Kentucky Aventure Tour

A one and and half hour DVD video of this ride is available
Here

This ride was first conceived by my Kentucky riding buddy Jeff Stoess.
It is a work in progress for him and he has been trying to lay out an offroad Adventure route throughout Kentucky--which may include
helping Sam Corerro (Trans American Trail) lay out a future Kentucky Section.Don't get to excited about that happening--it may never.
Jeff laid out a bunch of routes--most untested--and on this ride we tried some of them out and this ride encompassed the states of
Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.

I had an opening (jobless) to try these routes and really wanted for Jeff to be with me--or lead the way. He was able to join in for 3 days
and so was my buddy Chadd Thompson (KTM950) from Carlyle, Illinois.

 

Here is my machine of choice for this ride---it was a good choice--the same bike me and the Breeze
went to Mexico and then Idaho earlier in the year.
.It's a 2006 Husqvarna TE610 and I put the electrical charging system to the test on this ride.
There are many reasons I chose to purchase this bike other than
what most single cylinder adventure bikes you see running around---it was the Husky's very ample charging system.
I ran a heated vest, arm chaps, gloves andgrips for the 4 days of this ride---all on high some of the time with no problems.
I had never put such a load on it before.
It's really been a good bike with about 20,000 miles on the clock.

We all met at the "Lil Abner" motel in Slade, Ky. It was cold and raining---and Chadd Thompson had
road his KTM 950 down in the rain with some sleet thrown in for good measure.

 

 

Right off the bat after about 2 miles I first noticed my hands were cold ???? Then noticed other things not working ???
We high tailed it back to the motel to investigate as I wanted this fixed before we got days down the trail
and far away from civilization. I found a blown fuse---but replacing it was just the beginning---I had to find out what caused this.
Within 5 minutes I found the problem--I had just moved the switch for my heated grips--and a wire was touching the handlebars.
We moved the switch and put in a new fuse and were on our way---confindent I had solved the problem.
I would find out later how important this fix was as the temperatures plummeted over the next couple days.

I chose to wear this Belstaff "Typhoon" jacket for this ride as it is the warmest jacket I've ever owned.
A camel back was on my back with water and snacks and tire pump---and of course TP !!!
My dirt bagz carried other essentials--we carried little other than survival stuff and tools
as we planned on finding lodging every night. Camping would have been great if it had been a little warmer--
also the trails we would ride were a bit to tough for carrying a heavy load of camping gear. Another
reason I chose not to ride my KLR or 950.

 

We rode South and East out of Slade and before long we found this old railroad bed that Jeff had
heard ran all the way to West Virginia-----if it had--I bet we would have just stayed on it.

 

 

All 3 of us pondered pulling a little wheelie upon this this bridge---as it was washed out a little right in front of it.
All--3 of us later talked of this---and how all 3 changed our minds at the last minute. If you got a little sideways doing this----well,
you can see what would have happend. We found out a couple weeks later a 4-wheeler went off this very bridge recently
and the rider was killed. We ran very fast after crossing this in the deep gravel railroad bed---It was
a hoot !!!

 

 

Here started one of the most challenging parts of the several day ride. We came to this gate not knowing if we were
on the proper side or not---the gps said a road was just ahead but there was no way around this thing.

 

We finlally opted to risk riding down the embankment which was very steep but not to hard--after all we had gravity.

 

Chadd had big problems on his 950 going up the other side and me and Jeff ended up pushing him up the hill.
I came next and here you see me clearing out a tree Chadd had to ride over and then me and Jeff re-positioned my bike
to get a much better run at it than Chadd had. I went up it with ease and feathered the clutch so as not to spin out
on the loose dirt and rocks.

 

Jeff went down and had good luck also.

 

The temperature was warming up nicely. Mind you 98% of all motorcyclists have put their bikes
up this time of year----I love these cool and cold temperatures. I kind of have one selfish reason
for riding in these frigid temperatures---hardly no one is about and you don't have to listen to
the loud pipes save lives crowd.
On the road less traveled you come across some of the most unusual things--we never
did figure this one out.

 

You can see the race numbers on Chadds 950----as he had raced it in the Sand Blast Rally down in Georgia
earlier in the year. No numbers on my bike----I retired old number "59" years ago.

 

 

We came across a lot of areas where the coal mines had roads that were on the map completely shut--off.

