Bike Tour to Eckert's Orchard

 

Eckert’s Orchard

A trip across the country wouldn’t be complete without stopping in Belleville, Illinois to visit family. While planning our road trip, my husband routed us through Belleville so we could see my my aunt (my mom’s sister) and cousins, who we hadn’t seen since the summer before Covid.

About a week before we arrived, I texted my cousin to see if she and her fiancé, both avid cyclists, would like to give us a bike tour while we were in town. They planned a simple out and back route that would take us from the Clinton Hills Conservation Park along the Metro Bike Link Trail to Eckert’s Orchard Country Store and Farm.

Our ride started along the recently improved 10-foot wide trail that circles the perimeter of the Clinton Hills Conservation Park, a frisbee golf course that replaced the old Clinton Hills Golf Course, as we made our way to the Metro Bike Link Trail, and finally to the Orchard Loop Trail. Our ride took us through parks, residential neighborhoods, wooded areas, and farmland while the trail paralleled streets, railroad tracks, and creeks.

We didn’t use Ride with GPS, but the following map and link is the closest route I could find, which starts in Fairview Heights rather than Swansea where we started.

 

Ride Overview
  • • Ride Name: MetroBikeLink Trail Fairview Heights to Eckert’s and Return 24
  • • Ride with GPS: Link to turn-by-turn navigation cue sheet
  • • Location: Belleville, Illinois
  • • Start/Finish: Swansea, Illinois
  • • Course Type: out and back
  • • Course Surface: paved
  • • Bike: Salsa Warbird
  • • Distance: 20.23 miles
  • • Time: 1:42:21
  • • Average Speed: 11.9 MPH
  • • Maximum Speed:  MPH
  • • Elevation Gain: 673 feet
  • • Elevation Range: 477 to 587 feet
  • • Weather: 73° and mostly sunny, climbing to 79° (feels like 81°)
  • • Date of ride: August 11, 2024
  • • Course Map:

 

Fun Pictures From Along the Way

We had pretty much perfect weather when we met my cousin and her fiancé on the trail at the Clinton Hills Conservation Park. My sweet aunt joined us for a picture and then we were off!

 

Cruising past the frisbee golf course a couple of minutes into the ride…

 

Making our way into some welcome shade…

 

Riding along the Metro Bike Link Trail with sorghum along

 

After leaving the Metro Bike Link Trail we rode for a short distance on Fox Valley Lane with sorghum and soybeans lining the street…

 

A third of a mile later, we turned onto Orchard Loop Trail, the most picturesque trail of the ride. We rode past a huge soybean field before eventually arriving at the orchard.

 

9.5 miles into our ride we arrived at our destination, Eckert’s Orchard Country Store and Farm. Eckert’s is a family owned business run by sixth and seventh generation descendants of Johann Peter Eckert who immigrated from Dietzenbach, Hesse Darmstadt, Germany in 1837. Over the years the farming family moved westward from Pittsburg, Pennsylvania to Fayetteville, Illinois and then to Belleville, Illinois (there are also orchards in Millstadt and Grafton, Illinois and Versailles, Kentucky). From originally selling apples, peaches, strawberries, and a wide variety of other produce seasonally in an orchard setting, a country store and restaurant have been added to the Belleville experience.

After admiring the little red truck and antique Farmall tricycle tractor out front, we quickly cruised through the store before making our way to the donut and custard shop. A delicious custard hit the spot and was the perfect fuel for our return trip.

 

Ready to make our way back to Swansea…

 

I couldn’t resist stopping for a picture with my new alien friend at Obernuefemann Observatiory.

 

Peace out, earthlings!

 

Garmin Stats

Post-ride Garmin…

 

Garmin map and elevation graph…

 

Final Thoughts on the Ride

This was such a fun, chill ride, and doing it with family only added to the enjoyment. The trail was relatively flat, well marked, and very scenic. The great weather only added to the enjoyment of our ride. I definitely would like to ride it again next time I’m visiting.

 

Questions:
  • • Have you been to Illinois? ~ Yes, I first visited Illinois when my husband and I were first married and drove cross country for grad school. We stopped to visit my aunt and uncle at least four times as we drove back and forth over three years. Later we flew to Illinois with our sons and my parents for a family reunion, and finally, we visited our son and daughter-in-law many times when our son was in grad school at the University of Chicago, Booth.
  • •  Do you believe there are aliens? ~ Me: placing a finger in each ear, “Lalalalalalalalalalala.” I have an irrational fear that there might be evil aliens out there just waiting… 😉
  • • Do you stop and relax occasionally to fuel or take pictures, or barrel on through when on a long run or ride? ~ Pictures, always pictures, unless I’m racing!

 

Disclaimer:  This post contains affiliate links which means if you click on the blue product link and then make a purchase, I will receive a small commission for referring you. You will pay no more or less for the product; however, Amazon will show their gratitude for my referral by paying me.

 

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