Monday, September 22, 2014

Day 6 - Monday, September 22: Ripley, Ohio to Owensboro, Kentucky

START - Ripley, Ohio

END - Owensboro, Kentucky

MILES - 281


Weather - clear skies, starting in the low 50's and warming to the low 70's. With the heated vest, it is almost preferable to be riding in the cooler weather cause you don't cook in all that gear when you stop (at least when you remember to switch off the vest)

Just when you I it couldn't get any better, it did.  Day started with the ferry crossing the Ohio river over to Augusta, KY.  It has operated continuously (imagine with a few technological upgrades) since 1797 - the longest running service in the country.  The load master went into the cabin and retrieved dog biscuits for the back seat passenger in the car beside me.  I loved the mechanism for changing directions and captured that on video.

Augusta was where the beauty of Kentucky started and it didn't stop all day.  No real areas of congestion and though the roads look straight on the map, they are really comprised of thousands of little curves.  It was riding paradise.  Suzi loved the slower speeds and the first tank through KY delivered 78 mpg. 

Tobacco Barns and fields fascinated me - had never seen that.  Betty at the Farm House Grill served up BBQ, great cole slaw, and her own chocolate cake.  Her son made the furniture.

Mid point of the day I found myself in Pleasureville - I mean, is someone directing this stuff?

Caught a bigger highway to pay the tab for those earlier lazy miles - but even that was fine as there wasn't traffic and it brought me to the Owensboro Hampton on the waterfront. Some say I've betrayed the quest in staying here - not everyone has it figured out! 
Showed the gal at the desk the sink video and she upgraded me from the cheapest room to a river front room at no charge!! I'm on my first craft beer and there's a line of six taps.  West Sixth brewery is located in Lexington KY and they donate 50 cents to charity for every 6 pack sold - I'll have to ask my tax guy who gets the deduction on that..


  
This is the closest encounter I've had with a paddlewheeler so far. It is perched overlooking the river on the Ohio side, across from Augusta, Kentucky. You know a house like that has a story in how it came about.




The pushmi-pullyu ferry mechanism in action













  




















Hampton Inn & Suites Downtown Owensboro/Waterfront














 



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