 

 

 

OK---the best picture I took over the several days of riding we did.
This old bridge wasn't in use anymore and most of the planks were missing,
otherwise I'd a rode over it---no question !!!!!

 

 

 

 

We rode very little pavement on this ride. It's a bad thing to bring the wrong bike on a ride.
At first I thought I had--but later the terrain got hard enough I knew I had picked the right machine for this ride.

 

These next 6 pictures depict us trying to climb and ascend we were to stupid to just pass up and go on by.
But we now have a great story to tell. Jeff blew up it on his transalp--me and Chadd were astounded he even tried it.

 

 

I on the other hand--had to try it to---you know---monkey see---monkey do !!!!
After the first attempt you see me here chasing my bike back down the hill after an unsuccesful attempt.
The bike chased me first---then passed me and I chased it. I do believe Chadd got this on video.

 

So---that wasn't good enough---Jeff was on top and I wasn't. Yep---tried it again. I barely made it and took out a small tree at the top.
Jeff and Chadd were laughing so hard they about got on the ground---but going down was going to be a much harder thing to do.
Jeff wasn't eager to go down as he knew he'd tear up his cherry transalp if he crashed----I was to skeert to go down---but knew I had to.
I didn't stare to long as I knew I'd get freaked out and just went for it---the back wheel sliding for alll it was worth---skidding the front
tire all I dared. If I didn't get it stopped at the bottom I would have went off a cliff. I didn't get the bike fully stopped at the bottom,
but barely got it turned away from the cliff !!!!

 

 

These next 3 picture are of me and Chadd on the hill after crawling up it on our hands and knees---walking was not a option.
We had to go up and help Jeff get the beloved transalp down without destroying it.
There's not many of these fine machines left in the USA--we had to preserve this one.

 

 

 

 

This picture is maybe the only one that shows just how steep and nasty this hill was.
You can see just how little stopping room I had before going over the edge.
I barely got my Husky turned. The loose rocks gave you no traction going up or down.
It was much scarier going down than up.

 

 

All 3 bikes safely at the bottom--what a view !!!!

 

We hole up in Williamson West Virginia for the night---or was it Kentucky ????--it was right on the border
and we crossed the state line about 6 times poking around town getting the last motel room in town. It
was dark--it was freezing--not only cold and hungry---we were desperate.

We ate at the in house restaurant which was open 24/7 for the railroaders.
I guess the waitress had pretty much seen it all---as she never batted an eye waiting on an old man
in pajamas and motocross boots. While Jeff did his best to act like he didn't know me !!!!

 

 

I've been having so much fun with my helmet camera the last few years---man I wish I started this a long time ago.
The system I'm using now is so cool, as it's no hassle at all. I have a remote control switch on my handlebars
to start and stop recording and a microphone in my helmet so I can narrate. It's really neat to show my wife where
I've been as she can no longer ride with me anymore---she really loves watching the videos I make.

 

 

 

 

 

Rules !!!!
BigDog----No Likey Rules !!!!
I think that dog was sizing up my boot and foot for lunch !!
Naw----probably was just going to wizz on it.

 

 

 

Me and Jeff found this mountain trail that went for miles right on the border of Kentucky and Tennessee.
It had snowed aobut 4 inches here the day before we got here.

 

We approaced what was a coal mining area. We hoped we could get thru.

 

 

 

 

Looks like some reclaimed coal mining property---man it was pretty up here.

 

 

More Rules !!
BigDog No Likey Rules !!!!

 

 

We rode right past these signs. Some fellas in a pickup truck said it was OK.
Maybe they were trying to get rid of us ???

 

 

Another highlight of this ride was riding up on top of Black Mountain----the highest point in Ky.
Jeff said this was for communication of Air Force 1
And went on to say that it's not shown on any maps--nor is visible on google earth.
A secret you know--------heck, I know about it---wouldn't be hard for any terrorists to find it I'm sure.
But we'll go ahead and spend millions to keep it of google earth. After all, those taxpayers have
all kinds of money.

 

 

This 4 inch GasPipe laid on top of the ground and followed the dirt road thru here for miles.
I had been on top of Black mountain before --but rode on the pavement North of the mountain.
It was neat to ride on the Southside on this dirt road chasing Chadd's 950 all the way.

