Deckyon
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 29, 2014
- Messages
- 1,182
- Reaction score
- 39
- Points
- 48
- Location
- Louisville. KY
Route: Louisville, KY -> Eminence, KY -> Madison, IN -> Louisville, KY
Please be patient, this is my first RR here, and while not true adventure riding, as a new rider, it was adventure for me. Put over 200 miles on the bike this weekend.
On February 7, 2015 the morning started in the low 40s (f) but by the afternoon hit up in the lower 60s (f). 62, I believe. Had planned on meeting up with a couple guys at E.P. Tom Sawyer Park, on the east end of Louisville at 11:00 AM. Turns out, due to unforeseen circumstances, only 2 of us would be making the ride up to Eminence, KY and then on to Madison, IN.
The ride to Eminence is one I am very familiar with, as I drive it quite a bit in the summer. It was straight out highway 22, while not gravel or dirt, it is nice and twisty. It only took a chilly (did I mention it was still in the lower 40’s) 40 minutes to get to Eminence. We stopped at the DQ for some coffee and met up with another friend who was on his first short ride since having surgery on his foot. It was great to see him riding again.
From there, he was heading home and then up on his own errands. We headed up 55 and then on to 421 north to head towards Madison. We went through Newcastle, a nice little KY town that slowed us down with its one stop sign. As we continued up, I could already feel the temperature starting to change. We continued up 421 until we got to Carrollton, KY where we took a left onto US42 for a spell and then kept right and went on 36 along the Ohio Rover to Milton, KY. It is here we joined back up to 421 and crossed the bridge into Madison, IN.
Madison, IN is one of those typical mid-western towns not really known for a whole lot, but still gets a lot of traffic. Well, I guess there is the large Madison Regatta (Madison Regatta ? madisonregatta.com) every year where the super-fast speed boats race. We stopped on Main Street (IN56/US421) and got some of the best coffee in the state at Madison Coffee & Tea Co. 102 W. Main St, Madison, IN 47250. We sat there for a while, the temperatures climbed, more and more bikes came riding through and then it was time to head on. At this point, my riding partner needed to head home and was taking 421 all the way home. We said our good-byes and went our own way.
I headed down 56 with plans on taking the Ohio River Scenic road, aka IN62. First, however, a stop over and ride through Clifty Falls State Park. If you are ever in the area, it is a beautiful little park with some hiking trails to different caves and waterfalls. I wasn’t in the hiking mood, so I stayed on the bike except to get a few photos. It has a decent restaurant and nice lodging. They also offer camp grounds as well, which have laundry machines available. They get busy and full during the time of the regatta, so if you plan on that, plan very early…
I finished my circuit of the park and headed out. The route takes me through Hanover, IN, home of Hanover College. It is a good small school with a beautiful campus. Next time, when daylight lasts longer, I will get some shots. I continued down 56 and turned onto IN62 shortly after Hanover. I was a little disappointed with the ride – not much to see on 62 but tarmac and houses. There were some small, mostly suburban farms of no real visual value. I remembered this road being much nicer, but it had been 15 years since I have come this way. I probably should have taken the turn off for IN356… Oh well, next time.
On 62, however, is the huge Naval Ordinance facility. It is shut down now, but it ran for miles. Well, it used to. Most of it has been reclaimed into modern industrial warehousing and stuff. If you look on the maps (Google and such) you can still see parts of it like old runways and odd buildings in the middle of nowhere. Didn’t really pay much attention. I stayed on this route through Utica, IN and into Jeffersonville. In Jeffersonville, it turns into 10th street, which I stayed on until I hit Main street and took a left to head to the river. Here is pretty much the stop of the ride, other than heading home. I got a beer to celebrate the successful ride.
Gratuitous bike shots and the awesome selection of micro brews offered at Flat 12 brewery.
Here is a final shot before leaving Indiana. It is of the Pedestrian bridge allowing people to walk or ride bicycles across the Ohio from the Waterfront Park in KY to the Waterfront of IN.
My final shot of the day is at the historic Louisville Water Tower. What used to pump all the water for the city has been turned into an art gallery and museum. Worth a visit if you have never been. This areal is also home to many different festivals and gatherings.
All in all it was a great day, and the weather could not have been better, even with the chilly start. It was nice getting to meet with a couple people from ADV and see old friends. This will be a trip I revisit and actually map out a better return through Indiana. Now, weather. Time to start behaving.
Thanks for joining, STcorndog and it was nice meeting you, Buzzzz. (both from the ADVRider forums) Hopefully we can do this again. Davidc83, we need to plan another trip as well. Maybe heading to Leavenworth.
