A recent day-long cycle ride (feel free to go by car) took my group of Mild Hogs riders on a circular route for 210 miles that began at Mulberry Grove. From there, we took IL Rt 140 to Vandalia and then US Hwy 40 to Effingham, turned left and went north on US Hwy 45 to Arcola, took another left onto IL Rt 133, paused in Arthur long enough for lunch and then headed south on IL Rt 32 from Lovington to IL Rt 16 at Windsor and then west for a drive across the dam at Lake Shelbyville. The final lap was south on IL Rt 128 to Cowden before heading west cross-country through Herrick, Ramsey, and Fillmore and back to Greenville.
Casey’s – Mulberry Grove, IL
Casey’s in Mulberry Grove is a perfect meeting spot for guys coming in from different directions and a good place for a “fill up” of riders and vehicles before setting out on a day’s journey.
Effingham Performance Center (EPC) & Firefly Grill – Effingham, IL
Slipping into Effingham on US Hwy 40 to avoid the main traffic arteries is easy if you get on the Outer Belt West, a road that runs parallel to the interstate about a half mile north and connects the major truck stops. This road will take you past the publicly owned Effingham Performance Center (www.TheEPC.org), which didn’t warrant more than a passing glance, because its activities are mostly in the evenings. The EPC hosts musical acts like the Silhouettes, the Glenn Miller Orchestra, Tommy James and the Shondells, Clay Walker, John Michael Montgomery, Larry Gatlin and the Rocky Horror Picture Show. The venue holds roughly 1,000 guests and from my experience, there is not a bad seat in the house.
Nearby, the Firefly Grill, in its own words, is an “Eco-conscious New American eatery serving locally sourced fare in a rustic-chic lakeside setting”. I’m not sure exactly what that all means, but I had a great steak (despite it being grass-fed), my last time there. The Grill has also become a landmark. We rode through before their opening hours, but we know it is a perfect match, along with the EPC, for a special “date” night. Your spouse will love this combo and there are 40+ shows for all ages and interests scheduled for the 2022-23 EPC season, so you’ll have plenty of chances to visit. And if time allows, inquire about the unique history of the Firefly Grill and its owners.
John Boos Factory Show Room – Effingham, IL
In 1887, when John Boos made the first butcher block, he could not have imagined what his company would become. Their large manufacturing facility is located on the south side of Effingham, but the John Boos Factory Show Room and Outlet (www.butcherblockspecialist.com), is located just north off of Interstate 70 at exit 160.
This world-renowned company has a mind-boggling collection of wood products made in every size and shape and from a variety of woods. Boos specializes in cutting boards, butcher blocks, kitchen countertops, gourmet kitchen carts, butcher block tables & islands, kitchen tools & accessories, and stainless-steel food service equipment.
A stop here can help you remodel your bar or kitchen areas in style and you might be lucky enough to take advantage of an overstock special or a factory second, while you are here.
Legacy Harley-Davidson – Effingham, IL
Perched along Interstate 70 on the south side just east of exit 162, is what looks like a farmstead with a large barn and a silo. But don’t be fooled. It’s the home of Legacy Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Sales & Service (www.legacyhd.com) and is worth a stop to tour, drool over a large collection of new and used motorcycles, or buy some logoed Harley-Davidson merchandise.
Inside you will find a cup of coffee and an opportunity to be awed by the brilliant colors that H-D paints their machines and that no competitor seems to be able to match and leather apparel to cover every part of your body. A good idea if you ever plan on falling off your modern steed.
We have an even split of Harley riders and Honda guys in the make-up of our group, but, regardless, we just can’t seem to drive by any motorcycle shop. You can reach it by heading south off of exit 162 on IL Rt 45 past the Moto Mart station, hanging a left and following the signs.
My Garage (Corvette) Museum – North of Effingham, IL
Mike Yager has turned his fetishes about Volkswagens and Corvettes into Mid-American Motorworks (www.mamotorworks.com), which now includes My Garage and Museum (www.mygaragemuseum.com): one of the most extraordinary Corvette museums in existence. It houses thousands of pieces of automotive collectibles and memorabilia. Besides an actual 1910 gas station, that was moved and restored on site, the museum is home to a whole bunch of prototype, concept and racing versions of Corvettes. Valuable cars are rotated from storage onto the floor on a regular basis because these are vehicles that can’t be seen anywhere else.
