Best Road Close to Home

[Stichill]

I've recently become enamored with a road I'd taken for granted. I live in the exurbs, which is a rural area that is gradually being encroached on by suburbia.

In general, heading anywhere north is a recipe for getting into increasing levels of traffic, while heading south takes you out into the countryside, but you have to pass through a few congested areas due to the presence of an interstate highway bisecting the region. How nice would it be if there was a road close by that was a great ride with very little traffic?

It finally dawned on me that such a road would be KY 177 Decoursey Pike between the city of Covington in the north and the town of Butler in the south. 177 runs along the west side of the Licking River. Since the Licking is largely unbridged between those two points, there are few crossroads. Since few people need to travel north-south on the east side of Kenton County, there's little traffic.

The road has a gently winding, meandering character. It's in the lowlands, so it's generally tree-lined and shady...welcome now that the weather is warmer.

It's the perfect road for me to ride after work. I head over there on Wolf Road, turn north and go to Dairy Queen in Covington / Latonia where I can get a chili cheese hot dog (colloquially a "cheese coney") and an ice cream cone. Then I head back south and enjoy the open road as soon as I leave the city limits. It's a 24 mile stoplight-free, stop-sign-free run to Butler, where I loop over onto 3185 and head north on 17 to home. Alternately, I can run a similar route in reverse after dinner, in fact doubling the miles by completing the run in both directions.

Great road for clearing the head.

KY 177 Decoursey Pike




Perfect rest stop at the north end of the route.

 

[suhawk305]

All good road will lead you to a DQ!
Like you, I have my favorite local roads that are not too affected by influx of summer people.

 

[the Ferret]

Having a good local road is a blessing. Glad you found one.

Still liking that Turnip Stichill?

 

[Cormanus]

I was going to ask the same question as the Ferret.

Good to have an agreeable road on the doorstep. I miss that.

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

Good therapy to have Escape Routes.

 

[Stichill]

All good road will lead you to a DQ!
Like you, I have my favorite local roads that are not too affected by influx of summer people.

Wisdom!

Having a good local road is a blessing. Glad you found one.

Still liking that Turnip Stichill?

Thanks, ferret. I credit you with the inspiration to appreciate the value of a great local ride. My prior mindset had been "unsatisfactory local ride" vs "long, far away but great ride". Now I feel like I can have a conveniently local yet great and satisfying ride.

I was going to ask the same question as the Ferret.

Good to have an agreeable road on the doorstep. I miss that.

The Thunderbird is a very easy motorcycle to like. I think it has a lot in common with the CB1100 inasmuch as it is relatively compact and heavy with copious torque. It has a lower center of gravity but a higher rake angle, so the low-speed handling is about a wash.

What it doesn't have in common with the CB1100 is sewing-machine smoothness. The Thunderbird rumbles under ordinary conditions and when the rpms climb it roars. If you are just puttering around, you rarely if ever need to exceed 3500 rpm and that is how most riders operate this bike. When I'm on my meditative rides, I do the same.

However if I want some excitement, the remedy is to run this modern DOHC liquid-cooled engine up over 4500 rpm where any resemblance to a docile, rumbling Harley disappears and the hooligan Triumph comes out to play. It is so lively and responsive and there's absolutely no distress running it to redline. It adds up to a bike that is very entertaining at any rpm.

On the downside, it's not as well-suited to touring as I'd hoped. Luggage capacity is limited. And the engaging character that makes it so enjoyable about town grows wearisome when you're laying down a lot of daily miles.

LongRanger and I chatted about it in a PM. Although I don't miss my BMW F800GT, I do miss the role it filled as a capable no-fuss touring platform.

 

[the Ferret]

Great description of the bike Hank. Thanks.

 

[LongRanger_imp]

Stichill, remember to keep your rose-colored goggles clean. The F800GT, while it does offer some endearing sport-touring qualities and capabilities, certainly is no smooth operator. Though economical, the engine does get vibey at speed (5000+ rpm, or about 80 mph). But to me, the bike's handling and agility make it a sweet ride. For some reason, my two ex-F800ST's were smoother than my current F800GT.

From what I've read, the new China-sourced 850 engines are considerably smoother than the Rotax-built 800's. Perhaps someday we'll see an F850GT.
As far as great roads close to home, I've got several, but top of mind is CO 5 (Mt. Evans Road) which runs from Bergen Park, CO, to Idaho Springs, CO, via Juniper Pass, Squaw Pass, and Echo Lake. 28 miles of excellent curves and magnificent views, and zero traffic during the week (watch out for bicyclists on weekends). The road begins two miles from my house and makes for a terrific loop. The tourists who never get off I-70 are oblivious.

 

[Stichill]

Stichill, remember to keep your rose-colored goggles clean. The F800GT, while it does offer some endearing sport-touring qualities and capabilities, certainly is no smooth operator. Though economical, the engine does get vibey at speed (5000+ rpm, or about 80 mph). But to me, the bike's handling and agility make it a sweet ride. For some reason, my two ex-F800ST's were smoother than my current F800GT.

