direct-ish connect(s) / Pittsburgh to the UGRR trail / Cincinnati to Madison, IN

[fritzy]

GOOD DAY ALL!!!

I live in Pittsburgh, PA. planning (REAL EARLY) to go to the North American Hand-Built Bike Shop (NAHBS) in Louisville, KY. The show is in 5 months. March 2015.

I wanna do this trip unsupported. And it seems like the UGRR trail is too far out of the way en route, in some areas.

Does anyone have any recommendations/suggests/experience with more efficient way to Louisville from Pittsburgh?

Some rudimentary R&D looks like a (relative) straight shot from Pittsburgh-westbound- to Fredricktown/Mt. Vernon, OH.

From there I'll just hop onto the UGRR trail (map#4), until Cincinnati, OH. Seems like that should work.

But I don't want to follow the out-of-the-way route from Cincinnati to Louisville. There's GOT to be a better way. Say from Cincinnati to... Madison, IN?

THEN, from Madison, I can hop BACK onto the UGRR trail (map #3) to Louisville!

Any and all help/suggestions would be ever so GREATLY appreciated!! Thanks in advance, I look forward to hearing from EVERYBODY 

Also, get in touch if'n yer planning to check out the NAHBS show!! Should be a fine time!

[jimfh]

Hi Fritzy,
I'm trying to figure out the reverse trip.  We'll be taking the Natchez Trace PW that includes UGRR and some of the Great rivers system but getting to Pittsburgh (home) is the hard part.  If you have found a good route from Louisville to Pittsburgh.  I'd like to compare it to the Google map I stitched together. I can send you the to my map link if you want.

Have fun at the bike show
Jim