Possible western Kentucky meet

[hbelkins]

Viewing the construction to convert the existing cloverleaf interchange of the Western Kentucky and Pennyrile parkways into a high-speed connection for I-69.

Seeing the construction on the bridge that will replace the US 68/KY 80 Eggners Ferry Bridge crossing Kentucky Lake (and using the temporary span that replaced the section that was demolished by a ship using the wrong channel in the lake).

Clinching existing I-69 in Kentucky.

A meal at Patti's 1880s Settlement and their famous pork chops.

Rough outline of the route here.

What say you?

[Brandon]

Set a date, HB, and I think people will come.

Were you planning to meet for lunch, or lunch along the way with an earlier start?

[hbelkins]

I hadn't really decided on the format yet. Patti's is popular enough that reservations for a decent-sized crowd would be necessary, and there's always the possibility of not getting there on time if lunch is during the tour.

There's also an issue of scouting. That area isn't as close as Pikeville and Ashland were for the meets I did last year, but a friend in that area can feed me information.

This idea is very much in its infancy.

[Alps]

Timing - this fall, next spring, summer?

[hbelkins]

The more I think about this, the less likely it is that I will do it this year.

I really want to try to go to either Anthony's Merritt Parkway meet or Cody's NE Alabama meet, and due to distance a WKY meet would require an overnight stay. Can't do one of those meets and then host one so close together due to budgetary constraints.

Plus, I wouldn't be able to schedule it until mid-October at the earliest, to give my friend the opportunity to do some scouting for me, and then it would run up against the aforesaid two meets. Any farther back and we're into standard time (less daylight) and then the holidays and then winter.

The flyover project is supposed to be done fairly quickly so there should still be construction to see next spring. Plus the Eggners Ferry Bridge will be farther along, and there will also be some work going on to make improvements to the Pennyrile north of Madisonville by then.

I'd also be glad to take suggestions on other things to see in the area. There might be some construction on US 641 that we could gander at.

[jpi]

I should be good since this area of western KY is as little as 2 hours from me, as long as nothing is going on with work\ toy shows I am there. :-)

[codyg1985]

This is a definite interest for me, so unless this conflicts with anything else personal or other road meets, count me in.

[brianreynolds]

If other obligations don't preclude, I will definitely be interested.

[A.J. Bertin]

I may be interested - depending on timing.

[kharvey10]

I will be interested, even willing to package it with a Southern Illinois meet the following day depending on how things go.  It will be next year though, as I am out of vacation time.

[adt1982]

I will be interested, even willing to package it with a Southern Illinois meet the following day depending on how things go.  It will be next year though, as I am out of vacation time.

I'd definitely be interested in the southern IL portion.  Keep us posted.

[jpi]

Once the date is announced, I shoudl be good to go as long as nothing else comes up. H.B.- You may want to start a "poll" to see what date is good for everyone, same deal if you are considering a Pikeville meet for next year

[hbelkins]

It's way too early for me to be considering that, since I haven't even scouted and am not sure when I would be able to scout.

One thing's for sure, a Pikeville encore to drive the new four-lane will happen before anything in western Kentucky.

[kharvey10]

W. KY would be pair of US60 bridges over the lakes, I-69 progress, emphasis in the Paducah area where most of the recent action has been.  S. IL will likely be Marion/Carbondale around IL 13, I-57 in Marion, and maybe US 50 in Clay County that still has a few historic bridges still standing.

[codyg1985]

Going between I-69/Pennyrile Parkway and Marion, IL may be a bit of a stretch for one day. It might be something to consider to make this a two-day meet so that both areas can be covered.

[hbelkins]

We'd be pressed for time in any western Kentucky meet I try to put together, so Paducah would be out.

I'm not sure if we'd meet for lunch and then go out on the road, or if we'd meet up somewhere and eat during the tour.

If the former, I'd like to do lunch at Patti's 1880s Settlement at Grand Rivers. I've never eaten there, but several relatives and friends have. Their pork chops have a stellar reputation.

If the latter, we'd meet up somewhere near Madisonville in the vicinity of the WK/Pennyrile interchange.

If leaving from there, the general route would be Pennyrile south, I-24 west. US 68 west, US 641 north, US 62 east, KY 453 to Grand Rivers; then back west on US 62, Purchase Parkway south, I-69 north back to Madisonville.

[1995hoo]

I have never been to Kentucky at all, so this sounds interesting if it doesn't conflict with the trip to either Europe or Quebec City/PEI we're planning for next year. (Yeah, I know those are wildly disparate destinations. Canada is the fallback if Europe doesn't work out.)