A black swallowtail butterfly flies along side my foot peg.
Indigo bunting birds lead us into the woods. A woodsy scent lures us into the
lush, green jungle that is Shawnee National Forest. We’ve been to this pristine
forest many times in southern Illinois, but this time is different – better. Our
Triumph Tiger motorcycle allows us a full experience, complete with woodsy and
floral smells, scenic natural views, and a variety of perfect motorcycle roads. The vibes of this forest are strong, melding our souls to the
cosmos around us.
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| Dixon Springs Campground |
Our basecamp is Dixon Springs State Park campground. We are
nestled under the dense shade cover of many trees. The campsites are spread out
nicely and it is shady and quiet. The Chocolate Factory across the highway is a
nice bonus to this location.
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| Dirt Road near Hicks, IL |
We are following parts of the “Shawnee Forest 430 Mile Loop”
motorcycle map we found online at
usdualsports.com.
Our favorite roads are hard packed dirt that wind through the National Forest. Along a particularly rustic "fire road," we stop for a snack and water break. Sitting on a fallen log, we
are enveloped in the forest. A peewee bird sings to us in the distance. Large
beech trees surround us. A very nice respite spot.
At Cave-in-Rock we have a beer at the lodge on their patio
overlooking the wide Ohio river. A feeling of bliss overcomes me as I soak up
the sun, beer, peace, companionship, river view, and flowering plants around me. We
hike to the cave along a short trail and meet two other adventure bike riders.
The cave is impressive in size and has a split in the top that lets in natural
sunlight.
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| Indian Kitchen along Lusk Creek |
On day two we ride to the Lusk Creek Nature Preserve. We find
a trailhead off Ragan Road and walk through the national forest to a clearing
where horses tie up. Beyond that is the state preserve leading to Indian
Kitchen. A massive rock face rises above the serene Lusk creek, which flows
into the cliff face down a rocky stream with water plants at the end to slow its
flow. The water under the cliff is a cloudy grey-green, making us think it is
deep and cold. The water is clear at the edge where a few small minnows swim.
Swallows work the cliff face, going in and out of honeycomb holes to feed their
young. Way up the sheer rock, heuchera (coral bells) grow on the wall – hanging
on in a mysterious way. Water runs over the edge in places, dripping into the
pool. We sit by a burned out firepit, eat raisins and absorb the loveliness all
around us. Soon we hear people nearby. When we climb out of the “kitchen,”
there are about 12 horses tied up and several people having snacks. They are
shocked when we walk out of the woods and even more surprised that we hiked 3
miles there.
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Elizabethtown Catfish Restaurant
|
We have lunch in Elizabethtown on a floating restaurant
where they serve catfish caught on the Ohio river. A Jon boat is here delivering
its morning catch, which are cleaned in a small hut before heading to the
kitchen to fry. Our fresh catfish sandwich was exceptional.
The moto map leads us down a variety of roads in the afternoon.
Sparks Hills Road has deep ruts, a section of deep gravel, and horse riders
blocking the road. At Glen O. Jones Lake, we find a Tecumseh statue, with a
nice tribute to this important Native American. Great winding, paved roads lead
us back to camp.
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| Bell Smith Springs Natural Bridge |
On our final day, the Tiger takes us to waterfalls of Southern
Illinois. At Bell Smith Springs we take the 1.5-mile loop trail to the Natural
Bridge. At a creek crossing a mass of swallowtail butterflies feed on the wet
sand. We hike up to the top of the natural bridge – Illinois’s longest natural
bridge at 150 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 60 feet tall. It is quite an
impressive natural wonder. The waterfall behind the bridge is dry, so we need
to come back when it is flowing.
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| Bork Falls at Fern Clyffe Park |
We ride to Fern Clyffe State Park and hike the boy scout
trial to Redman Falls. It is barely a trickle, but its wet rocky slope is quite
pretty. We ride the Tiger down Happy Hollow Road to Regent Road, going across large,
flat rock, creek crossings and lots of very rough roads. We stop to walk a
short trail to Bork Falls – a 100-foot tall, intermittent waterfall that flows nicely
over the rocky ledge. A mother and two small kids swim in the pool below the falls.
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Trigg Tower
|
The day also includes several surprises. On Buncombe Road to
Vienna a tired horse walks down a driveway and into the roadway in front of us –
all on its own. It seems to know where it is going. Perhaps the most beautiful
ride of the day was through the Simpson Barrens Natural Area on Trigg Tower
Road to the Trigg Tower. We climb four flights of stairs up the old fire watch
tower to an expansive view above the treetops, where we can see for miles and
miles into the Shawnee National Forest. On the way back to camp, we stop along Rushing
Road to enjoy another bluff-top overlook of the valley.
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| Scenic View on Rushing Road |
Riding the Tiger motorcycle gives us a new perspective of
Southern Illinois and lead us to some new locations. I can smell the
honeysuckle and rose blossoms along the way as I enjoy the beautiful natural
scenery that is Southern Illinois.