From what I've read, the new China-sourced 850 engines are considerably smoother than the Rotax-built 800's. Perhaps someday we'll see an F850GT.
As far as great roads close to home, I've got several, but top of mind is CO 5 (Mt. Evans Road) which runs from Bergen Park, CO, to Idaho Springs, CO, via Juniper Pass, Squaw Pass, and Echo Lake. 28 miles of excellent curves and magnificent views, and zero traffic during the week (watch out for bicyclists on weekends). The road begins two miles from my house and makes for a terrific loop. The tourists who never get off I-70 are oblivious.

Lol, I'm in no danger of getting bikesick for the F800GT!

Stichill, remember to keep your rose-colored goggles clean. The F800GT, while it does offer some endearing sport-touring qualities and capabilities, certainly is no smooth operator. Though economical, the engine does get vibey at speed (5000+ rpm, or about 80 mph). But to me, the bike's handling and agility make it a sweet ride. For some reason, my two ex-F800ST's were smoother than my current F800GT.

From what I've read, the new China-sourced 850 engines are considerably smoother than the Rotax-built 800's. Perhaps someday we'll see an F850GT.
As far as great roads close to home, I've got several, but top of mind is CO 5 (Mt. Evans Road) which runs from Bergen Park, CO, to Idaho Springs, CO, via Juniper Pass, Squaw Pass, and Echo Lake. 28 miles of excellent curves and magnificent views, and zero traffic during the week (watch out for bicyclists on weekends). The road begins two miles from my house and makes for a terrific loop. The tourists who never get off I-70 are oblivious.

Apparently the new 850 engines went from the 180-degree crank of the 800s to a 270-degree crank in the 850s, which I think is just great in a parallel twin. It was about seven years ago that Husqvarna took the same Rotax 800 twin, bored & stroked it into a 900, and gave it a 270-degree crank for their Nuda 900 and 900R. Transformational to say the least.

Stichill, remember to keep your rose-colored goggles clean. The F800GT, while it does offer some endearing sport-touring qualities and capabilities, certainly is no smooth operator. Though economical, the engine does get vibey at speed (5000+ rpm, or about 80 mph). But to me, the bike's handling and agility make it a sweet ride. For some reason, my two ex-F800ST's were smoother than my current F800GT.

From what I've read, the new China-sourced 850 engines are considerably smoother than the Rotax-built 800's. Perhaps someday we'll see an F850GT.
As far as great roads close to home, I've got several, but top of mind is CO 5 (Mt. Evans Road) which runs from Bergen Park, CO, to Idaho Springs, CO, via Juniper Pass, Squaw Pass, and Echo Lake. 28 miles of excellent curves and magnificent views, and zero traffic during the week (watch out for bicyclists on weekends). The road begins two miles from my house and makes for a terrific loop. The tourists who never get off I-70 are oblivious.

Great description of the bike Hank. Thanks.

Ferret as a torque junkie, you'd probably get a kick out of it. You can ride the torque curve from 2000-3000 rpm all day long. It only starts lugging below maybe 1800 rpm.

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

Seems more and more modern inline twins are moving to the 270 degree configuration.

 

[LongRanger_imp]

Gone in 60, great write up! I haven't ridden Santiago since 2000 and would probably be dismayed at all of the recent development.

We have a similar road here, Bear Creek Canyon, which is 11 miles of smooth, curvy, two-lane nervana, from Evergreen to Morrison, CO. 35 mph speed limit but it tempts you to go 70, with nary a passing lane in sight. It's a scenic and sensory delight on weekdays but on weekends, watch out. Everyone's on it, from bikers, to bicyclists, to drunks, to gawkers. I absolutely avoid it then.

 

[Stichill]

Gi60! As much as we rue the interstate grind, imagine a world without them. My dad used to talk about the torture of fighting your way to a destination on a crowded 2-lane highway, in the days before multi-lane divided highways, when non-air conditioned cars would blow radiator hoses and fan belts at the drop of a hat and having a good spare tire was a serious necessity.

A good motorcycle road close to home, almost by definition, has to be a road that is less traveled.

Gone in 60, great write up! I haven't ridden Santiago since 2000 and would probably be dismayed at all of the recent development.

We have a similar road here, Bear Creek Canyon, which is 11 miles of smooth, curvy, two-lane nervana, from Evergreen to Morrison, CO. 35 mph speed limit but it tempts you to go 70, with nary a passing lane in sight. It's a scenic and sensory delight on weekdays but on weekends, watch out. Everyone's on it, from bikers, to bicyclists, to drunks, to gawkers. I absolutely avoid it then.

Re: 35 mph, I'm reminded of Django's "Colorado pampers the traffic" comment.

Edit: By the looks of it, that is easily a 65+ mph road. Here in Kentucky we would put up a sign at the end of town saying "End 35 mph limit" and turn you loose on it. The lack of visibility-killing vegetation on that road would be delightful. We only enjoy that on ridgetop roads. Most everywhere else, vegetation grows close the highway and you have to be vigilant if you want to ride at the lawful 55 mph speed.

