"Kathleen" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:Estom said:"Jon Bond" <[email hidden]> wrote
Quoted message said:Looks like a cool trip.
Here's the first place to try:
mtbr.comIllinois name.htmlOpen ↗
Jon Bond
Thanks! That was quick :o) I tried some of those but the problem in Illinois seems to be
that all
those
Quoted message said:Quoted message said:trails have to be easy enough for 95-year-old rodies :o( Where are the roots and rocks? I kinda
liked Southern IL, but I still think I'll have to move west ...
Hi Estom,
Welcome back. Mark Twain National Forest, near Rolla, Missouri, has 742 miles of trails, about
half of which are open to mountain bikes. Included in that total is the Berryman Trail, a 24 mile
loop through the Ozark Mountains. The Ozarks are old, mellow mountains, hills, really, compared
to, say, the Rockies, but they still provide some gorgeous scenery and plenty of challenges. If
you go, pack plenty to drink - you won't be able to fill up at the camp sites or trailheads -
there is no running water. In the hottest part of the summer, it's difficult to carry enough water
to last the whole ride, and I'm chicken about drinking from the springs along the way. A filter
bottle and/or water purification tabs might be one way of getting around the problem, but then
again, during long dry spells, lots of the small springs peter out. When we go, we usually take
two vehicles and leave one with an extra cooler full of cold drinks and food parked at the Indian
Creek campground, about 14 miles from the trailhead. This also provides a handy bailout point if
you're riding with a mixed ability group. It's a beautiful area, with more than enough riding to
justify a weekend roadtrip.
Kathleen
I went to school in Rolla and second Kathleen's recommendation. There are miles and miles of awesome
trails in the area. Berrymen is closer to Potosi, MO, and is an excellent technical trail. Near
Rolla, there is a trail set called Kaintuck, which is probably close to 35 miles total. Plenty of
challenges and a good workout. But she is correct about the shortage of running water. I've had to
drink from a spring in a bind.
Also, there is plenty of good riding to be had in the St. Louis area, about a six hour drive from
Chicago. Castlewood State Park is nice, good climbs and downs and also good hardpack for railing.
Chubb trail, just west of St. Louis on interstate 44, is a 10 or 15 mile trail that is also awesome.
St. Joe State Park, near Farmington, MO, is excellent. There is an 11 mile paved bike path with
plenty of singletrack on both sides of the trail. I used to ride there regularly and it seems like
there was always a new trial popping up that we were not aware of. This is highly recommended.
Overall, if I were you, I'd probably do Berryman first. If you have a couple days, hit St. Joe SP
the following day.
Good luck!
