A tug boat pushing barges full of coal up the Ohio

I rode from Lawrenceburg to Madison, Indiana today. It was about 75 miles which took me about 9 hours on the road. Riding was easier than yesterday, but also hotter.

KY 151 was the first smaller road I rode today.

I left Lawrenceburg heading north on US 127, but , three miles north of town I turned on KY 157 for some more peaceful, except for the yahoo that blasted me with his horn as he passed me, riding. That road ends at US 60 which took me to Shelbyville. That was also pretty good riding

A view looking south from US 60.

I stopped at McDs in Shelbyville for internet and iced coffee. The internet didn't work but the iced coffee did.

From Shelbyville, I headed north on KY 55, the Emminence Parkway. It was like US 127, only better, to Emminence, then it became a small two lane which joined with US 421 for quite a while. That was the worst part of the ride today. They had just cut the gress at thd edge of thd road, leaving the narrow, and variable width, shoulder covered with 'hay' and it had the really bad - shake the filling out of your teeth - rumble strip. Ugly. It was also hilly, hot, and pollen laden riding. I was very happy when 421 headed off - to Madison - and I stayed on the 'small' road - KY 55.

Where 55 and 421 come together.

The really bad part with narrow shoulders and a BAD rumble strip

Back on 55, the hills increased as I neared the river. There is some serious climbing on the way to Carrollton, and some very pretty country. The descent down to the river plain was very nice and, after a bit of searching, I found a good place to eat. If the small hotel in Carrollton had ahd a room, I would have stayed there and saved $50 over the cost of my, much fancier, room in Madison.

The small road along the river from Carrollton to Milton, KY

I stopped in Milton for a Dairy Queen milkshake to get me over the, mile long, bridge to Madison and then to get me up the, 10% grade, mile long, road to North Madison where the motels are. I had to stop to cool down - it was around 90 F - three times on my way up that hill. That was the hardest climb of this tour!

I went to the motel where I've stayed every time I've been in Madison over the last 25 years. Its lighted sign said vacancy, but they didn't have one ;-{. I ended up going back down the 'strip' and paying $100 for my room at the former Best Western. It is Memorial Day weekend and Madison is a tourism destination. I think I will ride on out to the cemetery where my father is buried and then head on west a bit - 30 miles? - on US 50 before stopping for the night. I've got a long, pretty flat, stretch of hot riding ahead of me. I'm sure I'll be missing the hills of TN and KY.