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Exploring Western Kentucky Parks

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Patmo:
About 4 years ago I came to the realization that I have lived in Kentucky longer than I have lived anywhere else in my life.  I now have lived here for most of my adult life, and longer than the years I spent in New York and Ohio combined. Now I have had a lifelong interest in history.  I loved it enough in high school to make it my major in college, and to spend a few years teaching it in high school after graduating.  Even though I no longer teach, I've still maintained an interest in it and have read/collected several historical type books over the years.  But what did I know about my adopted states history?  As it turns out, not much.  Most people would have just turned to the internet and their local library at this point.  But I'm a motorcycle sport touring enthusiast, and we are a little different breed, aren't we?  We don't just read about something...we ride there!  So I made it my goal to visit every state and national park or historical site here in Kentucky, via a motorcycle, and take a picture.  Over the last three years I had visited everyone east of I-65 easily, with a series of day trips, or while on the way to various rallies or events. But getting to the sites in far western Kentucky took a bit of planning and time.  It is 420 miles across this state and I live in the far north part of the state, southeast of the Cincinnati/Newport area.  A day trip wasn't going to make it, but an overnight certainly was possible.  As it turns out, my wife spends a week every summer at a work meeting at her companies HQ.  This was the week for that, I had nothing else planned, and the weather forecast was favorable. She was flying out on Monday, so Tuesday would be the day to start.  So here we go.....

the 1st photo is the Kentucky map I have been keeping.  The yellow marks are the places already visited.  The black circles are the ones I would visit on this trip

2nd.......the proposed route.  I had to ride 270 miles to Owensboro to reach the 1st site.

3rd.....I left really early Tuesday morning.....which was a theme through out the trip.  Cooler temps and less traffic that way.

4th....the weapon.  my 2007 Yamaha FZ6....LOVE THIS BIKE!

5th and 6th.....mid morning, the 1st stop for some refreshment and to stretch.....just below Louisville, about 100 miles from my house.

7th.....a stop for some water at this little market in the middle of nowhere.  I had taken a detour down route 144, off of US60, between Louisville and Owensboro. Turns out that this is one of better roads I have ridden anywhere in the state of Kentucky.  Real similar to route 22, which many of you are familiar with.

8th...FIRST PARK!  Ben Hawes State Park.  I must say, this is probably the smallest state park I have ever visited.  They say its 220 acres, but it sure didn't  seem like it.  I guess most of it cant be seen from the road?  The 9th photo shows what you can see from the bike.

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