From St Louis to Kentucky? Crossing Kentucky??

[VQV]

Vélo Québec Voyages is planning a Cross America Bike trip in 2012.  I would like to have advices on the best route to take to cycle from St Louis to Kentucky??

Would it be best to go directly east to Vincennes and cross Kentucky on a more northern route?
OR
From St Louis take a south or south east direction to enter Kentucky in Shawneetown?

And....what would be the best route to cross Kentucky??  We really would like to see the best of the state and see a bigger city or two.  We want to enter Virginia to hoop up with the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Merci!!

[HONDO]

I hope someone can find you a route through southern Indiana into Kentucky as Im from Vincennes and if you do go through there please stop in and visit the George Rogers Clark Memorial. You will find the history in that area quite interesting.Its just as you cross the Wabash River going into Indiana from Illinois.I could be wrong but I believe if you can find your way south from Indiana into Kentucky you may be able to pick up the Trans Am and continue east which will eventually put you on the blueridge parkway.Ive bicyled the entire parkway. Its wonderful.

[Blackbear]

I am leaving St. Louis May 14,2011, Southest in Illinois into Kentucky across to Virginia and into North Carolina. From St. Louis you can hit the Adventure Cyclist Southern Tour map at Murphysboro, Il then across Kentucky. Kentucky highway maps show sthis route as Route 76. Also get the Southern Tour maps from Adventure Cyclist.  Blackbear

[Indianacharlie]

Here's a link to my blog of routes in Indiana with a link to Kentucky routes. I haven't ridden the routes in Kentucky however I believe the resource for the routes is a fella out of Lexington who does brevets throughout the state and is well known for his routing.
My routes in Indiana aren't the shortest however you won't be on busy highways and the scenery will be great.
If you want to plan your own route through Indiana the blog has info on obtaining my book which shows most all paved roads in Indiana.
Hope your trip goes well!

Charlie Myer
Back Roads of Indiana

http://backroadsofindiana.blogspot.com/