Kentucky: The Beautiful State

I didn't think I liked riding in Kentucky. The few times I'd been in Kentucky, I took routes that were not conducive to memorable riding. A few months ago, a friend took me through some of his personal favorite ride spots and I realized once again, I was biased and incorrect with some of my assumptions regarding Kentucky. So a couple of weeks ago, I took another route into Kentucky and I found some tremendous motorcycle roads with views and unique towns and people, and of course I discovered some remarkable items to photograph.

In this shot, I'm on a mountain 2 lane road: looking down into the valley I just left. If you look carefully you will see the road as it twists it's way up the hillside to the location I stopped at.

In this next photograph is the little general store of JD Maggard. JD started the store in 1914, it's been in the same family all this time. I met the current owner and you can see him in this photo (left side bottom.) Wonderful man. He told me that his store was used in the movie: "Coal Miner's Daughter". It's the store where she goes in and asks for fried bologna. What a classic store with worn wood floors, a huge ice refrigerator, shelves and shelves of groceries, and some antique oddities for your eyes to discover. You will find this store on US-119 in Oven Fork, Kentucky.

As I'm riding south along US-119, I see this sign.

Anything called "Kingdom Come" has to be a place to go check out. This is some of what I found at Kingdom Come State Park!

There are many overlooks and hiking trails at this state park. Man, I have so many ideas and places to hike when the money and time presents it's self! This view came from the Bullock Overlook.

A bit farther away is this one lane "primitive" road. I saw this sign and you guys know me. I had to ride the road! FAN_FRICKEN_TASTIC!

If you choose to ride this road, be aware: you are in a rural area where the locals use this road as a "short-cut". That being said, there will be cars and pickup trucks coming at fast rates of speed from the opposite direction, careening around curves that will take you out in a heartbeat if you're not paying close attention! Heart in mouth action will find you here! This road is bathed in shadows from the surrounding forest and is a welcome break from the heat of the day. I enjoyed the road.

I came upon a town on KY-160 in Harlan County that had this four sided memorial to immigrant coal miners and the people who support them (wives and family members). This side Says "Many a time, she sewed 20 dollar bills into the hem of a pair of overalls for a miner to mail overseas"

This side says "I met a woman in church who could speak many languages. She helped me write letters home to my father in Lithuania"

This side indicates: "She wrote my mother in Serbia when my brother died." When I got work as a stone mason"

"She wrote my wife in Italy, telling her to come to Harlan County"
"She wrote my grandfather in Hungry, to tell him we started a band"

I saw this warehouse and barn like structure standing side by side in the same little town. I thought it was quite photogenic though I can't state precisely why.

I spotted the Kentucky Coal Museum in Benham, KY. I was short on cash, or I would have gone inside the Museum for photos and an education. It's only six bucks to enter, but I'm just so damn broke lately. I'm just happy to have gas to ride!

In Lynch KY, (right next door to Benham on KY-160) sits this deserted building. It is so very interesting in a photographic way. It belonged to the coal company back in the hey day of mining, but I can't for the life of me remember what it was for. I know it had something to do with storing water, but for what reason eludes me.

Katty corner across the street from the water plant was the Portal 31 display. I didn't spend much time there, in fact none at all. I did stop, but there were about 7 bikers from 2 separate groups there. I didn't feel like getting into conversations with anyone, so I moved on to what I felt was a better photo op anyway. You know how it is: people milling around displays only means I will end up waiting for them to get out of the way so I can get photos, and I will still wind up with their darn legs in the shot. Sucks, so I don't put myself through this. Check out this deserted fire house:

I came across a view of a large strip mine. I would like to have a flotilla of lenses to use while on my travels. I'm poor as a church mouse, so what I have is what I have. This is the best I can do.

It's time to head home. But I found this last building before I turned the wheel southbound for good.

I sure hope y'all enjoyed traveling with me to Kentucky. It sure did me good to be there.

Riding the Roads of Cumberland Gap

Image Caption: Infinity view of snow and tracks

This winter has been "weird" according to the old timers who've lived here longer than me. They say "it's not been this white of a winter since the 50's". They said that last winter too. Seems memories of mild winters will be the norm, while we sit by our fires, under our electric blankets, looking at the heat bills, crying for relief from the icy grip of winter.


