Tag Archives: destination ride
It was October 1, and fall seemed to be descending upon us rapidly. But, it was one of those beautifully sunny fall days that made for perfect riding — and the perfect Sunday Funday adventure.
Since BikerSpot Magazine was hosting Sunday Funday at Carrigan’s Pub (a place we had yet to try), we were headed down the valley and across the river to East Peoria. And since it was the ideal autumn afternoon, what better route to take than the curvy, climby road through Detweiller Park?
The road through Detweiller Park is one of our favorite routes down into the river valley.
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Leave a comment | tags: BikerSpot, Carrigan's Pub, central Illinois, destination ride, Detweiller Park, Fall Riding, Illinois River, Motorcycle Enthusiast, Peoria Illinois, Ride to Eat, Sunday Funday | posted in Leisurely Lunch
Since its inception, my blog has encouraged readers to send me their ride suggestions, to no avail. So when “Greg” recently commented with a recommendation for Crank’s Bar and Grill in Minonk, I was ready to roll — especially after he mentioned fried deviled eggs!
A serene scene along River Beach Drive on the Illinois River.
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Leave a comment | tags: central Illinois, destination ride, Fried Deviled Eggs, Illinois River, Minonk Illinois, Motorcycle Enthusiast, Ride to Eat, Sunday Funday | posted in Leisurely Lunch
We originally planned to see the Sister of Liberty in Oregon, Ill., on the last day of a previous summer vacation but had to cut it from our itinerary at the last minute due to weather. With a long Memorial Day weekend ahead, we decided not only to go see the Sister but also the Black Hawk Statue in Lowden State Park.
My view as we made our way to the Illinois River bridge at Henry, Ill.
Our first destination was Black Hawk, which is way in the back of the park, so imagine how surprised we were to ride all the way through to discover the statue was covered in black plastic, apparently the result of recent repairs. Continue reading
1 Comment | tags: Alley Loop Saloon and Deli, Black Hawk Statue, central Illinois, destination ride, Dixon Illinois, Illinois River, Motorcycle Enthusiast, Oregon Illinois, Ride to Eat, Roadside Stops, Ronald Reagan, Sister of Liberty | posted in Leisurely Lunch
Ah, Sunday. Time to Ride to Eat once again, and our destination was set. Thanks to Funday, we were on our way to the Boiler Room in Kewanee.
Back roads beckoned, so we took the less traveled route until we happened upon fresh road maintenance — and its gravel topcoat. No. Thank. You. We hung a left and continued. Even with our re-route, we still had to ease our way over several yards of gravel before turning back onto the highway. No good, but nothing we haven’t had to do before.
We explored the road less traveled, winding our way through central Illinois.
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Leave a comment | tags: central Illinois, destination ride, Kewanee Illinois, motorcycle, Motorcycle Enthusiast, Peoria, Ride to Eat, Sunday Funday | posted in Leisurely Lunch
Throughout the summer, we closely followed the progress of a new, upscale-looking establishment in Bradford. The day we first saw the sign, we knew we’d have to make it a Ride to Eat destination. So one date-night Saturday, we made our way to The Highlands Fine Food & Whiskey House.
Located right along IL 40, The Highlands is a noticeable new addition to Main Street. The exterior reminds me a lot of the Irish Cottage Boutique & Hotel, our favorite place to stay in Galena.
The Highlands Fine Food & Whiskey House in Bradford, Ill.
He previously had stopped to check the place out, so I already had heard a bit about it before walking in. Continue reading
Leave a comment | tags: Bradford, central Illinois, destination ride, Irish Cottage Boutique Hotel, Main Street, motorcycle, Ride to Eat | posted in Quick Trip
On a previous trip to check out the then-Pioneer Club in Kewanee, we discovered another dining option just a block away called Cerno’s Bar and Grill. A quick web search revealed a promising Ride to Eat destination for another day — and that day was finally here.
The relentless July heat had finally let up, making for near perfect riding conditions. Basking in the warm sunlight, I felt the world melt away as he took us north.
A little photo shoot fun outside Cerno’s in Kewanee, Ill. The mural in the background is one of my favorites by the Walldogs.
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1 Comment | tags: central Illinois, Cerno's, destination ride, Kewanee Illinois, motorcycle, Psycho Silo, Ride to Eat | posted in Leisurely Lunch
Watch for this sign when you head out of Cedar Point to avoid missing the turn into The Gunsmoke Grill.
