By Dan Marsh

 At the beginning of the ride, 7:05am, I enjoyed the shady cool moist morning air. I arrived in Winchester around 7:50am, and took a break at the Clark County Courthouse.

Clark County Courthouse

 Shortly after leaving Winchester on Ecton Road, I passed someone going the other way who said something like "Go for it." I thought it could have been Jeff Taylor. Around 8:30am, I noticed a sign off to the left, and recognized the yard as Jeff and Mindy Taylor’s from last year’s ride. I stopped to read the sign and could hear large dogs barking from inside the house. To my surprise the sign said, "Rail Trail. Go Dan Marsh!!". Beside the motivational sign was a small box labeled, "Dan. Help yourself."

A motivational sign

 I opened the box and found a Cliff bar and a bottle of water. I took a break and consumed the nourishment. It hit the spot.

Jeff and Mindy Taylor’s

  I continued and arrived in Mount Sterling around 9:10am. Ten minutes later, while coasting quickly down a wide shoulder of US60; I noticed a lot of debris ahead, so I decided to cross the rumble strip to ride the “white line”. When I did, my rear tire was punctured. After repairing my tire, I thought I’d make up time by staying on US60.

Riding the white line

 I arrived in Owingsville around 10:10am, and took a break at the front door of Bath County High School. I coasted down the large hill, through Salt Lick, and then stopped in Morehead for a break at 11:40am.

 
Morehead State University

For a little while, I poked around the campus that I attended in the late seventies, and then around 12:15pm, decided to venture on toward Olive Hill.

Shortly, US60 had been christened “The Tom T. Hall Highway”, and I soon came upon the town of Hays Crossing.

Hays Crossing

 I took a break at the Olive Hill RR station at 1:23pm.

Olive Hill Clock

 
Olive Hill RR Station

Horses traveling US60 in Olive Hill

 Five miles east of Olive Hill, I rode under I-64. As I was climbing up an incline on Gregoryville-Fultz Road in Carter County, I passed by a timber rattlesnake who was crossing the road. Shortly, 3:06pm, I came to my favorite part of the ride; The Little Sandy River Trail; gravel for roughly two miles, and with three RR bridges.

Little Sandy Creek Trail Sign

 I walked my bike across all of them. They had rough lumber in two 18 inch swaths nailed perpendicular to the ties to enable cars to cross. Gaps existed in the rough lumber swaths and I felt that if I attempted to ride across, I would likely end up with my head thoroughly implanted into the muck at the creek’s bottom far below.

Bridge 1 Looking East

Bridge 1 Creek

Bridge 2 Looking East

 I took a break at the Hitchins Fire Station at 3:41pm.

Hitchins Fire Station

 I passed the Clay Furnace at 3:52pm.

Clay Furnace

 Shortly, I reached the First National Bank near Exit 181 of I-64 in Boyd County at 4:58pm.

First National Bank, Boyd County

I recorded the following statistics at that time:
Total Mileage: 121.15 Miles
Total Time:      7:35    Hrs:Mins
Velocity Max:  37.35  MPH
Velocity Avg:   15.97  MPH

Then I finished my day by riding 12 more miles into Ashland where I spent the night.

I rode by live turtles, snakes, and turkeys in the road; and the sounds of gurgling creeks. I had three serious dog chases, and many run-of-the-mill lackadaisical dog encounters. I geared up to outrun a few. Some horses and cows appeared interested in watching me pass; others appeared to be spooked. It was nice exchanging waves with people along the route who were sitting on their front porches or standing nearby. I also enjoyed talking with various people during the ride.

If the proposed Lexington Big Sandy Rail Trail becomes reality, this ride could probably be done in about 6 hours. There was very little head wind heading east instead of west. Last year, the riders put in so much more effort while traveling west into that stiff headwind and the surrounding scattered thunderstorms.

Have fun,

Dan