Notes on yesterday's Pikeville Meet and Trip
Pete Jenior
set up by H.B. Elkins.
Route down: I-275 to I-75 to I-64 to the Mountain Parkway to US 23
This was the fastest way. I've done all of it before, so there's nothing
new to report on.
At the restaurant I had a good time seeing everyone again and meeting a few
new faces. We drove US 119 from US 23 to the West Virginia line. I had
never been on any of this before, and was amazed at some of the rock cuts
and bridges that are being put in. It is every bit as impressive as US 23
or the West Virginia Turnpike. A bunch of photos were taken; I'm going to
put some of them online eventually.
The most impressive parts are still under construction, but even the parts
that are already open are amazing.
After going back to the restaurant and splitting up, I visited several
abandoned lock and dams on the Kentucky River on the way back to Cincinnati.
Route back:
US 23 to the Mountain Parkway to KY 715 to KY 11 to KY 587 to KY 399 to Lock
14
KY 399 backtracking to several minor roads including Spencer Ridge Road to
Lock 13
Some backtracking to KY 815 to KY 52 into Irvine to either KY 1571 or 1645
(maps no longer handy) to Lock 12
KY 52 to north part of Richmond Bypass to I-75 to I-275 to home.
Notes:
Again, not much to note on 23 or the Mountain Parkway. Some people at the
meeting were talking about how they don;t like the two lane parkways, but I
had no problems on the 2 lane part of the Mountain Parkway and moved along
just fine. I wish more roads were built as Super 2s (real Super 2s with no
at-grades...)
Considering how much I've explored Eastern Kentucky, it was kind of
surprising that this was my first time in the area of land bordered by I-75,
I-64/Mountain Parkway/KY 15, and the Daniel Boone Parkway (except for a few
things at the edges like towns along US 25)
KY 11 was a nice fast two lane road, almost as good as KY 15. According to
H.B. I more or less drove past his house in Beattyville. Lock 14 was easy
to get to.
With a DeLorme Atlas, a nat'l forest map, and H.B.'s directions, Lock 13 was
also easy to get to even though it involved a long trip on a gravel road and
several turns. Spencer Ridge Road went on for miles along a hihg ridge and
it was actually quite fun to drive (I could see the lock before I got there,
H.B.). It was gravel but not that rough or anything.
KY 851 lead me out of the Lock 13 area and took me to Irvine. Lock 12
doesn't have a road going to it anymore, but I had a really good idea of
where it was located and by walking across a golf course I was able to reach
it. Unlike 13 and 14, the are a couple of abandonded buildings still
standing at Lock 12 (Tell me if you want directions, Sherman :-) )
At this point it was nearly dark, so I ate in Irvine and then took KY 52 and
the Richmond bypass to I-75 and went home. KY 52 had a lot of traffic going
the other way (EB) around 10:30 pm - I guess it was people heading home
after spending Saturday evening in Lexington or some other town.
Part of KY 52 looked like it was being widened to 4 lanes, which seems like
it is needed.
About 550 miles on Saturday, but a very fun day.
-Pete
Sherman L. Cahal
> KY 851 lead me out of the Lock 13 area and took me to Irvine. Lock
12
> doesn't have a road going to it anymore, but I had a really good idea
of
> where it was located and by walking across a golf course I was able
to reach
> it. Unlike 13 and 14, the are a couple of abandonded buildings still
> standing at Lock 12 (Tell me if you want directions, Sherman :-) )
I believe I have seen this from the roadway but have not went up to it.
Where did you park at? I might go down there this weekend en route to
Lexington to visit a friend.
> Part of KY 52 looked like it was being widened to 4 lanes, which
seems like
> it is needed.
I have two photos of it here:
http://www.americanbyways.com/index.php3?catid=112&photos=1
Long needed. I wish there was more access control, however.
Pete Jenior
"Sherman L. Cahal" <she...@cahaltech.com> wrote in message
news:1116804776....@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...
