TheLongWay

Don't get froggy and leave the house for the mountains of TN via the back roads of KY at 1300. You end up freezing because you forgot the temperature drops when the sun sets this time of year and left the necessary gear at home. Stupid mistakes all to ride some different curves.

You are a brave sole electing to ride 77 for no reason at all. Horrible highway in my opinion. Now a highway is a highway on a bike but that particular one makes me want to get off and take a train. 23 south through KY is nice; not busy and just kinda rolls through the foot hills. We took 23 to KY 119 to 25e which will dump you out on the side of the mountain your attempting to get to, but makes for quite a bit of highway. If I was leaving for that area this morning I'd still go 23 to 119 but pick up 160 in Cumberland. Run that to 68 to 606 until 421. At that point 421 to 58 to 70 south. Something along those lines at any rate. It really amounts to a long days ride around 10 hours riding just to get to Hot Springs NC.

I ride in southeast Ohio regularly for two reasons quality roads with curves and because from central OH you can't get to a better riding area without grinding on the highway for hours. Most riders seem to sit on 33 until Logan and start pealing off on the state routes. I don't mind the short run from the Lancaster or Carroll area but there are better ways to accomplish the distance. The most common route we use to get on the south side of 33 is nicknamed the "prison route" because my daughter likes to call it that and you drive through the prison. I'm sure alot of you will curse my name because it's not a flawless race track but none the less the ride is 110% better than the highway. Hills, curves, rarely will you see a car, and I've never seen another bike unless I was riding with them.... So from the south west side of Lancaster on Memorial Dr get off on S. Broad St and head south. South Broad St splits on the edge of town (turn left) and stay focused; if you ride off the road and end up down in the woods you won't be found until deer season starts (that's this Saturday) BIS Rd - to the prison turn left at the intersection Revenge Rd from the prison until it dead ends (turn Left) Clear Creek Rd continue straight on Snortin Ridge (no signage just dont turn left when Clear Creek makes the 90°) Snortin Ridge turns into Jack Run Rd which dead ends into 180. At 180 you can go right towards 374 or left back towards Logan. It's a great way to start the day and gets you off the highway. Enjoy if you try it out.

Tar and chip from Salt Creek to South Bloomingville confirmed. I wish I had read DAC's reply before so I could have avoided it. It was definitely packed tight all ready so it wasn't unbearably loose and there aren't much for curves through that section. As soon as you think your okay to run at regular speed it'll get squirrelly so use caution and stay below 45. I was only running the stretch from Lauraville to south Bloomingville and that was plenty for me. I was completely shocked that they tar and chipped a state route.

I tend to find a few hours of freedom here and there on a regular basis, so rather than do something productive I take off for a little 2 wheel therapy. This has led to a lot of all day rides because I can't seem to find my way home. Yesterday, after getting the wife's list complete, I headed south east and picked up 312 off 664 outside of Bremen. 312 to 93 is short but nice. Solid pavement, good curves, no traffic, but watch for the fresh horse crap. There are a few turns that have intersecting roads following hills, which if you aren't paying attention could be mistaken as the road you want to be on. Hung a left on 93 and immediately jumped off on 668. 668 was similar to 312; smooth, nice curves, and hills. Once 668 hits 37 I hung a right to New Lex where I picked up 13 heading north. At the top of the hill I hung a left on Old Somerset Rd, which is a hidden little stretch that dumps you back on 13 just outside of Somerset. It's OH383 if you're heading south on 13 and well worth taking an extra 15 or 20 minutes to ride between towns. After getting fed up with the traffic jam in the round-about I headed east on 22 then picked up 668 (which is tore up but still fun, there always seems to be Amish kids out that get a kick out of waving at bikes) to 204 (smooth, clean, and fast) west bound towards home. I know it's a long drawn out rendition of 3 less traveled roads that I enjoyed, but I'm sitting here waiting on my truck with nothing better to do.

I rode 669 from 13 to 78 (then 78 to 33) on Saturday. Paving was all complete but they have to finish packing the shoulders with that glorious gravel. Most of that was done so they should finish the project this week. It really is a great ride. The short river run has no excitement unless you decide to test the top end out and don't pay attention to the sudden 90° turns. I do think it flows alot better from north to south but I'm cruising on my Roadking not kissing the handlebars on a crotch rocket. It's another really nice ride that my wife tells me how great the scenery is but I wouldn't know because I'm too busy paying attention so I don't make a mistake and kill us.

The 555 can be a little dirty and it has a rough patch or two (one that's marked rough road) but overall it's a fun ride. It's not a race track it's just a old state route in Southeast Ohio. It's no dragon tail but it's not 7+ hours of boring highway riding away either. I find myself riding short sections of it regularly as I get lost in the backwoods of the southeast quarter of the state. Just remember if you're going to ride it top to bottom top off your tank before hand. Alot of great riding leads to the 555 but there no where to stop once you're on it.