Herod

Early this morning I returned to Garden of the Gods . The good news is that the place was empty save for one other couple. The bad news is that the skies were clear, so they still had to be excluded from photos for the most part. Beata and Mike were flying a drone and I asked them about it. They shared that they had checked carefully, and it was legal in a National Forest (as opposed to a National Park or a State Park). They are from Chicago, and Beata is also an enthusiastic still photographer, so we had a nice conversation. She recommended a store in Chicago where I could find a replacement filter for one that had self-destructed.

Yesterday, when I stopped for gas at Harbison’s (which also doubles as a small market), Josie gave me some additional ideas for destinations. After doing all I could with Garden of the Gods, I headed over to the Illinois Iron Furnace National Historic Landmark. Built in 1837, this was one of only two iron furnaces in the Shawnee Hills of Southern Illinois. Its production was sporadic, in part due to lack of a labor force to operate it. By 1883, advances in iron production techniques and the discovery of richer ore fields closed it for good. In 1967, the structure was rebuilt to preserve it as an historic site.

Next, I drove out to Bell Smith Springs Scenic Area . This was a great find, and I would not have had a clue if Josie had not suggested it. The trail meandered out to a spring and various colorful rock formations. Even though it was Sunday, very few people were on the trail until about noon. Even then, although the small parking lot had filled up, it was still not crowded. It was only midday when I walked out of Bell Smith, so I decided to head over to Elizabeth Town, nicknamed E-Town, by the locals, to grab some lunch at the E-Town River restaurant . This small eatery is situated on a barge, just off the banks of the Ohio River.

Following Route 34, which turns into Route 146 when it turns toward the river, I saw signs that it had been dubbed the Ohio River Scenic Drive. That might have been a bit of a stretch. While the idea of sitting on the water was attractive, the food was, frankly mediocre. All of the dead fish in the water did not help the atmosphere. I wondered if the extreme heat might be to blame.

I drove around the corner to Riverside Mercantile as ice cream was advertised. It was pretty much the only business with any life on the very small block that comprised the Main Street of Elizabethtown. It appeared that the dozen or so cars in the areas were mostly parked at the restaurant. Riverside Mercantile was cute, and the ice cream was very good. As I am tracking the cost of a scoop, it was down to $3.99, from a high of over $6.00 in Acadia National Park in Maine.

As the heat had become oppressive, and I knew that I had a long drive tomorrow, I returned to my room to download, process, write and pack up. Tomorrow I drive up to Chicago. It would be about five hours by the fastest route, but I am going to stop in Springfield to visit the Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, so that will add a couple of hours. I plan to get an early start.

Additional images can be found in this gallery and this gallery .