> Pete Jenior wrote:
>
> > KY 851 lead me out of the Lock 13 area and took me to Irvine. Lock
> 12
> > doesn't have a road going to it anymore, but I had a really good idea
> of
> > where it was located and by walking across a golf course I was able
> to reach
> > it. Unlike 13 and 14, the are a couple of abandonded buildings still
> > standing at Lock 12 (Tell me if you want directions, Sherman :-) )
>
> I believe I have seen this from the roadway but have not went up to it.
> Where did you park at? I might go down there this weekend en route to
> Lexington to visit a friend.
>
See the bend in the road between "Oil Wells" and "Golf Course"? There's a
parking lot there of the golf course. I parked there, acted like I knew
what I was doing, and walked on paths and across the course toward where the
dam was. It was almost dark when I was there so no one was golfing. The two
black squares on the topo are obviously the two buildings. Both look like
houses, which is kind of odd. I don;t know why tow would have been needed
unless one was a private residence.
I certainly couldn't see the dam from the road, but the houses are visible.
My Delorme shows a short access road leading to the dam, but it no longer
exists (the golf course must have eliminated it)
-Pete
H.B. Elkins
>H.B. I more or less drove past his house in Beattyville. Lock 14 was easy
>to get to.
Yep, you sure did. Where you turned right at the KY 11-52 split at the end of
the North Fork bridge and before you crossed the South Fork bridge. The dead-end
street that turns next to the Shell mart is my street.
KY 11 is probably better than 15 in that it's flatter, straighter, does not have
the development and not as many coal trucks. The portion from the county line to
KY 498 was finished in 1988; the portion from KY 498 on to Beattyville in 1981
or so.
>With a DeLorme Atlas, a nat'l forest map, and H.B.'s directions, Lock 13 was
>also easy to get to even though it involved a long trip on a gravel road and
>several turns. Spencer Ridge Road went on for miles along a hihg ridge and
>it was actually quite fun to drive (I could see the lock before I got there,
>H.B.). It was gravel but not that rough or anything.
I'm surprised you could see the lock because of the foliage.
>KY 851 lead me out of the Lock 13 area and took me to Irvine. Lock 12
>doesn't have a road going to it anymore, but I had a really good idea of
>where it was located and by walking across a golf course I was able to reach
>it. Unlike 13 and 14, the are a couple of abandonded buildings still
>standing at Lock 12 (Tell me if you want directions, Sherman :-) )
Sherman has photos of the old abandoned uninhabited falling-in dwellings at the
intersection of 1571 and 1645 on his "Abandoned" page.
There was at one time a proposal to turn the Lock 12 grounds, with the
lockhouses, into a park. Money was appropriated by the state legislature and the
Kentucky River Authority (which owns the locks now, after the state bought them
from the Corps of Engineers) but I don't know what happened to that project.
Might be a good one for the local paper there to follow up on, especially since
in their "Times Past" feature (where they recap headlines from years ago)
recently it mentioned the park plan.
>At this point it was nearly dark, so I ate in Irvine and then took KY 52 and
>the Richmond bypass to I-75 and went home. KY 52 had a lot of traffic going
>the other way (EB) around 10:30 pm - I guess it was people heading home
>after spending Saturday evening in Lexington or some other town.
Yep. Many had probably been to the mall, stores (or bars) in Richmond too. LOL
>Part of KY 52 looked like it was being widened to 4 lanes, which seems like
>it is needed.
Yes, this section of KY 52 borders the Blue Grass Army Depot (where the nerve
gas is stored) and has a heavy populated older residential area to the north
side, plus it gets commuter traffic from Irvine and commuting students from
Estill, Lee and Owsley counties going to Eastern Kentucky University. The
original KY 52 was constructed in the late 1960s-early 1970s and at the time was
adequate, especially with the three-lane portions on the hills.
>About 550 miles on Saturday, but a very fun day.
Glad you enjoyed it!
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