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Routes to Sedalia, MO BMWMOA Rally

Well the south trails are fine. There is an old covered bridge (just to the side on the old road) about 4 miles East of Chester ILL.
Little Mary's River Covered Bridge. (Well I usually take breaks often.)
I think that the statue of Popeye is town-center in Chester. Lots of food/gas stops near Ste Gen. You are in the area of
Elephant Rocks, Johnson Shut-Ins, Bonne Terre Mines, etc. DO get FUEL before going in to Mark Twain Forrest.

OR,

If you just want to just dodge the main St Louis traffic: Go north via Illinois Rt 100 north side of the Mississippi, I enjoy the drive.

Take 50 to route 4 north (east of STL) thru Lebanon, Take 17 miles of 70 and 270 to Rt 3 north. At mid-town Alton take Rt 100 west.
There are lots of Antique shops and the like here. Bicycle path on the river edge.
Take the Brussels Ferry (free) thru Golden Eagel Il, to the Golden Eagle ferry (cost $5.00),
this area is good for fresh peaches when in season.

Unfortunately it is GRAVEL for about a mile south of the ferry to the next blacktop. Rt B and Rt C to Mid-Rivers Mall area.
Then I-70 west to Warrenton and Rt 47 south.

(Might be good Highway Z south from Wentzville to New Melle then Rt D and RT T to Rt 47 thru Washington MO and then down to 50.)
(Haven't driven it but probably good.)


Altonbridge.jpg


Alton cable-stayed bridge. US-67 just east of the casino.
 
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The gravel at Golden Eagle is at least packed down, not all that bad.

Don't know if the Grafton ferry is running or not. Haven't been that way.
 
Popeye and BMW Dealer

Well the south trails are fine. There is an old covered bridge (just to the side on the old road) about 4 miles East of Chester ILL.
Little Mary's River Covered Bridge. (Well I usually take breaks often.)
I think that the statue of Popeye is town-center in Chester. Lots of food/gas stops near Ste Gen. You are in the area of
Elephant Rocks, Johnson Shut-Ins, Bonne Terre Mines, etc. DO get FUEL before going in to Mark Twain Forrest.

OR,

If you just want to just dodge the main St Louis traffic: Go north via Illinois Rt 100 north side of the Mississippi, I enjoy the drive.

Take 50 to route 4 north (east of STL) thru Lebanon, Take 17 miles of 70 and 270 to Rt 3 north. At mid-town Alton take Rt 100 west.
There are lots of Antique shops and the like here. Bicycle path on the river edge.
Take the Brussels Ferry (free) thru Golden Eagel Il, to the Golden Eagle ferry (cost $5.00),
this area is good for fresh peaches when in season.

Unfortunately it is GRAVEL for about a mile south of the ferry to the next blacktop. Rt B and Rt C to Mid-Rivers Mall area.
Then I-70 west to Warrenton and Rt 47 south.

(Might be good Highway Z south from Wentzville to New Melle then Rt D and RT T to Rt 47 thru Washington MO and then down to 50.)
(Haven't driven it but probably good.)


Altonbridge.jpg



Alton cable-stayed bridge. US-67 just east of the casino.

Actually the Popeye Statue is right at the Mississippi River Bridge on the Illinois side on the south side of the road with a very nice and air conditioned Visitor Center. High bluff over the Mississippi with good camera vista.

If you cross at Cape Girardeau take a right off the bridge and go down to the downtown of Cape and stop in at Grass Roots BMW.
 
Stay south in MO

From my experience, the further south you stay in Missouri the better the roads are for biking. Don't be afraid of the state routes...may be a little slower, but you go through more interesting small towns.
 
From my experience, the further south you stay in Missouri the better the roads are for biking. Don't be afraid of the state routes...may be a little slower, but you go through more interesting small towns.

I'll be passing thru Land Between the Lakes as I exit Kentucky westbound, and am torn between angling up a bit to take in the roads in the Mark Twain Forest area and Lake of the Ozarks beyond...or to angle south a bit and catch the Oachitas in Arkansas before turning north and coming into Sedalia via Lake of the Ozarks.

Which would you recommend?

Pete and Barley
 
South in, then the other way Home?
May even be able to join the Mo Rally (@ Crane) the weekend before MOA, or at least Mon-Wed that cheap camping is also allowed.
 
If you stop in Hannibal and have some extra travel time take Hwy 79 south from Hannibal to Louisiana, MO. In Louisiana you can take Hwy 54 west and make your way to Sedalia. Hwy 79 runs along the Miss. River and has several overlooks and some nice sweepers. This road was closed for a couple of years but re-opened last fall.
 
If you stay on US 50 until you reach Lebanon, IL, you can turn right onto IL 4 and follow it to IL 16. Turn left on IL 16 and go to IL 100. Follow IL 100 across the IL River to Hardin and turn right and stay on IL 100 to Kampsville. Turn left on IL 96 and follow it until it becomes the Mississippi River Road. Turn right staying on IL 96 to US 54 in Atlas, IL. Turn left crossing the Mississippi at Louisiana, MO. Turn right and follow MO 79 to Hannibal. From there go as you will. No St. Louis, and no interstates involved. It is a nice ride. that I have done a number of times. For what its worth, I am listed in the anonymous book as having camping space and a spare room in Edwardsville, IL. Pretty much right on that route. Or, as noted above, you can stay on US 54 and follow it west until it crosses US 50 and follow 50 to the rally.
 
cliff chappell #157371

my home town is sedalia, i will be there this year my sister still lives there. I70 is only 30mi north of sedalia, 65 hiway or marshall junction don't know exit # as far as getting around st louis try hannibal mark twains home. state roads are good.
 
Take 50 to route 4 north (east of STL) thru Lebanon, Take 17 miles of 70 and 270 to Rt 3 north. At mid-town Alton take Rt 100 west.
There are lots of Antique shops and the like here. Bicycle path on the river edge.
Take the Brussels Ferry (free) thru Golden Eagel Il, to the Golden Eagle ferry (cost $5.00),
this area is good for fresh peaches when in season.

Unfortunately it is GRAVEL for about a mile south of the ferry to the next blacktop. Rt B and Rt C to Mid-Rivers Mall area.
Then I-70 west to Warrenton and Rt 47 south.

(Might be good Highway Z south from Wentzville to New Melle then Rt D and RT T to Rt 47 thru Washington MO and then down to 50.)
(Haven't driven it but probably good.)

Altonbridge.jpg


Alton cable-stayed bridge. US-67 just east of the casino.

I took the Brussels Ferry and Golden Eagle Ferry today. The road south from the Golden Eagle is blacktop. There is some loose gravel but nothing to worry about.
 
Looks like i will detour a bit.Leaving June 1 and going through New Hampshire on the way from illinois to mo.Makes sense,right?
 
way across without using interstates

How about taking the ferrys kind of fun and in the country look up the golden eagle ferry there's 1 that goes across the bridge into illinois and 1 goes across the missouri river also the 1 across a missouri is I think 350 for a bike the 1 going across is mississippi is free send me an email if you need help I can help you out I just did the trip it was real nice for my wife and I
 
So who all is attending?:bottle

Me and Maggie will be there, are you going to make it?




I'm Starting pool, $1 entry :dance

1 Stevo wont show up with out notice
2 Stevo got another B day to attend
3 Stevo got call in to work
4 Stevo and honey to do list
5 He will be there

:rofl:rofl:rofl
 
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