 

 

I think we stayed the night in Harlan, Kentucky and it got down to 24°.
I was afraid the Husky wouldn't start the next morning--but it fired right up.

 

 

Man that was fun riding that morning. It was so cold the air looked frozen--it was a beautiful sight.
No one was out---we had started riding as soon as the sun was up.

 

 

Jeff's windsield stayed frozen I bet till 11AM and it didn't get above freezing till noon.

 

 

The air was just hangin in a frozen fog----really surreal.
Visibility was very bad and we road very slowly with fogged up glasses and shields.
We stopped at this river and dam and realized the fog was caused by the river we must have been riding right
beside-------but couldn't see it.

 

 

Seems there was some suspicious activity going on in the area.
For one thing--this guy had his electric gloves plugged in to his rear end..

We called the authorities of course.

 

 

This trail here was so fun.

 

 

 

 

Well the trail was fun untill Chadd tipped the 950 over and the engine got flooded and took a long time to clean out.
The terrain was pretty tough in spots and riding a bad running 950 took a lot of skill on Chadd's part.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had lunch at this Market--they made us a really good barbecue sandwich.
We made it to Jellico, Tenn. which is where the Trans Am Trail starts. In Jellico both Jeff and Chadd had to get home.
Chadd hit the road for home even thos he was dead tired----he rode all day in some tough terrain and then rode
350 miles on home in the dark. Jeff stuck it out with me 3 hours after dark and I never had so much fun
riding in the dark in my life. It made for good video and we made a couple creek crossing that were pretty
hairy-------in the dark. Man we didn't want to go down and get wet as the temperature was dropping fast.
Jeff finally left me in London, Ky. and I would spend the next day riding by myself back to Slade, Ky.

 

 

My last day riding---Jeff warned me not to ride the "Hard" sections of trail.
I didn't listen.

 

 

 

North of London Ky, I rode on Wilderness Road by Hoosier Knob and Wildcat Mountain on my way to
Wildcat Battlefield Monument on a really nice one lane forestry road.

 

 

Sunrise at Wildcat Battlefield Monument

 

 

 

 

 

From Wildcat Mountain Battlefield monument I rode many miles West on Wildcat Rd. that almost appeared to me to be a
hiking trail---I was assured by a hiker that I was OK riding it so off East I went and then hit Winding Blad
e Rd.----mind you these roads were nothing more than one lane dirt and sand--really nice.

I then hit hwy 49 North--then 89 Northeast a very sort ways and entered a section Jeff had labeled as hard. I was nervous about
riding it by myself---it was basically an ATV trail and I wouldn't have wanted to be on a bigger bike than I was on.
It was warming up nicely and would be the warmest day by far of our ride finally getting up into the upper 50's.
This ATV trail was called White Oak Creek Rd. along Horse Lick Creek--figure that out ???

 

 

 

 

I was continually astounded that the trails I was on were on my gps and had a road name.
Very nice creek crossing. So sometimes I just wandered around maybe not sticking to a route I had--but it was a navigation
no-brainer as the trails were in my gps.

 

 

 

This blockage here turned out to be just a blockage for jeeps and such---as I had an ATV wide go around and came
upon signs that said my motorsickle was perfectly welcome ---this was called "Indian Creek--Sandgap Road"

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lunch in Beatyville, Ky.
Loves those "villes"

 

This was fast and fun riding--and I hoped it went on forever.
After many miles I hit a very sudden dead end field--with no trail going out of it.
I back tracked a little trying to find a turn I missed hoping to ride thru.
This trail became to obscure for me to tackle by myself.

 

 

 

I had been sensing my ride coming to and end---as I was nearing by truck and trailer in Slade, Ky.
I had hauled my KLR and Husky down as I rode my KLR in Indiana with some friends for 2 days before coming on
down to Kentucky for this ride. It suddenly ended sooner than I thought, as the wonderful trail I was on suddenly became
a trail for hikers only---?????????
Oh--well---I've had a great ride the last few days and rode with many friends and met a lot of new ones.

 

 

We were lucky to get a good ride in this time of year. Heck it could have been real cold ????

 

The Original Kentucky Adventure Trail Riders.
Left: Jeff Stoess (Honda Transalp)
Middle: Mark Sampson (Husaqvarna TE610)
Right: Chadd Thompson (KTM 950 Adventure)

The End