We will be doing the Cedar Valley Tour again in 2011. This makes it the 19th Annual edition.
The tour will be the same Cedar Valley Tour EAST along the mississippi river as the past 3 years. July 16 & 17 2011. Starting at 9:00 am at the historic Fort Armstrong at the southern tip of Rock Island island in the middle of the Mississippi river in The Quad Cities. We will take the MRT, Mississippi River Trail north on the Illinois side to just north of Thompson. This trail is part bicycle trail and part back roads with nearly no traffic. You get a great view of the Mississippi river and Iowa on many sections. Other attractions are the old Dutch Windmill in Fulton, the Cordova Drag Strip, the Cordova nuke plant (same GE model that is melting down in Japan after the earthquake & tsunami), the Sand Prairie park near Thompson, the once and former slammer replacement for guan tanamo bay prisonors. The nature preserve near Albany. The MRT is paved all the way, no crushed rock. As usual we go slow and stop every where we can. Second breakfast in Port Byron, ice cream in Fulton, the bike shop in Thompson. We over night at Buck's Barn, a golf club resort with a motel, pool and restaurant & bar. There is no parking at Fort Armstrong but there is plenty across the river in Davenport or Rock Island.
Where we stayed in 2008 & 2009 & 2010
Lynnwood Lynks (motel at golf course) aka Bucks Barn.
(about 4 miles south of Savanna)
Lots of rooms, all non-stenching. The usual continental breakfast is included.
http://www.bucksbarngolfresort.com/page/52-1389.htm
Reservations - Call Toll Free 1-866-596-6966 ext 3.
I've reserved 7 rooms, call to get yours, tell them you are with the Cedar Valley Tour. Call soon to get a ground floor room.
Mississippi River Trail information
http://www.bikelib.org/maps-and-rides/route-guides/mississippi-river-trail/
The trail guide from QC Online from 2009, still good info.
http://adserver1.harvestadsdepot.com/dispargldr/ss/079509/
This ride is an official Hawkeye Bicycle Assocition ride. No fees but you are on your own for food and accomodations. We haul our own gear as needed. Helmet use is requested for all HBA rides.
notes on the Cedar Valley Nature Trail.
The 2008 flood destroyed the two large bridges over the Cedar River. Construction is under way to replace the northern most bridge by Evansdale. Expected to be completed by later in 2011. The other bridge between LaPorte City and Brandon is mostly funded and reconstruction is expected to begin in 2011 with a completion date sometime in 2012.
The Linn County Trail Association has been fund rasing with the intent to add more asphalt north from County Home Road. Expect periodic trail closings when that work is under way.
