Ride the Fault
Sun 08 June 2025
From Carbondale, Ill (Carterville) to Union City, TN
We started out driving to Sweet Springs Missouri to split up the long drive to Illinios. Picked up a flat tire in Nebraska. Found a good tire repair in Lincoln, Manny's Tire. It was just off the highway, but without google would have never found this industrial location. Odd motel, asked about breakfast twice while checking in to verify breakfast early as 7am. They never showed up to provide breakfast, ate at the gas station (breakfast pizza) after checking out.
Day 1 (June 8th): Optional ride for those checking in before 1pm.
FIRST! Check-in at John A. Logan college, 700 Logan College Drive, Carterville (Marion) Illinois. 11 AM-4 PM Sunday June 8. Don't arrive earlier, we WON'T be ready for you! Set up your outdoor tent or indoor campsite; if you check-in before 1 PM, you may choose to ride a short (approximately 30 mile) introductory route in the immediate area.
THEN: Orientation meeting that will explain how our stay in the Marion/Carbondale area will proceed over the next two days.
LAST! Use your own vehicle to explore nearly a dozen area wineries, and check out all the dining opportunities in both Marion & Carbondale. Lights out at 10 PM!
Walker's Bluff loop - 23 miles, 764' climbing
We are driving out and won't get there before 4pm. We got a good camp site on the hill. Close to bathrooms, good drainage. Drainage was important because we got almost 2" of rain overnight. The tent was waterproof, but somehow the ground sheet captured water under the tent. Very much like standing up on a waterbed in the morning. Not sure if the volume of rain or a flaw in the rain fly caused water to build up on the ground sheet. Did notice that the center of the sheet was a bit lower than the rest of the sheet, so water had nowhere to flow to.
Day 2 Cycle to Giant City State Park - 45 miles, 2187' climbing
FIRST! Meal plan breakfast begins 7 AM in the commons area OR on your own, then start your week off with a moderate length ride to Giant City State Park. Take time off your bike to get a bird's-eye view of the park from the water tower's 50 foot high observation deck, then explore the Giant City Nature Trail, home to towering rock formations and deep canyons that shielded soldiers during the Civil War. The 90 year old Lodge will beckon to you for lunch with their award-winning fried chicken and other delicious selections.
THEN: Return back to the overnight site at the college and relax, with your evening meal at an area restaurant of your choosing. Many unique restaurants are located in the historic Tower Square in downtown Marion, just a short drive away.
LAST! Preparation for your Tuesday rail-trail experience with a local speaker who will tell you what to expect and see along the trail. You'll have your choice of distances to ride and points of interest to experience on the popular and scenic center section of the trail from Vienna to Stonefort. The trail surface is acceptable for road bikes. BUT, since our format allows you to have your personal vehicle with you all week, you have the option of bringing a gravel or other type bike to use just for this day on the trail.
The ride was great, not too hilly. Lunch was a bit of a dissapointment. For the hype in the briefing, the lunch was a simple buffet, steam tables. Chicken was not 'award-winning', sides were typical potatoes, green beans, mac salad.
The State Park was a fun experience. A megalith of hard granite, eroding differing than surrounding area. Due to the heavy rain the night before, the wooden parts of the path were very slippy. Especially for those of us wearing bike shoes for the 1 mile walk.
Day 3 Ride the Tunnel Hill State Rail-Trail - 40 miles, 1446 climbing
FIRST! Breakfast buffet served in the commons area. Load bikes on your vehicle and drive south 30 miles to the Vienna, IL trailhead of the Tunnel Hill State Trail. Park in the trail visitor center lot or the adjacent city parking lot.
NEXT: Leaving the visitor center, ride north. This first 9 mile section of the trail is the most scenic and well-travelled section. In the deep forest, you'll cross several bridges, the most impressive of which is the 300 foot long, 90 ft high Breeden Trestle that offers outstanding views in all directions. Not long after, you'll have the experience of riding through the tunnel for which the trail is known. Be sure you have a good headlight and taillight! At the trailhead just north of the tunnel, you may decide to reverse course and return to where you began, or you may continue another 6 miles to the next stop in New Burnside. Turn around and return from there, or complete the final 5 mile segment we're supporting to Stonefort, and visit the restored depot there. Total mileage to Stonefort is 20 miles, so while you can ride back to where you began in Vienna, we will be offering a shuttle service for those who only want to ride one way.
LAST! After your return to the Vienna trailhead, you can head back toward Logan College. If wine's your thing, some of the Shawnee Wine Trail wineries serve food and will be open, or you can visit restaurants around Marion's Tower Square or elsewhere along your return route.
A very fun "Rails to Trails" ride. We did only ~20 miles of the full Tunnel Hill trail. Would like to go back and do they entire trail. The start in Vienna was also a crossing of the Trail of Tears trail. Good Visitor center. The tunnel was very interesting and not very long. I ended up riding too close to riders ahead of me with very bright rear taillight. It was a bit disorienting. The Stonefort depot was fantastic. Glad they could swing opening in up just for us. Grace was under the weather so she stayed with the car in Vienna while I rode. Post ride, the organizers put on a lunch picnic for us with burgers and hot dogs.
Day 4 Hickeman, Kentucky Loop - 34 miles, 1265' climbing
FIRST! Get your gear packed/loaded first, have breakfast at 7; then drive yourselves 2 hours south to Union City, Tennessee, home of Discovery Park of America, our final overnight site of the week. Select your spot, either outdoors or indoors. Lunch at the park snack bar or at your choice of other Union City restaurants.
NEXT: Take the opportunity to ride a very scenic 35-mile loop route to Hickman, Kentucky. Cycle along State Line road, with Tennessee on your left and Kentucky on your right. Then check out a number of unique Hickman area historic sites, including the still operational 1904 Seth Thomas courthouse tower clock-and vacuum pack your own can of genuine west Kentucky "munchin'" pecans!
