A lake break to cool off. We found a fun dam jump after a little barb wire gymnastics. Not to be upstaged, Scott jumped naked.

On the ferry across the great Ohio river, which forms a natural border between Kentucky and Illinois. From left: Scott, Adam, Katie and Kevin.


As we entered Illinois, our best Lincoln pose. We rode past numerous historical Lincoln spots, birthplace, boyhood home and place of conception.


Kevin and Adam fresh out of their cross Ohio river swim. They dodged a few coal barges and river currents to complete the trip in 22 minutes.


The last post we put up was in Marion, KY, just before the ferry across the Ohio River into Illinois. Kentucky had it's ups and downs, and as much as we are stoked to be done with "United We Stand, Divided We Fall" state, I think we formed a mini-bond and are a little sentimental now that it's behind us. That said, Adam and Kevin were so psyched to leave KY that we left it twice...after taking the ferry over with the bikes, they lost their shoes and shirts, took the ferry BACK to Kentucky and swam across the Ohio...maybe not the most lucid of decisions. But, they touched the Illinois shore about half a mile down river with all limbs in tact and maybe just a little water-logged.

The rest of the day wasn't any less eventful. We found our way to Elizabethtown, IL, and within 5 minutes of being in town, stumbled into a wedding reception, free food and a sweet riverside gazebo to sleep. After a few beers, catfish and cornbread by candlelight we got down on the dance floor with the wedding party. The band really killed it on keyboard and slide guitar. We fell asleep with a cool breeze as coal barges floated by on the Ohio.

The riding had been very hot throughout the end of Kentucky, with multiple days in the 100s. However the weather has lightened up and we've enjoyed some of the best riding of our trip in Illinois. The hills are rolling, the breeze is cool and the company of the North Carolina crew has made the miles fly by.