On Sunday July 5th 2015 after investigating the weather (was supposed to be only 1 day of rain during the week) I decided that I would ride my bike from the Detroit MI area to Louisville KY for work instead of using my truck, which I do a couple times a week.

So I sit down at the computer, plan a route, save the route to a .gpx file and upload to the bike, all set. The route I chose kept me off the superslab which always lends itself to a nice comfortable ride enjoying the sights along the way. Sure it takes a couple of extra hours but heck isn’t that what it’s all about. So the route takes me West from home to catch 127 South so I would miss all the construction in Toledo, Dayton and Cincinnati, great plan right and it was, until I got to the Southern end of it anyway.

The route I chose was to cross the Ohio river in Madison IN, skirting Cincinnati to the West and traveling almost parallel with I71 along route 62, which is nestled in foot hill country with plenty of twisting roads winding their way through the greenest forests and open meadows of Southern IN and mid KY. Included in the journey were side jaunts making a couple of loops off of 62 through the foot hills looking for the twistiest of roads, working my way Southwest.

The plan came together wonderfully, except for the fact that by the time I got to the nicest of roads the daylight was diminishing and as every day eventually darkness falls on the path.

Well I now know what all the mountain riders are talking about when they complain of the ineffectiveness of the LED daymaker headlights on the 15 Ultra’s, the low beam light has a great pattern but doesn’t extend far enough forward to do much good and the high beam pierces through the night but its relatively flat and narrow beam (focused) changes dramatically when cornering on tight corners almost becoming useless on these dark twisty roads. I was constantly switching from high to low beam to try and get the best lit path, neither of which were much good. These lights are wonderful when plowing down the freeway, but on the twisty back roads the lack the broad beam to light the path in front.

Darkness was not the only beast I was wrestling, I could have never imagined that there were so many deer, once darkness fell the four legged bambi’s were everywhere, given the number of deer, the ineffectiveness of the lights I was forced to maintain a speed of something like 25 MPH or less, what should have taken around 1.5 hours turned into almost 2.5 hours and that is after I cut the route short and once I crossed the Ohio river in Madison IN I headed up 142 to I-71.

Traveling through this back country was a dark and lonely adventure, absolutely no cars to be seen, but I did think I heard a couple of banjo’s off in the distance playing the thyme from the movie deliverance, it’s amazing what plays in your mind, the what if scenario’s keep playing, I seriously couldn’t wait to get back in traffic that evening, so I could share the light of other vehicles.

The lesson learned, never trust a weather report, it has rained every day here in Louisville this week and one must have better lighting to play in the back country at night….. ah forget that, just plan the trip better, so you are off the road after dark, I have never seen so many deer up close and personal.

 

This Saturday the I-71 will be choked near Madison IN because of the racing at Kentucky Speedway, so if you were heading that way it would be best to stay on the 42 all the way from Louisville to Madison.
The 42 is nice and scenic.

I'm on the North East side of Louisville, and work at the power plant near Bedford in Trimble County and when I use the bike to work, it's on the 42.

I experimented with the aiming of my Daymaker at found a compromise that helped on the twisty roads.

Last year I hit a dear in the late afternoon near work and was lucky not to go down, with minimal damage to the bike - the dear didn't make it.


http://www.usairnet.com/cgi-bin/laun...=KSDF&state=KY

http://www.wunderground.com/US/KY/Louisville.html

The weather's not looking good until Tuesday.

 

LG&E? Do you know Joe Newby? I worked at that plant about 8 yrs. ago. Joe showed me a bar in Madison that was underground. He also showed me a bar called the rivers edge or something like that...holy freeking hell, they still threw people thru plate glass windows, hit each other with longneck beer bottles and bar stools in that place..this was in 2007. Are you familiar with any of these?

 

Sounds like Shipley's or the one across the street to me. If you guys are ever on 421 around I-71, I own the Marathon station by the I-71. Stop in and say hey.

 

kentucky is beautiful riding country but in the 4 times i've been thru i got rained on each and every time.

 

Well don't come this summer because it has literally rained like crazy every day at some point for the last 4 weeks.

 

Well that's the freaking truth. Can't get my hay cut. We are about 9" above normal here in my part of the state.


Just an FYI here, IMHO the best riding in KY is in the eastern part of the state. If you decide to take a couple hours ride toward the southeast from Louisville, give me a shout. I'll be your guide for a day. Might cost you a beer or two

 

I've been at the Trimble County power plant since June 2009, and don't know Joe Newby, and don't see his name on the phone list, only Joe Coghill.
I don't know those pubs in Madison, .... I've only driven through that town once.

I hope you didn't suffer any storm damage last night - that was the most destructive storm I've seen in the six years I've been here.

I know the Marathon station at the intersection of the 421 and I-71 , but I get on and off at exit 28, so only go by your place if there's traffic hold-ups on my usual route.