Day 26 - Friday, June 5
Start - Marion, KY
End - Eddyville, IL
Miles (on the route) - 44.5
Miles (total) - 45.75
Avg Spd - 11.5mph
Max Spd - 37.5mph
Total Ride Time - 3:52
I started the day at the library again, updating the blog. I'm starting to think, as much as I enjoy this, the blogging is taking too much time and interfering with the actual trip. It's a good thing, but documentation shouldn't take precedence over the actual experience. I've always struggled with that balance in taking photos, and nowadays I've really relaxed on the photo documentation. I'm more settled with the idea of just taking in the times without always thinking about the camera. I'll have to evaluate my schedule and approach to better utilize the day. Before leaving the library, I found a scale in the bathroom and curiosity struck. I started the trip at 219lbs. Stepping on the scale I found out I had dropped to 208! 11lbs already? I was not expecting to lose that much that quickly! I had an idea I had lost some, considering my shorts and jeans don't really stay on me anymore, but this was surprising. I guess I'll definitely need a new suit once I reach Portland.
It was an easy 12 miles to the Ohio River where I would take the ferry into Illinois. I boarded with a group of Harley riders who were also touring. Even though this was the official route, I felt like it was a bit of a cheat. If I had the room on the ferry I think I would have ridden laps just to maintain personal satisfaction. A short ride across and into Cave In Rock, Illinois brought me to a home of sorts. Familiar license plates, but that would be about it. I found out soon enough southern Illinois isn't really anything like the Chicago area with which I'm familiar. Right off the bat it was rollercoaster hills and some of the worse roads I had been on. Rough sealed blacktop made for an annoying ride, mostly because it doesn't let me feel the condition of the bike.
My day's ride brought me to Eddyville where I was directed to camp at a pavilion at the town rec center. With a population of 153, there was one spot for dinner - the Shawnee restaurant and lounge. The parking lot consisted of two Harleys, two cars, and about thirty pickups. Oh, and one bicycle. Turns out, it's all-u-can-eat catfish night! Score! Entering the place I noticed several tables of cowboy hats and their ladies, and I made my way to the bar. I talked with some locals and horseback riders who told me this was the horseback riding capitol of Illinois. After several plates of catfish, I was asked if I was planning on sticking around for the show. They explained at 9:30 the dj sets up for karaoke and the other crowd comes in for the night. It was about then that I noticed the sign on the wall that read, "Dancing on the bar at your own risk!" Interesting.

I decided to stick around and have a few beers, seeing how I could after a dry Kentucky, and sure enough it turned into quite a show. It started out with some roudier country music and the locals, mostly already drunk, came in and started some dancing. Then, strangely, they started playing the rap music; Nelly I believe. Kid you not, the cowboy hats were getting tossed and I actually heard a few "yahoo"s! There was even an older man in overalls that looked alot like Wilford Brimley getting in on the action. Then Candy showed up, and I heard about five people exclaim, "Oh god, now you'll get a show!" She's a local with a bit of a legacy shall we say. And not to dissapoint, at one point I counted six girls dancing on the bar, and one cowboy in a denim vest.

About the only thing missing from this night was a big fight where barstools get broken over backs. And I left before midnight so it may have happened. I fell asleep in the tent with the sounds of the Shawnee Lounge in the distance.