Southern Indiana: IN Route 66 - WOW!

[bwringer]

This past weekend, my wife and I stayed at a bed and breakfast on the Ohio River in Kentucky. On the way back home to Indy, we drove Indiana Route 66 from where we crossed the river in Cannelton eastward to Corydon.

Here's the Google map:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=16675700143866141005,37.944280,-86.581190&time=&date=&ttype=&saddr=Cannelton,+IN&daddr=IN-66+%4037.944280,+-86.581190+to:38.205814,-86.370392+to:corydon,+IN&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=2&sz=10&via=1,2&sll=38.049173,-86.489868&sspn=0.608846,0.924225&ie=UTF8&z=10&om=1

HOLY SMOKES! What a great motorcycling road! :shock:

(I was in my Corolla, sadly. But I will be back on a motorcycle. Oh my yes. I shall return. Many times.)

It goes on seemingly forever (over 65 miles of spectacular twisties on the route I outlined), and throws everything at you from switchbacks to sweepers. Some segments are the unpredictable, off-camber paved cow trails typical of southern Indiana twisties, and some are as finely engineered as any mountain state road. The pavement is in great shape, and population is sparse.

The scenery is also spectacular -- the road skirts the Ohio River most of the way, and there are several places to pull over at overlooks. I definitely don't recommend taking your eyes off the road while moving.

There are also several other roads in the area worth exploring. I can't wait for spring -- I'm planning to take a long weekend to give this area a thorough exploration.

If you live anywhere nearby, or are ever passing through the area on Interstate 64, you owe it to yourself to check out the roads between the interstate and the Ohio River.

[marvinsc]

Looks Great Brian, I was Hoping it would be closer to Me though.

[8trackmind]

Brian, if you don't mind me tagging along, let me know when you plan to go back. (spring)

Jeff

[bonanzadave]

There are also several other roads in the area worth exploring.

Did some work by Carbondale. SIU (Southern IL Univ) Nice Campus. Town sux but it is nice country with nice roads.

[twr1776]

I guess since I live in the same state I am obligated to go check it out as well. The dreaded IN135 seems to be on the way from Indy to 66 and that would be such a boring road to go on to get there. It almost seems not worth it. Why couldn't we have had any glaciers in the north part of the state?

[bwringer]

Things flatten out quite a bit towards the west (Evansville) end of the state, but there appear to be some quite interesting roads to explore in the hills east of the area in the map above. IN62 between Corydon and Louisville looks veddy interesting, indeed, and there are lots of smaller connecting roads in this area.

All interested parties will be notified when the ice lifts and an expedition is planned... watch this space!

Honestly, I really was shocked to find such amazing pavement here -- I thought I knew Indiana pretty well, but I guess I had just wasted too much of my time in this area on the interstate.

Scott, Google makes it about 3 hours/140 miles from Murray to Owensboro, KY, and things start getting more and more interesting as you head east from there. I'm sure there are also many worthy roads to explore on the south side of the river as well.

Corydon is about 2.5 soul-destroying superslab hours from my house via interstate, but about 4 via more interesting routes.

There is also much research to do before the Brown County rally... it'll be a rough spring, but somehow we'll get through it.

[willie]

I took part in the Mother Road Rally and rode the length of Rte 66 a few years back on my 1100G. What a trip! After a few days in SoCal I motored up to the Sierras and came back on whats billed as the loneliest road in America, Rte50. All in all a great ride. Some day I'd like to ride at least a few sections of 66 again. The Rte 66 museum was incredible.
Willie in TN

[Guest]

Brian, if you don't mind me tagging along, let me know when you plan to go back. (spring)

Jeff

Ditto. Looks like a perfect maiden voyage for the 1000.

[bwringer]

I took part in the Mother Road Rally and rode the length of Rte 66 a few years back on my 1100G. What a trip! After a few days in SoCal I motored up to the Sierras and came back on whats billed as the loneliest road in America, Rte50. All in all a great ride. Some day I'd like to ride at least a few sections of 66 again. The Rte 66 museum was incredible.
Willie in TN

Indiana State Highway 66 isn't U.S. Route 66. But it's definitely another great ride. :-D

[Suzuki_dog]

That looks like a great ride, why does winter get here so fast? I'll try that one next spring, in the meantime, I will find a scenic way to get there from northeast Indiana.

[dpep]

That looks like a great ride, why does winter get here so fast? I'll try that one next spring, in the meantime, I will find a scenic way to get there from northeast Indiana.

I doubt it. I am a Hoosier myself from Southern Indiana. Getting north of Indianapolis the scenic pickings are slim unless you really enjoy flat surfaces and right angles.

[Bert Patterson]

I doubt it. I am a Hoosier myself from Southern Indiana. Getting north of Indianapolis the scenic pickings are slim unless you really enjoy flat surfaces and right angles.

Yes. As someone who travels to South Bend frequently and has been between there and Indy several times, I think you'll have to head into Michigan.

[jimcor]

Corydon was the first state capital of Indiana. Beautiful scenic area. Famous caverns, let's see I think they're the Olentangy or something, lemme check answers.com...nope that was one we visited up in Ohio...

Marengo Caverns is the one I was thinking of: http://www.marengocave.com/individuals/links.php

While searching I found this link to the Overlook Restaurant.

http://www.theoverlook.com/gallery.php

I've ridden a good part of 66 too, and the road, 62, the restaurant is on, on the 550. Check out the gallery. The view is much better in person. Popular ride to eat location for area riders. Not unusual to meet others of the two wheeled clan in the Overlook's parking lot.You can also see a similar view from above Cannelton locks and dam from the KY side.

This really is an excellent area for riding with great motorcycle roads and excellent scenery. \\/

Don't miss Magnet and Derby IN. To find the 'Civil War Steamboat Memorial near Magnet requires you to ride down a mile or maybe a little less of gravel road. Piece of cake.

Forest Service had some really nice secluded clifftop campsites nearby at Buzzard's Roost, no facilities at the time.

[marvinsc]

I sense a Brown County Tune Up Ride come spring! This is in striking distance for Me, 8 Track, Brian, and the Jims from Ohio and Kentucky! Something to Look Forward to after Winter!:-D

[Suzuki_dog]

Yeah, you guys are right, just got back from Louisville, KY over the weekend, no scenic routes above Indy, I guess it was wishfull thinking. Can always trailer the bike to the final destination point. I do have my wife interested in the Brown County ride in May\\/\\/\\/, clearing my calender.