Philly to Cave City, Kentucky...and back.

[ronin_01r1]

A couple local riding buddies and I are taking a trip to Kentucky for 8 days, starting this Friday. This is going to be my first big trip for 09. The total route is roughly 2200 miles. We'll probably add a few hundred more when we stick around Deals Gap for a couple days. Should be a great trip. Hopefully my thumper won't beat me up too badly. :lol:

The route:
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My ride / gear:
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[Ant]

You're doing it on that? OMG. You're all out. BTW, I love the pig mascot!

[Brian78]

Ouch!

[carl_g]

You're doing it on that? OMG. You're all out. BTW, I love the pig mascot!

+1 wow !
KTM w00t!!!

[FigNewTon]

Sounds like a great trip Song. Have a good one and ride safe.

[ronin_01r1]

Pics!!! :ride:


Day 1. Friday, May 1.

Green Ridge State Forest. We camped the first night.

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Day 2. Glorious WV. Weather was cloudy, but dry, which is the most important thing.

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we rode through those clouds...the thickest i've ever been through. visibility was about 10 yards at most! :help:

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Day 3. Light rain all day long. Left WV and onto Kentucky. Bleh.

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Day 4. A very light riding day. Breakfast at Waffle House. Checked out the grave site of Daniel Boone and then onto the Buffalo Trace Distillery tour.

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Freddie, our tour guide. Very knowledgeable about all things Bourbon.

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Day 5. Another non riding day. We checked Cave City's random attractions. Took in a tour of Mammoth Cave, the largest cave system in North America. We went about 400 feet under ground.

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my jovial riding buddies

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site of isobutane campfire explosion. :eekrun:

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Day 6. More rain. Light rain most of the day.

Don't buy cheap gloves that bleed when wet...

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Day 7. Great Smokey National Park. Checked out the White Man's Guilt Museum, aka Cherokee Museum. Then took a ride around the area, though Deal's Gap, and back to the KOA cabin we were staying at. Absolutely perfect weather.

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Day 8. We start heading towards home via the Blue Ridge Parkway.

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road closed d/t mudslide ahead. we were going to attempt it until a worked came from the other side and let us know that people are still working on it. our detour was pretty cool as there are so many nice roads in the area.

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Day 9. We rode from MD to home via crappy interstate. No pics.


Overall, a great trip. Next trip will be July's trip to Nova Scotia.

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[ffejtable]

Very nice song.. Looks like you had a great time... Looks like you brought back a barrel o' whiskey :)

[Ant]

Wow, that's awesome! I need to do one of these trips one day. Love the pig mascot!

Oh and the pic of you with the sheriff in the background is classic. lol

[Cakes206]

Dude, thats all out, awesome!

[ronin_01r1]

Very nice song.. Looks like you had a great time... Looks like you brought back a barrel o' whiskey :)

lol. The first couple times when it was dry, it was pretty fun trying to flip on the main tank on. Once it ran out mid turn! LOL. The thumper slows down pretty fast with no fuel! :ohmygod: I can't even clutch it since the fuel switch is on the left side.

After the tour, I did get a new found appreciation for bourbon...although I'm not much of a drinker.


Wow, that's awesome! I need to do one of these trips one day. Love the pig mascot!

Oh and the pic of you with the sheriff in the background is classic. lol

Holy shit, I was praying to God that I was not going to get lit up! I sat right up and tried to pose like I was going really slow!! :lol: ...then, around the next corner I see that huge semi coming around! Doh! :ohmygod: It was really nice of that officer to give riders the truck warning.

[SPRHK]

Very nice man, so, whats the story with the pig??

[ronin_01r1]

Very nice man, so, whats the story with the pig??

Belongs to the gf. She wanted me to bring it along since she couldn't join me. :)

[JimRBlue]

Great trip! Looks like a blast! Great pigs and love the pig shots!

[SPRHK]

Belongs to the gf. She wanted me to bring it along since she couldn't join me. :)

Very Cool. Nice shots. Looks like you had a great time, rain and all.

[tommymac]

What was that cannister on the back for, was wondering if it was fo rextra gas. I figured you didnt have much range on the ktm.

Do you have a gameplan for the cabbott trail yet. I am hoping to get up there myself this year, then another trip to Mass/VT in the fall.

Tom

[ronin_01r1]

What was that cannister on the back for, was wondering if it was fo rextra gas. I figured you didnt have much range on the ktm.

Do you have a gameplan for the cabbott trail yet. I am hoping to get up there myself this year, then another trip to Mass/VT in the fall.

Tom

Yup, that's an extra gas tank by TourTank - 2.5 gallons. Stock is only 9 liters. Combined, my range is about 200 miles. This set up worked great.

The plan so far is to trailer the bikes to Maine and take the ferry across to Yarmouth, then ride around NS. The cabot trail is a definite as we didn't have time for it last time. I'm still looking for "must see" things to do, places to see. I read on ADV forum that "meat cave" is a cool place to see some whales and camp for a night. Still need to plan a tentative route. Check out the NS website to order their free copy of the NS motorcycle tour guide book. I ordered it, but I heard it's on back order right now.