock. A fascinating place name which we were looking forward to getting to, to see exactly what this was about.
A 75 mile ride, so not too bad and we were on the road early, well earlier than we had been for the past few days. Long inclines through rolling country side, very green and lots of trees but you know this by now! Route 13 the Lincoln Heritage Trail, we were in the land of Lincoln, Illinois. However this turned into the Ohio Scenic Byway route, so we were obviously very close to the mighty Ohio river.
I was very curious as to where this was taking us, and we were now on route 1, still the Ohio River Byway. Well Cave in the Rock, and what a terrific little river village/town, not sure which, where route 1 came to an abrupt end right on the banks of the Ohio river – yes full stop. The only way over was by a small car ferry! Wow.
The main street was fascinating. There was a Grand Opry House, a wonderful café, and murals on an old wall of the cave in the rock. Also a banner telling a little of the history of Cave in the Rock – the cave was discovered by the French in 1729. It was used as a hide out for river pirates, robbers, killers counterfeiters and pioneers headed West. What history.
Our camp site was in fact very close to the cave. So tent up, and down to the cave which was right by the river. A great place to explore and to see the river and imagine the river pirates marauding the boats that would pass by. I love this town, it’s a place that everyone should visit.
It’s so out of the way, but a really neat place. This could be one of my favourite places of this Ride.
Food, a beautiful sunset (red sky at the night shepherds delight) and sleep, without the raccoons!
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