Reriding the 2014 ADV Rider Loose Nut tracks

Bryan Reynolds posted a request to partner up on a weekend in the Shawnee National Forrest using the ADV Rider Forum tracks from last fall's Loose Nut Rally.  This turned into quite a ride!

I don't have all the maps with me, but here are a couple items to enjoy...   First is the loop from Ferne Clyffe State Park, clockwise to the east through Ozark, IL and toward Mitchellsville.   This video is from the north end (due to water and trees across the road/creek-bed).  The road name is Tom Dick Hill Rd.   I'm sure there's a story there...)

It's sorta long, but it's a fraction of what all was there.  The shale steps were a treat.   At the bottom (north) end of the road we pulled up to recover and then hiked the next 1/4 mile...   High-lift trucks have carved the creekbed and crossings into canyons... (pictures to be added).

Be sure to refuel at the Mitchellsville gas stop.   Great staff with big smiles and hot food.

On Sunday we headed west from our camp at Crab Orchard Lake National Wildlife Refuge Campground to intercept the northwest loop of the ADV tracks.   We picked up the trail near Gorham which included lovely one-lane paved farm roads, tons of gravel, and a little loop called Happy Hollow Road.   Using the newly found website AllTrails.com I mapped it for you.

Starting in a rural residential wind into the bluffs, the road quickly turns to gravel, dirt and finally a jeep trail with not enough traffic to keep it clear.  Where you see the icon for 'Waterfall' is a waterfall... (!?)  150' above that we were looking over the edge from the top of the bluff.   In the video listen for the BEEP...   my rear wheel caught the end of a log and got knocked to the right... pointing me at the drop...  Good thing we were taking our time.

First off...  let's thank Big Dog ,of the forum and is the GS guy of the Southern Illinois BMW riders, for collecting all the tracks.   We probably did less than 20% of that was intended for the weekend...  We did 174 miles Saturday and 149 miles Sunday... and there are hundreds of miles of forest roads and levees that we passed and land-marked.

If you travel to Southern IL and would like to explore more of this... hit me up!   I'm in Carterville, one mile from lake-front campsites and right in the middle of all this.

Travel safe!

Jeff