Image Caption: Winter Blues

Last weekend, I got that relief. I called a twitter friend I'd never met face to face, and asked if he'd like to go riding. He affirmed he would not be on the road that weekend and he indeed would enjoy a bit of throttle therapy! @SGTJohnD and I met up at Bean Station, in Tennessee. That's about a 90 minute ride from my house, and about 20 minutes from where John calls home in Kentucky.


Image Caption: Country Boy Gift Shop and Bait Store

I stopped at a gas stations in Bean Station, and called John to tell him where I was. The phone went to voice mail so I guessed he was still on the road. He called me a few minutes later, he had stopped at the gas station up the road to see where I was. Great minds think alike. This is what I found next door to my fuel station: A BAIT STORE/SOUVENIR SHOP! I found this amusing...


Image Caption: John and his Buell

John rides a nimble little Buell. It's seen some road time, and John is an expert rider who kept the Buell right beside me as we moved along side by side on the roads around Cumberland Gap. That little motorcycle was a pleasure to ride beside with John guiding her front wheel. Not to mention that John was an excellent guide to the area. He grew up around there, and was able to show me some great sights, fun roads, and cool historic and photogenic places! I plan to ride in the summer with John, he has some great roads planned for the rides! Life is good.


Image Caption: John leading the way to Cumberland Gap

Our first stop of the day was in the little town of Cumberland Gap. It's here you will find a small but beautiful park/picnic area, an old mill house, and what's left of an old iron foundry.


Image Caption: The Old Mill House in Cumberland Gap


Image Caption: Side view of the mill house in Cumberland Gap

A few hundred feet up the hill is the remains of the Iron Furnace.
Although all that remains is the lower portion of the original 1819 30-foot-high blast furnace, it is actually a very small part of what was originally an entire complex known as the Newlee Iron Furnace.


Image Caption: Stream that runs beside the Furnace

The outside of the furnace was built of sandstone with a liner of firebrick. Furnaces were usually built with an incline just behind to ease charging and loading. The trestle leading to the charging point was usually built of heavy planks with a track on it. Men, often slaves, would roll wheelbarrows of raw materials over this trestle and dump them into the top of the furnace.



The daily product of the Newlee Iron Furnace was 3¼ tons, at a cost of $19.40 per ton in 1877 figures. The iron made at Cumberland Gap was shipped down Powell River to Chattanooga. This furnace was the only furnace in the Dyestone belt still using charcoal in 1877.


Image caption: A view into VA. at the Pinnacle Overlook


Image caption: A view of 3 states...somewhere in that valley

John and I left the Iron Furnace and he led me into Kentucky, where we visited Pinnacle Park. A state park in Kentucky that has a beautiful pinnicule overlooking the area of three states and where they converge. (Tennessee, Virginia and Kentucky)

The road to the Pinnacle Overlook is a nice little twisty road, ya can't do fast road riding on this...don't forget it's a state park, thus loaded with looky-loos and lumbering mini vans, laboring to find their way to the top...loaded with babies, toddlers, pre-teens, grandma, grandpa and don't forget the fact Mom and Dad dragged all these folks into the vans...kicking and screaming...only to ohhh and ahhh when they get to the out look. Yes, it's beautiful.



We left the park, and headed into the lovely little town of Middleboro, KY. It's pretty nice. Every time I've ridden into this area, I avoided riding into the town. I'm not gonna make that mistake again. When I come to Middleboro next time, I will be stopping to photograph the architecture of old downtown. Stopping at the local air field I snagged these photos of a WWII era tank and jet fighter.


Image Caption: WWII Era tank

Also in the town of Middleboro, is a structure built of coal! It presently houses the Chamber of Commerce.


Image Caption: House made of Coal

This is John, sitting astride his Buell at the Coal House Museum.


Image Caption: John, sitting astride his Buell

Later John invited me for lunch. We stopped at Arby's and by the time we were finished, the day for me was about over as well. I still have to get home and prepare dinner for Mom and the MR. I was 2.5 hours from home, so I bid farewell to my new riding buddy and headed home. I still was able to stop at a few places on the way home to capture some images of yesterday in this historic area of Tennessee and Virginia.


Image Caption: Old train depot in Duffield VA.



Image Caption: Old train depot in Duffield VA.

So, that's my day...it was what winter daydreams are made of.