by the Sea

[the Ferret]

Title may be a little misleading, because we were never really by the sea, but we did cross a river. No, this is about leading forum member Emptysea thru SW Ohio and Northern Kentucky. His group of 5 bikes, 6 riders were looking for good roads going from Chicago to Gatlinburg.

http://cb1100forum.com/forum/showthread....Gatlinburg

I just happened to live close to where he wanted to go and sorta volunteered to lead them on some good roads thru this area. Anyhow, I agreed to meet them for breakfast at a Bob Evans near their hotel, but of course I got there early so went straight to the hotel to find their group of bikes parked out front including Emptyseas's CB 1100 and Mrs Emptyseas CTX 700, plus a Wing, a new F6b, and an FJR and the group just beginning to stir. That's my ST "STarship" with the Xwing fighter on the nose.

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I went to Bob Evans to get us a table and they soon joined me over a great breakfast where we got to know each other a little bit. After breakfast we went out and found the FJR rider had left some elect acc on and his battery was dead. The good news was, we knew what caused the dead batt, so a simple push and bump start and we were on our way. A good ride would let the alternator refresh the battery charge. The first 30 miles took us over slab

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but we soon jumped off on "river road" St Rt 52 (also known as Grant Memorial Highway) in Ohio which runs from Cincinnati to West Virginia along the Ohio River

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we stopped at a little rest area for a pic of the group by the Ohio River with Kentucky in the background.

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we then walked over to the house where 18th President Ulysses S Grant was born. It just happened to be his birthday.

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As suspected the FJR started right up when we were ready to leave, and 25 miles up the road we caught the ferry which would transport us from the Ohio side over to the Kentucky side of the river (in this pic it is now Ohio in the background)

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Once on the Kentucky side I lead them on some of my favorite playground roads...nothing but curves and very little traffic. I don't remember having anyone in front or behind us all day, just traffic coming from the opposite direction. At one intersection I stopped and walked back to Emptyseas bike and said "how was that road" and he said "that was AWESOME"

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After a gas stop, we shot down Ky 27, thru horse farm country towards Paris Ky where they were to pick up RT 460.

Once at Paris, with well wishes for a safe and fun journey, I left our happy group as they headed toward points south, and I headed back north to the birthday party going on at my house without me. I got there just in time to enjoy some wonderful pork loin my wife had cooked, plus the cake and ice cream, and a much needed cup of hot tea. Total miles (for me) for the day was 289.

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[Cormanus]

Great report, Ferret. Looks like a good ride through some interesting country.

I think it was Enzo who said on another post that it's great (for this Australian at least) to see pictures of the US that aren't the Statue of Liberty or the Golden Gate Bridge.

[the Ferret]

Cormanus where we were all day except for the slab part is typical rural midwest USA. Hills, valleys, and ridge tops in farm country. The "quiet" areas of the US away from any major cities. After a couple of hours romping on the back roads we rode into the little town of Cynthiana Kentucky to gas up and Mrs. Emptysea said as we rode into town it reminded her that there was civilization out there..and she didn't care for it lol.

[HikerToo_imp]

Nice report.......at the hotel, were the bikes parked on the rooms balcony?

[the Ferret]

LOL no, they are under the overhang by the front door which you see to the right in the picture just past the white Wing.

[StackMan_imp]

Nice report ferret! appreciate the photos and detailed narration.

[redbirds_imp]

Good report Ferret. Nice pics and a fine destination.

[the Ferret]

Hope they are having better weather in Tenn, and NC than we are having here. Rained HARD this morning with some local flooding and supposed to rain hard again tonight.

[Cormanus]

Hope any mid-west members are OK. There were reports on the news here last night of bad twisters early in the season.

Ferret, I used to feel a bit like Mrs Emptysea until I moved away from the city. Now I don't think I'd care to go back at all. Your area looks like great riding country.

[the Ferret]

we have flash flood warnings here where I live, but the real bad weather was a couple of states west of us in an area known as Tornado Alley where every years there are dozens of tornados, much property damage and unfortunately some loss of life.

I live in the country surrounded by trees. No hint of the city where I live. I dread whenever I have to go into one. If the only place I had to ride a motorcycle was in the city, I doubt I'd ride motorcycles....and I live and breath riding motorcycles.