Hanover is a village of a few hundred people where the Apple River slips past low limestone bluffs on its way to the Mississippi, and the whole setting has a slow, old-fashioned charm. The river was once harnessed to run a mill, and the old mill dam and the stone buildings that went with it are still a feature of the village, with the water tumbling over the weir in a pleasant, rushing sound. A few small shops, an old stone church and a handful of houses make up the centre.
The district is part of the Driftless Area, and the hills around Hanover are among the steepest in Illinois. The Mississippi is only a few kilometres to the west, and beyond it lies Iowa, with the town of Bellevue on the other bank. At this latitude the river is wide and slow, with islands, backwaters and a series of locks and dams that make it navigable for barges. Bald eagles winter on the river, gathering near the open water below the dams, and from December to February there are good places to watch them. In spring and autumn, the river is a major flyway, and huge flocks of ducks and geese pass through.
Riding here is a matter of following the water. The road along the river runs under limestone bluffs and past farms, with long, easy bends, mostly good surface and sections where the bluffs rise straight above the road. It then climbs out of the valley onto the ridge in a series of bends, with views over the river from the top. Traffic is generally light, though motorcyclists and cyclists flock to this stretch of the Great River Road on summer weekends, and the occasional tourist in a slow car can hold things up. Look out for gravel, particularly after heavy rain.
For fuel and food, Bellevue and Savanna, each a short ride away, have the basics, and Maquoketa, in Iowa, is a larger town with more services. Hanover has little, so plan accordingly, and carry some food and water on a hot day. Autumn is the pick of the year, with the maples and oaks turning on the bluffs, but the first half of June, when the corn is high and the weather is warm, is a good second.