LAST! Return to Discovery Park and explore the all the exhibits, both indoors and out! Meal plan dinner served on site at 6:30 PM, followed by rider meeting at 8 PM.
Packed up and drove to Union City after breakfast. The Discovery Park of America was fantastic in hosting us. Indoor campers were allowed to camp out in the Agriculture Exhibits building or anywhere else in the Park (under a dinosaur for example). The caveat for those not using the Ag Building was that they had to pack up each morning as not to interfere with normal visitors to the Park. They allowed the outdoor/tent campers to set up in the Vineyard. So, camping in the vines.
Day 5 Reelfoot Lake metric century - 65 miles, 734' climbing or Reelfoot Lake loop short - 36 miles, 394
FIRST! Meal plan breakfast starts 6 AM on the Discovery Park outdoor terrace (outstanding sunrise views!).
NEXT: Because of the volume of high speed traffic along the only paved route to Reelfoot Lake, AND to allow you more time to explore this scenic area, you'll begin by driving your vehicle from Discovery Park to Reelfoot Lake state park picnic grounds. Both the short and long route offerings will begin and end there. As you leave the parking area and ride along Lakeside Drive, check out the lakeshore and the many vacation homes and fishing cabins there! When you reach Samburg, Spicer Park provides a nice viewing point for the lake. Heading south out of Samburg, you'll ride along foothill road, with the flat river floodplain on your right and a range of hills to the left. A large number of farm fields here provide vegetables for the "Pict-Sweet" company. Turning west across the floodplain, take a break at the rest stop near the town of Ridgely. Shortly after you'll head north along the Mississippi River levee that protects all the fields you've just passed from flooding. In this area, you'll be riding very close to, and in places directly over, the New Madrid Fault line. Minor tremors occur regularly, so keep a tight grip on your handlebars and cinch down your helmet!! Next you'll pass through the town of Tiptonville, and have another rest opportunity at the Marathon gas station/C-store. Here the short and long routes diverge, with 36 mile riders continuing east back toward the parking lot. You'll pass the state park visitor center, where you may visit the museum exhibits on the great earthquakes and area wildlife; rent a kayak or canoe and paddle among the cypress trees on alert for eagles; take a pontoon boat tour, and (if there are resident birds), check out the raptor rehab center. Continuing east for a short distance, you'll arrive back at your vehicle. Several restaurants in the area provide lunch; RTFL recommends Blue Bank, with outdoor dining on their deck featuring lake and wildlife viewing!
Cyclists who opted for the longer route will continue north from Tiptonville, passing by the Civil War Battle of Island #10 marker. Further on, you'll cross over into Kentucky for a few miles before turning south along the eastern side of the lake, where a rest stop will be located at the Reelfoot Wildlife Refuge visitor center. In just a few miles more, you're back in Samburg where the Boathouse Restaurant offers lunch with lake views. From Samburg, just a short ride back to the finish.
THEN: Return in your vehicle to the Discovery Park overnight site in Union City.
LAST! Meal plan dinner is served inside the main building, followed by a presentation on Friday's route to the Columbus-Belmont Civil War battlefield. Non-meal plan participants may drive to your choice of restaurants in Union City.
We did the short loop. Barely beat the rain. We took advantage of the Discovery Park and did the full museum with the Body Works, Earthquake Experience and the Jumbo slide. Also, toured the grounds with the Space dome, rail museum and ethnographic cabins/town.
Day 6 Columbus-Belmont Civil War Park - 62 miles, 2160' climbing
FIRST! Meal plan breakfast starts around 6 AM on the Discovery Park outdoor terrace.
NEXT! Follow the route out of Discovery Park and begin riding north toward Kentucky and the Civil War battlefield at Columbus-Belmont state park. This is a very scenic route with a few rolling hills. Halfway there you'll find a rest stop at the Oakwood Church.
THEN! In the park you won't want to miss the commanding views of the Mississippi River from the high bluffs that made this such a strategic location during the War Between the States! You can also walk through the original earthworks and trenches used by the soldiers, and tour a museum with information about the battle. If you're getting hungry before you leave, there's a snack bar in the park and Jen's Place restaurant just outside the park entrance.
LAST! Reverse your course and head back to Discovery Park, allowing time for a shower and the evening meal before the FREE "Rhythm on the Rails" outdoor concert on the park grounds starting at around 8 PM.
We only biked to the church and back, choosing to then drive to the Civil War battlefield in Columbus. Good view of the Mississippi river and great fresh peach ice cream shakes. Last night's heavy rain convinced Grace that we should move indoors tonight. So we packed up the tent (in between rain squalls) and pitched our sleeping bags under a very large tractor. Lots of people decided to head home today (due to the rain and forecast for more rain on Saturday), so about 1/2 the riders had vacated the Agriculture Hall.
Day 7 (June 14th) South Fulton Loop - 34 miles, 1145' climbing
FIRST! Your final meal plan breakfast on the Sabine Cafe' terrace.
NEXT: Ride a short 33 mile loop route to the twin communities of Fulton, Kentucky and South Fulton, Tennessee, and then return.
LAST! Farewell celebration on the Discovery Park grounds 11AM-1 PM. See you next year!
Skipped the ride today. Burgers by the Park before we headed out to Stillwater, OK.
Grace arranged to visit a German Shepherd breeder in Stillwater with connections to her dogs. That was fun. I also took the opportunity to schedule a visit with Bill Cunningham who moved to Stillwater after leaving Intel. We met at the Iron Monk brewery. Very good dark ale and I picked up a t-shirt.
Egypt - G-Adventures tour and post-tour