 

[Cormanus]

Gi60! As much as we rue the interstate grind, imagine a world without them. My dad used to talk about the torture of fighting your way to a destination on a crowded 2-lane highway, in the days before multi-lane divided highways, when non-air conditioned cars would blow radiator hoses and fan belts at the drop of a hat and having a good spare tire was a serious necessity.

A good motorcycle road close to home, almost by definition, has to be a road that is less traveled.

Gone in 60, great write up! I haven't ridden Santiago since 2000 and would probably be dismayed at all of the recent development.

We have a similar road here, Bear Creek Canyon, which is 11 miles of smooth, curvy, two-lane nervana, from Evergreen to Morrison, CO. 35 mph speed limit but it tempts you to go 70, with nary a passing lane in sight. It's a scenic and sensory delight on weekdays but on weekends, watch out. Everyone's on it, from bikers, to bicyclists, to drunks, to gawkers. I absolutely avoid it then.

Re: 35 mph, I'm reminded of Django's "Colorado pampers the traffic" comment.

Edit: By the looks of it, that is easily a 65+ mph road. Here in Kentucky we would put up a sign at the end of town saying "End 35 mph limit" and turn you loose on it. The lack of visibility-killing vegetation on that road would be delightful. We only enjoy that on ridgetop roads. Most everywhere else, vegetation grows close the highway and you have to be vigilant if you want to ride at the lawful 55 mph speed.

And, I suspect, one you don’t have to commute on.

 

[Rocky_imp]

Well, tragically, it happened again just yesterday. I wanted to visit some old coworkers on the far side of Santiago Canyon road, my old, two-lane twisty commute, and the road was closed. I had a bad feeling why, and my suspicions were justified this morning. Two motorcycles hit head-on while one of them was in the oncoming lane passing a slower vehicle. From the video news footage, the dotted line would show that he was attempting to pass in the one legal area you can do so along the 12 mile stretch. Unfortunately, each bike was carrying a passenger, and all four perished.

This is so tragic and so avoidable.
The same thing happened on a Florida road a few days ago.
Two middle-aged riders who knew the roads and Florida traffic very well, collided head-on while passing on a two-lane road and perished.

 

[Rocky_imp]

On today's ride I realized how really blessed I am (as are others in differing locals) to have absolutely great roads to ride all around me. What a joy to be able to leave the house anytime of the day, in the cool morning or evening when the temps are high in the mid day, or during the warmest part of the day when temps are cold, and ride beautiful curvy country roads with very little traffic.

Good thread Stichill

We don't get the heat you do, but we have our warm days so early morning and evenings can be the most comfortable times to ride.
We have some lovely rural roads to ride with practically no traffic, but the winding coastal roads right on the Atlantic Ocean are the gems here.

And very fresh fish about, or a-boot, ... about, err, abound.

And very fresh fish about, or a-boot, ... about, err, abound.
Contrary to popular belief, we don't say "a-boot" or "eh" - at least those of us who made it past grade six :rofl:

 

[Cormanus]

S'funny... Americans think Canadians sound sorta 'British'. And the British think Canadians are, er... Americans...??

In California, I was once asked "Are you Australian?" despite my impeccable English accent. I replied "No, I'm English. Are you Canadian?"
A moment's pause then he burst out laughing... Fortunately, 'cos he was a big fella !

What does this mean, Bazbro? Elton? Cockney? Yorkshire? Devon? Somewhere else?

There was a wonderful Steven Fry video where he goes round the UK using every county’s accent, but I can’t find it.

 

[Bazbro_imp]

S'funny... Americans think Canadians sound sorta 'British'. And the British think Canadians are, er... Americans...??

In California, I was once asked "Are you Australian?" despite my impeccable English accent. I replied "No, I'm English. Are you Canadian?"
A moment's pause then he burst out laughing... Fortunately, 'cos he was a big fella !

What does this mean, Bazbro? Elton? Cockney? Yorkshire? Devon? Somewhere else?

There was a wonderful Steven Fry video where he goes round the UK using every county’s accent, but I can’t find it.

What does this mean, Bazbro? Elton? Cockney? Yorkshire? Devon? Somewhere else?

There was a wonderful Steven Fry video where he goes round the UK using every county’s accent, but I can’t find it.

I speak almost unaccented English, tainted slightly by 'London' (not Cockney!) because of my 40 years working there.
We have an incredible number of different accents here in the UK - for instance, Manchester alone has at least five distinct separate accents.
Strangely, my 'Englishness' is emphasised when I'm abroad - dunno why.

 

[Bazbro_imp]

Splendid!

Actually, it's pretty hard to know what 'unaccented English' sounds like

It used to be "BBC English" - a standard way of pronunciation, very clear and precise, not "posh" but just, well, straightforward clear English. The BBC has lapsed and now permits accents from all the UK's regions (Scotland, Wales, Ireland) including local accents, some of which are awful and often difficult to understand. For so-called "communicators" this is appalling.
Most British newsreaders on TV speak clear unaccented English, though some do have an accent.