The larger photos are on my main website listed in my signature.
Please be patient, this is my first RR here, and while not true adventure riding, as a new rider, it was adventure for me. Put over 200 miles on the bike this weekend.
On February 7, 2015 the morning started in the low 40s (f) but by the afternoon hit up in the lower 60s (f). 62, I believe. Had planned on meeting up with a couple guys at E.P. Tom Sawyer Park, on the east end of Louisville at 11:00 AM. Turns out, due to unforeseen circumstances, only 2 of us would be making the ride up to Eminence, KY and then on to Madison, IN.
The ride to Eminence is one I am very familiar with, as I drive it quite a bit in the summer. It was straight out highway 22, while not gravel or dirt, it is nice and twisty. It only took a chilly (did I mention it was still in the lower 40’s) 40 minutes to get to Eminence. We stopped at the DQ for some coffee and met up with another friend who was on his first short ride since having surgery on his foot. It was great to see him riding again.
From there, he was heading home and then up on his own errands. We headed up 55 and then on to 421 north to head towards Madison. We went through Newcastle, a nice little KY town that slowed us down with its one stop sign. As we continued up, I could already feel the temperature starting to change. We continued up 421 until we got to Carrollton, KY where we took a left onto US42 for a spell and then kept right and went on 36 along the Ohio Rover to Milton, KY. It is here we joined back up to 421 and crossed the bridge into Madison, IN.
Madison, IN is one of those typical mid-western towns not really known for a whole lot, but still gets a lot of traffic. Well, I guess there is the large Madison Regatta (Madison Regatta ? madisonregatta.com) every year where the super-fast speed boats race. We stopped on Main Street (IN56/US421) and got some of the best coffee in the state at Madison Coffee & Tea Co. 102 W. Main St, Madison, IN 47250. We sat there for a while, the temperatures climbed, more and more bikes came riding through and then it was time to head on. At this point, my riding partner needed to head home and was taking 421 all the way home. We said our good-byes and went our own way.
I headed down 56 with plans on taking the Ohio River Scenic road, aka IN62. First, however, a stop over and ride through Clifty Falls State Park. If you are ever in the area, it is a beautiful little park with some hiking trails to different caves and waterfalls. I wasn’t in the hiking mood, so I stayed on the bike except to get a few photos. It has a decent restaurant and nice lodging. They also offer camp grounds as well, which have laundry machines available. They get busy and full during the time of the regatta, so if you plan on that, plan very early…
I finished my circuit of the park and headed out. The route takes me through Hanover, IN, home of Hanover College. It is a good small school with a beautiful campus. Next time, when daylight lasts longer, I will get some shots. I continued down 56 and turned onto IN62 shortly after Hanover. I was a little disappointed with the ride – not much to see on 62 but tarmac and houses. There were some small, mostly suburban farms of no real visual value. I remembered this road being much nicer, but it had been 15 years since I have come this way. I probably should have taken the turn off for IN356… Oh well, next time.
On 62, however, is the huge Naval Ordinance facility. It is shut down now, but it ran for miles. Well, it used to. Most of it has been reclaimed into modern industrial warehousing and stuff. If you look on the maps (Google and such) you can still see parts of it like old runways and odd buildings in the middle of nowhere. Didn’t really pay much attention. I stayed on this route through Utica, IN and into Jeffersonville. In Jeffersonville, it turns into 10th street, which I stayed on until I hit Main street and took a left to head to the river. Here is pretty much the stop of the ride, other than heading home. I got a beer to celebrate the successful ride.
Gratuitous bike shots and the awesome selection of micro brews offered at Flat 12 brewery.
Here is a final shot before leaving Indiana. It is of the Pedestrian bridge allowing people to walk or ride bicycles across the Ohio from the Waterfront Park in KY to the Waterfront of IN.
My final shot of the day is at the historic Louisville Water Tower. What used to pump all the water for the city has been turned into an art gallery and museum. Worth a visit if you have never been. This areal is also home to many different festivals and gatherings.
All in all it was a great day, and the weather could not have been better, even with the chilly start. It was nice getting to meet with a couple people from ADV and see old friends. This will be a trip I revisit and actually map out a better return through Indiana. Now, weather. Time to start behaving.
Thanks for joining, STcorndog and it was nice meeting you, Buzzzz. (both from the ADVRider forums) Hopefully we can do this again. Davidc83, we need to plan another trip as well. Maybe heading to Leavenworth.
The larger photos are on my main website listed in my signature.