There is much more to the Motorworks business, but you can ask about that while you are here. I would suggest a very good time to visit would be during the Corvette Funfest (www.corvettefunfest.com); an annual pilgrimage of hundreds of Corvette fans and owners, who descend on the company’s grounds to kick tires, listen to live music, and to generally have a good time. This year‘s Fest will celebrate the 50th year that Mid-American Motorworks has been in business.
Illinois Amish Heritage Center – Chesterville, IL
Not yet completed and open only on Saturdays (we passed through on Thursday), is the relatively new Illinois Amish Heritage Center (IAHC) and it will be a must-see stop if you are entering the Arthur area from the east. It is on the north side of the highway just west of the village of Chesterville.
The Center’s aim is to preserve the Amish culture in this area. So far, it includes the 1865 Moses Yoder house, reportedly the oldest Amish house in Illinois; the 1882 Daniel Schrock house; and a schoolhouse. Future plans include a 10,000 sq ft museum and a living history farm.
I wondered, didn’t they use to have something like this in the area, called “Rockome Gardens.” I got my answer, that it had been one of the area’s largest attractions in years past. But by now it had become home to 68 species of animals and been re-named Aikman Wildlife (www.aikmanwildlife.com).
Pauly’s BBQ – Arthur, IL
Thoughts of a feast of Amish cuisine at Yoder’s Kitchen entered our lunch discussion, but this group on this day, opted for a smaller venue just down the street. Pauly’s BBQ served us a “special”: a North Carolina pulled pork with slaw sandwich, that we topped with a tasty slice of cocoanut crème pie and then drowned in iced tea.
Although we arrived on two wheels, we didn’t have to look far to find horses and buggies throughout the community, like the one shown at the top of this blog, that I photographed in front of Pauly’s. The Amish heavily populate the country between the towns of Arthur, Arcola, Sullivan and Tuscola. So, plan on spending a day or two discovering the Amish Country of Illinois (www.amishcountryofillinois.com), because there are dozens upon dozens of shops and artisans to visit.
Lake Shelbyville Dam – Shelbyville, IL
On this day, painting on top of the dam prevented us from the traditional ride across, but we still got close enough for a good look at the massive size of the body of water behind the structure and the well-groomed grounds below the Lake Shelbyville Dam. There are 11,000 acres of Kaskaskia River water held back by the dam east of Shelbyville with 172 miles of shoreline for your enjoyment.
Five federal campgrounds, two state campgrounds, two wildlife management areas, three public beaches, three marinas and many boat launching ramps surround the lake. In addition, there are biking, hiking and horse trails available. The Corps of Engineers Visitor’s Center that displays wildlife and tells the history of the lake and surrounding communities is located at the east end of the dam.
One of the public beaches is located at the west end of the dam, but it wasn’t hot enough to entice road weary bikers to take a dip. Maybe on a hotter day!
Thompson Mill (Covered) Bridge – Two Miles East of Cowden, IL
The Kaskaskia River meanders ever southward from the dam, slicing through Shelby County toward Cowden. Two miles east of the village, our group visited the Thompson Mill Bridge. Named for the mill that once stood nearby and operated from 1843 until 1914, the 160’-wooden covered structure was constructed in 1868 and was only 10’7” wide, making it the narrowest covered bridge in Illinois. It was built in Michigan and shipped to Shelbyville; then hauled to the river by horse-drawn wagons.
The bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Placed in 1975 and it is only one of nine covered bridges left in Illinois with five of them being historic. It is closed to automobile traffic, but open to pedestrians. A newer concrete bridge was built in the 1970’s and runs parallel to the Thompson Bridge.
Cities and villages we “touched” on this day‘s ride, included: Smithboro, Mulberry Grove, Hagarstown, Vandalia, Bluff City, Brownstown, St. Elmo, Altamont, Dexter, Keptown, Fundhouser, Effingham, Sigel, Neoga, Mattoon, Dorans, Humboldt, Galton, Arcola, Chesterville, Arthur, Lovington, Sullivan, Windsor, Shelbyville, Cowden, Herrick, Ramsey, Fillmore, VanBurensburg, Woburn and Greenville.
In conclusion, this ride was a pretty quick “fly by”, which only allowed us to hit some highlights. To be more thorough, you would need to allow a full day in Effingham, a day or two around Arthur, and a day to explore the trails and rent a boat at Lake Shelbyville. Fall colors will be coming soon and this would be a good trip in the next few weeks.
