Big Rock in Illinois

[raprap]

No Electricity, No Water, but no fees either…If you aren’t familiar with
South Central Illinois its known for being flat0—except for some regions in little Egypt, and in the eastern region is a place called Garden of the Gods. It’s in the Shawnee National Forest and the Gods has a few camping spots (Pharaoh) that are relatively level, with lantern stands, a good fire ring and a big picnic table that are not too far form the Camel, Anvil rock, and the Monkey head (although it looks more like Moe from the Simpson’s) . It is also not too far from horseback and hiking trails (River to River). For the in the plains of the Midwest—its hard to believe it’s Illinois.

Primitive, but between the tear’s water tank, batteries and solar collector I was only missing a wifi.

See this link
http://www.backpackcamp.com/GardenOfTheGods.html and I recommend Campsite 9.

Rap

[Tcurr]

Did you go there this weekend?

[raprap]

Last week for four days. Camped, cooked, and day packed three different trails in the wilderness area. I'd been there before, but that was twenty years ago---the rocks haven’t changed, only the access.

The rocks are sandstone deposited at the bottom of a cretation ocean that covered the Midwest. In the sandstone are layers of rusted iron reduced from the basic seas. Twisted swirls of red and black iron oxides.

Although the Garden of the Gods itself is developed by the NFS there are lots of rock ledges and small rock houses that are removed from public areas along the hiking and horse trails.

The area is just south of the edge of the glaciations of 100,000 years ago or so and there are lots of aromatic cedars in what are largely oak, maple and hickory forests. Unlike similar areas of southern Ohio, there are few beech trees. Like southern Ohio there is a small university in Carbondale (SIU) that would rival Athens for culture (known for spring riots rather than ones at Halloween)

Neat place though, easily comparable to Old Mans Cave or Red River Gorge.

Rap

[WarPony]

Rapster, you are the man!! If you give it the "Old Man's Cave" stamp, I'm in!! You were "dead-on" on the Red River Gorge hit this past Summer!!

Hey, next time you come through Kansas, let me know, I'll pay you to smuggle some of that Ale 8 soda pop I fell in love with in KY. We had it at that rock climbing pizza place called ______ at the Red.

Dahhhh, I can't remember the name.................


Jeff

[raprap]

Was that the Crazy Climbers Cafe?

Ale 8 is somewhat famous amoung the climbing set--my son, a crazy climber, says that route bottles on climbs in Colorado often use empty Ale 8 bottles in a salute to the Red.

Illinois Garden of the Gods is much like that--altough not a famous as the one in Colorado Springs the bluffs are accessable to people that aren't half monkey (oops make that 96% monkey) and some are even handicap accessable--as it is a National Forest.

Campsites abound though although they tend to be tent sites and have neither electricity or water.

Ale 8 has a web site, and some good guides for Ale 8 mixers http://www.ale8one.com/index.html

Rap

[WarPony]

Was that the Crazy Climbers Cafe?

Miguels on the Red is the name of the joint............ I finally asked my girlfriend. It's on HWY. 12, south of Slade.

Jeff