Ohio River Run on a Z1

Sorry about the false start in the other thread. I couldn't figure out how to delete the thread. I'll try this again...

I took several hours on my day off last November to ride my 1975 Kawasaki 900 along the Ohio River. It was a very cold day and I bought myself some warmer gloves after this trip. My fingers nearly froze on the early part of this trip until the sun began to shine in the afternoon. I started near Alexandria, KY and rode east on the Mary Ingles Hwy (Rt. . You should read about Mary Ingles. Captured by Shawnee Indians from a settlement along the New River and taken to the Ohio country. She was pregnant at the time and I think had another child along. Went with a party to the present location of Big Bone Lick State Park in Boone County, KY. One of the original places that Mastadon and Mammoth bones were found in America. The party went there to render salt from a salt spring there. She and another lady wandered away one day and made a very harrowing trip back to the New River. She left her then-born baby with another woman. I digress...

Heading east on Rt. 8 I came across this tobacco barn, typical of what you would see in KY, though this one is run down quite a bit.





I continued east until I got to Augusta, KY. This picture is looking across the river into Ohio.




I ate lunch at a very small diner in Augusta--a very sleepy little town. I kind of took my time as I was quite cold and allowed myself to warm up in the diner. To my chagrin, when I went back to the bike I saw I had left the key in the ignition. First and only time I have done that. Any way, Rose Mary Clooney lived in Augusta in the 1980's. She was born a little further east in Maysville, KY. Her brother Nick still lives in Augusta. Rose Mary is an aunt to movie actor George Clooney. Here's a couple of pics of her house, which is now a museum...








I then continued east on Mary Ingles (Rt. to where a bridge crosses over the Ohio River before Maysville, KY. It takes you to Ripley Ohio. Ripley is known for its role as a stopping off place for runaway slaves on the underground railroad. Here's a plaque along the river commemorating this role and explaining how this spot was an inspiration for the story of Uncle Tom's cabin.




And here's a pic of my bike beside that plaque looking from Ripley, OH across the Ohio River into Kentucky.




Also in Ripley is the John Rankin House. It was a destination on the underground railroad. Word got around to slaves that if they could make it there they would find help to escape any slave-catchers who chased them and would be sent on their way north. Google John Rankin House and you can read about. I don't have pics of the house because it was not open at the time and they are doing renovations of it. I headed west on Ohio Rt. 52 to I-275 and re-crossed the Ohio River into KY and then on to Boone County and home. That was my ride one cold November day in 2013. Sorry it took so long to post.

Motorcycles, scenery and history! What an epic ride! Thanks for sharing it with us.

Thanks for the reply, slayer61. It was only crickets before that

Thankz for posting that. I'd love to do a ride like that
Eddie

Great story line and great pics! Even though it was a cold day to ride along the Ohio, it had one advantage vs. summer, no bugs! I have ridden along the Ohio at night and let me tell you, the bugs were so thick you have to stop to clean your visor off just so you can see. You got the right name for riding along the Ohio. :laugh: That part of the country make for very good motorcycling that is for sure.