Many Waters Ride

[Sven]

Just posting this past week's ride for anyone who might enjoy it.

Earlier this week my buddy and I rode up to the Land Between the Lakes area, as the monsoon that struck the entire midsection of US was moving in.  Sunday we followed the TN/KY side of the Great River Road, and crossed the Mississippi River at on the ferry at Hickman KY.  We continued up the MO side of the Great River Road, and crossed the Mississippi River again (where the Ohio River empties into it) into IL, then followed the Ohio River's scenic byway (similar to the GRR).  Stopped at Metropolis, a small river town with a large statue of Superman, then moved on, crossing the Ohio River back into Kentucky.  The bridge was a steel grate bridge, and it was under renovation with single-lane traffic, so we had to stop on the bridge, which offered a nice chance to look between our feet and see the river below.  Stopped at the Kentucky Dam Village at Kentucky Lake on the Tennessee River.  The rain started about the time we headed out to dinner.

The rain continued all day Monday.  We ended up riding to a nearby town to find snacks and more waterproof gloves (which ended up being anything but waterproof), and then rode the entire length of The Trace, the road that runs the ridge between the lakes.  After a stop for ice cream, we rode back up The Trace, getting in 150 rainy miles for the day.  the trip back across Kentucky Dam was really scary...the wind had picked up and gusts coming down the length of the lake were significant, plus the passing 18-wheelers had their own wind gusts.

Tuesday the rain ended mid-morning, so we headed back to Paducah where the Tennessee River empties into the Ohio, then crossed the Cumberland River and rode to where it empties into the Ohio River, and then back to Kentucky Dam, then to Barkley Dam across Lake Barkley on the Cumberland River, then rode the Trace again.  Spent the rest of the day taking roads which kept taking us back to a town named Tennessee Ridge and could not find a way to leave.  (TN 232 is a GREAT road!  Nice and curvy without being so challenging it stops being fun.)  Finally got home at 8PM.

So...802 miles, covering TN, KY, MO and IL, and crossing the MS, Ohio, Cumberland and TN rivers, plus KY and Barley Lakes.  And absorbed a lot of rain!  Waterproof gear is not entirely waterproof!  Autumn color was still a little green, but Autumn smell (the sweet smell of decaying leaves) was great!

[RobRobinson]

Hey, Sven, sounds like your ride was similar to the one my brother Grant and I did at the end of our RRs at Home in KY 2006 trip.  We hit the LBTL area, saw some TaTonkas, sat out the rain one day on our cabin porch at KDV, and rode some great roads.  The week before we were in eastern KY with more brothers riding the MOUNTAINS.

 

[Sven]

It's a long way to any mountains from the Memphis area, and we'd done the Ozarks on the two previous trips, so I suggested this one.  We had a great time, even with the rain, but I'd like the next trip to be off to the east end of the state for a little more elevation.

[RobRobinson]

Yeah, the eastern side has some great roads...and it's close to WVA, TN, & NC!  And Route 100 heading from KY into TN in the middle of the state is as challenging as the Dragon, except longer and not quire as tight!



Have you been to any BOSS events?

[Sven]

Have you been to any BOSS events?

No, they always come at a time that I'm not able to take the time.  I'm still hoping to make one, maybe next spring.

[RobRobinson]

Well, we'll look for you then!

[banditone1250s]

  Any one that lives in the middle Tennessee area that would like to plan a ride up to Deal's Gap hit me up and maybe we can meet up some where and make plans to go. We go at least twice a year and some times more..Sven, Jason, and any one else that would like to meet and maybe plan a ride up there in the spring or some thing...banditone1250s...