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Tour de Coal

I spent most of today with Jim Marcacci marking the route for the Tour de Coal bicycle ride this Saturday in Benld, Ill. Jim and I go back about 15 years thanks to our involvement in the early days of the Tour de Donut, and Jim used to operate a bicycle shop in Benld that was a big supporter of the Tour de Donut.

As a native of Macoupin County, I got to see parts of the county that I haven't seen in years and some parts of the county that I had never seen before.

Generally speaking, the route is flat to gently rolling with a few decent climbs on the 30- and 63-mile options. As is often the case with Illinois rural roads, cyclists will have to watch out for patches of gravel, particularly on turns. The hills won't be anywhere close to the hills century riders will encounter on the Sandy Creek Century in Jefferson County, Mo., so people looking for a more relaxing ride should consider making the trip to Benld for the Tour de Coal.

For those of you who don't know where Benld (pronounced Ben-neld) is, it is roughly halfway between Springfield, Ill., and St. Louis at the intersections of Illinois Routes 4 and 138. Benld is perhaps best known for being the home of the Coleseum Ballroom, which once played hosts to musicians such as Tommy Dorsey, Duke Ellington and Ray Charles. Benld also is home to the only Russian Orthodox Church in Illinois that is under direct governance by the Patriarch of Moscow, and tours of the church will be available during Tour de Coal.

Jim and I had one interesting encounter while marking the routes in Dorchester, a small town about three miles west of Benld. A gentleman approached us wondering why we were painting arrows on the road. When we explained that it was for a bicycle ride, he man told us he thought bicycles shouldn't be on the road.

I -- for once -- kept my mouth shut. The man went on to explain that he didn't like how some groups of bicyclists would not get out of the way to let vehicles pass and that he didn't like how kids on their bikes would ignore stop signs. In a calm manner, Jim told the man that he agreed completely. That seemed to disarm him, and he wished us good luck with the event. Jim and I are certain he still doesn't like bicycles on the road, but at least Jim did his part for bicycle advocacy.

I also hope that my Route 66 friends, Ron Warnick and Emily Priddy, won't get too upset with me with painting arrows on the Mother Road in or near Benld, Mount Olive or Staunton. But I don't think they'll mind, given that means cyclists will get to experience old Route 66 alignments.

Online registration still is available through Thursday evening through Active.com, or you can sign up the day of the ride. Day-of-ride registration is from 7 to 9 a.m. and the ride costs $15 per individual or $40 for a household of three or more.

Roger 1 comments 11:18 PM

Comments:

No, we're not upset. ;)

# posted by  Anonymous : 11:04 AM

 

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