750 miles

So, a couple of weeks ago I suddenly got the urge to Google the stars of my favorite sci fi show Farscape and see what they were up to. Cyberstalking these celebs had an interesting result. I found out that the very cute and fun Gigi Edgley and the also cool Wayne Pygram would be in Knoxville, TN for a sci fi/comic book/collector convention in two weeks.

I thought "Hmm...that's about five or six hours by car on 75. I bet it's totally doable by bike. I've never been to a sci fi con....kind of curious and I'd love to meet Gigi...lot's of pretty country in KY and TN"...and off to the races I went, booked a cheap campsite, bought tickets for the convention, got all my gear ready and planned my route. How easy it would be, I could take US 27 the whole way there. It was 100 miles longer than the route via 75, but it was two lane highway most of the way instead of superslab.

Friday I got off work and went to meet some ex-coworkers for lunch in Cinci @ 12:30. I was on the road from Cinci about 2. Realizing I was running L-A-T-E, I couldn't stop for pictures. But, I plan to make this ride again only slightly different (more on that later) as it is gorgeous.

The farm country of northern Kentucky was beautiful to start. Rolling hills and plains with lots of old farmhouses, cattle and a few houses. Then, quite suddenly, a few miles from Lexington, 27 becomes 27/68 through Bourbon County, KY. Holy smokes. This is the home of the sprawling horse estates where so many famous Derby winners come from. I must have passed a half a billion dollars in rolling, gorgeous estates on this fifteen miles.

Mortarless stone walls, like the ones that line the farms of Ireland ran the length of the road on both sides and sometimes down the middle of the median. Beautiful thoroughbred horses ran and played. HUGE homes lined hilltops or sat partially hidden behind giant iron gates. Absolutely breathtaking.

Then, I came to Lexington. I got lost in Lexington going both ways. 27 just disappears. I was even ready for it on the way back. Still got hopelessly lost.

Once through It was on through southern KY and into northern TN. Almost immediately I came to Daniel Boone National Forest. Beautiful trees lined the road on both sides and the road rose and fell slowly with a few nice, long, slow curves.

By this time I was rather in a ton of leg and arse pain. I only made fuel stops and one stretching stop. The sun was going down and I was still 30 minutes plus from the campsite when I turned onto 63 to head to 75 and drive the ten miles to my campsite. 63 was absolutely breathtakingly beautiful and fun to drive (lots of curves and hills) AND the sun had been down just a few minutes, so there was filtered light to illuminate the mist and clouds running through the valleys. Absolutely amazing. Here are some 63 Pix from the return trip.TN hills still life w/Wynona.

Sneaky self portrait. Yes, as a matter of fact I DID Haul @$$ around that corner with a big ol' smile on my face right after this picture was taken. Woot!

I reached 75 just in time for it to be completely dark and start raining. So, I got to do my first riding in the rain...in the dark. On top of that I discovered that I didn't have my load far enough forward, as everytime I got above about 55 or 60, Wynona developed a nice butt wiggle. Excellent. On go the four-way emergency flashers, thank you "BMW Motorrad premium package" and we slow to 50. I put my chin on the tank bag to make us all aerodynamic and avoid the rain and rode it out until two miles before my exit...where it stopped.

I hauled ass into the campground, paid my fee, rode to the spot and even though I was tired and my legs and arese were killing me, I quickly unpacked, pitched the tent, threw on the rain hood and got my gear inside. I ran to take a shower thinking rain would be on top of me at any second. After seven hours on the bike with little rest, it was the best shower I've had in memory...by FAR. When I came out, no rain. I lay down and read some of Jupiter's Travels and fell asleep. I woke up. No rain.

I ate a healthy breakfast of blueberry mini muffins, peanut butter crackers and Diet Dew. Then, snapped a pic of my temporary homestead before heading down for the convention.

This is Volunteer Family Campground in Knoxville. It's mainly for RVs. The staff were super nice, the food on Saturday night was amazing (German all you can eat feast), the bathroom and shower facilities were spotless, the showers were hot, the tent site was heavily shaded...but...the ground was as hard as stone. My only complaint. They even had ice cream.

I arrived at the convention center just in time for one of four, yes, FOUR weddings taking place that day at the convention.

What the hell are you looking at?

Troopers lining up for the first wedding.

Along with lots of troopers...

Trooper1: Man, it itches real bad right here.
Trooper2: Dude, get that looked at

...there were a few random folx who seemed a little out of place, but added a little color to the scene, these girls among them.

And then there was, in my opinion, the belle of the ball, Gigi Edgley, Farscape's Chiana. Cute, sweet, fun and Australian!
We had a good chat and off I went back to the campsite for German food and beer and badly needed rest. The ride Friday took more out of me than I thought.

I awoke at 2:30 am to rain. I ran out, quickly lowered the rain hood fully and jumped back into the tent. I was pretty wet and as I got in it started POURING rain. Man, I hope Wynona's still on her feet in the morning. When I finally dragged myself into consciousness at 8:30, it appeared all was well, but damp. I then had to break the cardinal rule of camping: Thou shalt not store thy gear wet or even damp. No choice, got to hit the road.

View from the tent at 8:30 am. "Morning 'Nona. Any chance YOU'LL pack the gear? No. Damn."

I saw this place on the way in and knew I had to stop here for lunch on the way home. I have a fetish for mom and pop burger joints.

I wanna say this place is just outside of Waynesville, KY. But, don't quote me on that.

All this for less than $4.50. Hot damn! (can you find the subliminal message?)

Well, I was doing so good taking pictures and the weather had been perfect. I approachd the 27/68 turn off, ready to shoot copious pictures of Bourbon County, KY, when things took a turn for the unpleasant. A giant beast of a storm began to form to the North. As I was running East at the time, I thought: "I can out run it, I can get around it." Down the hammer went and along a nearly deserted, but stunning stretch of road I went. As I got out in front of the storm I thought "YES! I did it." Only to have my hopes and dreams come crashing down when 27 separated and turned north, directly into the storm. I laughed at my stupidity for the first 1/2 mile. Then it wasn't funny anymore.

Pea sized hail and heavy wind gusts had me slowed to 45 before I took shelter under a tree for a while. My crotch got soaked. Lesson learned. Close the hip pockets on your suit when you seal it up for rain. The wetting down the suit trick to stay cool works brilliantly with my Oly. Gotta remember that for my trip to Tejas. I froze my butt off for the next half-hour.

I learned a lot this trip, about riding and about sci fi conventions. Turns out I'm a fan. The folks that attend those things are FANS! Most of the people there, even the ones that weren't in costume, had all attended them for years and all over the country. It was fun and interesting...but not that fun and interesting.

You have come to the end of my ride report...

Ahh...thankyouverymuch! (not a prosthetic gut, by the way)