In anticipation of the long Memorial Day weekend, I pulled up the May issue of BikerSpot Magazine online to find some eating destinations requiring longer rides. Viola — just across from my article was a full-page ad for The Gunsmoke Grill in Cedar Point.
Well, technically, it’s not in Cedar Point.
It was a picture perfect Sunday. Bright blue sky dotted with puffs of fluffy white clouds promised a smooth day ahead. Continue reading
Leave a comment | tags: BikerSpot, Cedar Point, central Illinois, destination ride, Henry Harbor, Illinois River, motorcycle, Peoria, Ride to Eat, Victory | posted in Leisurely Lunch
After talking about it for several weeks, we finally had the perfect day to venture down to the Dickson Mounds Museum outside Lewistown. Of course, we wanted to take a long, and somewhat out of the way, route there. And, since our big trip around Lake Michigan was coming up soon, a whole day on the bike would be the perfect practice — or test.
We headed out of town on IL 8 West, continuing on the road after it merges with IL 78 South at Elmwood. It being rather early on a Sunday morning when we left the house, traffic was non-existent and the weather was warm but not yet hot. Driving through the various small towns along the route once again reminded me of home and the drives I’d take with my dad. It’s no wonder I feel closer to him on the bike than any other time.
Thoroughly wrapped up in the joy of the ride, we made our way through Farmington to Canton where we headed west on County Road 5 to Cuba, which is lined with a network of ponds. My head pivoted from side to side, watching for wildlife and soaking in the scene. Thinking back now, I realize I must’ve looked like a lawn sprinkler with my rhythmic head movements and wonder if I was subconsciously keeping time with the music. Continue reading
1 Comment | tags: central Illinois, destination ride, Dickson Mounds, Fulton County Courthouse, Hialeah Club, Illinois River, Lewistown, motorcycle, Museum, Native American | posted in Leisurely Lunch
Rewind to 10 days before Christmas (especially if you read my holiday post). It was Sunday, December 14, and it was 52 degrees outside. In Illinois! We both not only wanted to ride … we needed to ride. So, we geared up — me in no less than five layers — and headed out, much to the chagrin of our two dogs who were becoming a little too accustomed to our being home on Sundays.
Now, it was 52 degrees outside; however, you should know I tend to wear sweaters when it’s 70, so it was no small feat for Wally to get me out in the middle of December. One big advantage he had was that it was in the low 50s for much of our summer vacation around Lake Michigan in August (watch for many posts on that ride to come), which means I had learned to deal with it more than in the past. Continue reading
Leave a comment | tags: central Illinois, Chillicothe, Christmas Motorcycle, destination ride, Illinois, Illinois River, Ride to Eat | posted in Leisurely Lunch
Sometimes, you want a good burger. Other times, you want a great burger. That’s exactly how I felt when I woke up on this particular Sunday morning. In fact, I thought about it quite a bit that whole week … that is, I did after I realized Sunday Funday’s destination for the afternoon — Nowhere Bar & Grill in Victoria, Illinois.
From where the hubby and I live in Peoria, it’s not that far of a drive to Victoria, so we decided to extend the trip for a full day with our knees in the breeze. After some discussion of options, we decided to make a return trip to the Wolf Covered Bridge in rural Knox County, a place we’d visited the summer before with the old Vulcan.
After a short ride on I-474 to US 150 (War Memorial Drive), we headed west for a few miles, turning left on Kickapoo-Edwards Road. Outside Edwards, we took W. Southport Road (Route 8) for about 20 miles before hanging a right on Knox Road 1900 East, going even deeper into farm country. Now, what you need to know about me is that I grew up riding around on county roads, discussing life and the world with my dad. While the back roads are mostly gravel where I’m from, the paved county roads in Illinois provide the perfect opportunity to re-live the slow, easy pace I so fondly recall. So, there we were surrounded by fields and the wind and the sound of the engine below us. It was perfect peace. Continue reading
Leave a comment | tags: BikerSpot, central Illinois, Comatose Catfish, covered bridge, destination ride, Illinois, lunch, Main Street, motorcycle, Nowhere Bar, Sunday Funday, Victoria | posted in Leisurely Lunch
