Birthday Ride

Sunday morning I met Chris in the lobby of the motel for breakfast.  He had decided that the day before had been enough for him and chose not to continue to the coast. I could see why because the worst was yet to come.  He had joined Amina on the trip in Colorado and the Appalachian hills were really getting tough. [Read more…]

Hills and More Hills

Saturday morning began at The Old Bus Stop Diner in Booneville. The place was mostly full and the southern accents were all around, especially from the young waitresses. After I ordered three different drinks it was an amused “You’re thirsty this mornin’, ain’tcha? Then, two men around 70 were asked loudly from a distance “Shegitchyouboys?!” The translation being “Did she already take your order?” [Read more…]

The Tabasco Special

It doesn’t get light until after 7:00 around here.  And when the sun finally came up on Friday at the Big Hill Welcome Center I was staying at, it was very foggy. This wasn’t bad news as I wasn’t in a hurry to hit the road and the hills. [Read more…]

The Big Hill at Bighill

Thursday morning was cool and overcast when I left the Economy Inn in Harrodsburg. Once I got everything ready I felt a few drops of light rain, but it never amounted to anything more than that.

Leaving Harrodsburg was a challenge in getting caught at the train crossing and also dealing with numerous four way stops and traffic lights. It was good to get out of there. [Read more…]

Continuing on Lincoln’s Trail

With around 800 miles to go, I’m starting to look at the maps and plan for the end of the trip.  It’s not going to be coasting to the finish with the Appalachians coming up. And with doing some shorter days in the past week, progress has slowed. Wednesday was just a 32 mile ride into Harrodsburg, which was partly a great ride and partly annoying. [Read more…]

Lincoln and the Roadside Reunion

Tuesday started with a 9:00 departure from Charlie’s guest house in Sonora. The day was going to be a busy one as I wanted to stop by the Abraham Lincoln birthplace site and my brother Kevin was driving down from Indiana to meet me for lunch. I suppose describing this day as a “busy” one is relative to some of the other days of the trip. [Read more…]

Entering the Fourth Time Zone

I was up early at the church in Utica on Monday morning and went over to The Diner. There was talk here and there around tables about the presidential debate the night before, but it never amounted to much more than passing conversation. [Read more…]

A Short Sunday Ride

I considered taking a day off in Utica on Sunday.  Saturday’s 71 mile ride through the hills and wind was tiring and I thought it would be good to take a break.

I had slept at the volunteer fire station in Utica and wondered the night before how often the trucks there were put to use in such a rural area.  Just after 6:00am I heard sirens and the cars of volunteers pull up. Minutes later one of the fire trucks was out on the road. [Read more…]

A Night at the Fire Station

Early Saturday morning it was cold with the wind already blowing hard. I had planned on doing 71 miles into Utica, but now was wondering how likely that was. The weather report called for winds out of the northeast, which was the direction I was heading in a good portion of the day. [Read more…]