Chester to Goreville, IL - July 28

We started before sunrise today and enjoyed a cool ride along the Mississippi River, which included roads on top of the levee. It was very flat in that section and very few cars passed us. It was quite a scene with the morning fog and the river sometimes visible through the trees.

From the river, we rode east to Murphysboro and then skirted the bottom of Carbondale as we stayed on a lot of back roads. We were about to miss one of our turns because the road wasn't marked when two cyclists coming the other way warned us about, and we were fine.

We rode into Goreville at about 1:40 and had lunch at Delaney's, where they give cyclists free dessert. I had a huge chocolate milkshake and dad had apple pie with ice cream. From there it was a couple miles to Fern Clyff State Park, where we're staying. We made a a wrong turn getting to the camping area, so maybe now we're even.

The temperature was noticeably cooler today, with highs only in the lower 90s. And it is actually pleasant at the campsite, which is nicely shaded.

We rode 80 miles today. Tomorrow we'll probably cross the Ohio River into Kentucky.