Bald Knob Cross 250

 In case you want to see lots of fireworks from several different communities, the Bald Knob Cross is offering evening viewing hours tomorrow night starting at 7 p.m.  I am not sure if other events are planned for the Cross, such as music, but the Visitors Center will be open with food available.

Blessing of the Bikes

 The Blessing of the Bikes takes place at Bald Knob Cross this Sunday. Apparently they expect a goodly number of bikers as IDOT has signs up on either side of the Alto Pass exit warning drivers to "Beware of Bikes".

HWY 127

 Hwy 127 is now open all the way from Old Highway 13 to 146. The closure of the road at Alto Pass allowed IDOT to remove both the crumbling overpass leading to Bald Knob and finish the repairs on 127 from wen part of the roadway collapsed following a lot of rain. that stretch has been a one lane road for almost three years now so glad to see it back to normal with a wider roadbed and, hopefully, more secure support to prevent the collapse from happening again.

New Exit

 IDOT has put in a new exit off Hwy 127 at Alto Pass. Apparently the bridge over 127 at that point has become unsound as it is now closed off. You now have two exits at that location, the original one on the east side that leads to Alto Pass and that drivers took to cross over the bridge to Bald Knob Cross and Peach Barn Vineyard and the new one exiting on the west that allows drivers to bypass the bridge to get to those two locations.

Alto Pass Exit

 Although I never thought Alto Pass got enough traffic to warrant a second exit off Hwy 127, apparently someone did. The state is putting a second exit on the west side of 127, making it, I suppose, easier to get off the highway to visit Bald Knob Cross. I did not think the cross pulled in enough traffic regularly to warrant a second exit but maybe I am wrong. I know the times I have gone there for Easter sunrise services, traffic has backed up for a mile but the Cross, as far as I can tell, does not offer events of that magnitude that often. If someone more familiar with Cross operations could let me know as to traffic there, I would appreciate it.

City Eclipse Notice

About 20 days until the Great American Eclipse. According to Carbondale Tourism, all the hotels and motels in town are booked up, as is Touch of Nature and Schneider Hall on the SIUC campus. Local farms are now renting out 15' x 15' camping plots on their property for $100 per person, maximum of 6 people per tent. Bald Knob also rented out camping space and has sold out, with people coming in from 19 different states.  Here's the press release the city sent out yesterday:

With thousands expected in Carbondale for the eclipse, the City wants to remind businesses and residents to prepare ahead of time.

To avoid long lines and empty shelves, get your grocery shopping done a week or two in advance. Stock up on emergency supplies like batteries, flashlights and first aid kits.  Plan to pick up prescriptions early to avoid crowds.

Schedule your appointments at the beginning of the week. Traffic will begin picking up on Wednesday, August 16 for SIU move-in and will likely remain busy until the Tuesday after the eclipse.

If you have to drive during eclipse weekend, allow extra time to get to your destination. Traffic will be heavy, so plan accordingly.

Bald Knob Cross

In case you are looking for something to do on the 22nd that doesn't involve running around doing last minute shopping and don't mind driving out into the southern Illinois hinterlands, the Bald Knob Cross relighting ceremony starts at 5 p.m. with the actual turning on of the lights at 5:30

Bald Knob Cross

In the minor controversy over the grant from the state. the Friends of Bald Knob Cross are now advancing that argument that Bald Knob Cross is a major tourist attraction in southern Illinois, attracting upwards of 500 people during a summer weekend, and that the grant was sought and approved based on that function of the cross, rather than its religious significance. Interesting way to look at it since, in my experience at least, most religious sites, while they certainly appreciate any money generated by tourism, emphasize the religious aspect of the site over the secular one and are somewhat put out when you look at their church, temple, etc. as a tourist attraction. You can listen to the interview here.

Atheist & Bald Knob Cross

Illinois atheist Rob Sherman say he may sue the Friends of the Cross for accepting the $20,000 grant from the state for the rebuilding of Bald Knob Cross. While he's probably right that the state should not have made such a grant, the hyperbole he engages in denouncing the grant makes him sound really silly:

"In order to preserve the honor of the cross, they need to return that money so it doesn't become a badge of shame," he said. "If they keep that money, Bald Knob Cross will become a symbol of the corruption of Christians in America."