Can You Help Me Plan a Road Trip with Diving: Syracuse to Cairo?

[Beiji]

Around the 27th of May I'll be driving from my home in Syracuse to visit family just north of Cairo, IL (yes, poor, flooded Cairo), and returning the first week of June. I'd like to dive at any interesting sites along the way, and I'm looking for recommendations. I'm planning on taking 3 or 4 days to do the drive each way.

Here's the basic route per Google:

I 90 from Syracuse to Cleveland, passing Buffalo and Erie PA

I 71 from Cleveland to Louisville

I 64 from Louisville to I 57 in Illinois to Mounds, IL

It would be possible to change the route from Cleveland and stay on I 71 to Columbus and then take I 70 across Indiana if there's better diving that direction.

While I'm in Southern Illinois I will probably dive at Mermet Springs and possible Bonne Terre.

I'm looking for good places to stop between Syracuse and Mounds, and I will also need buddies. I have a drysuit and an 8/6 wetsuit but I'm not sure if I'll take both.

 

[Beiji]

I saw Jendra's post about Natural Springs on the Ohio-Indiana border, in the Mid-West Muck Divers forum, and it sounds like a nice location that would be worth taking the alternate route in order to dive there.