Still Going Strong

Put down 96 miles today... Actually more since I got off course for a few miles.

Another guy saved my day today, too. I just got done flying down this insanely steep hill (crazy dog chase too) and a guy pulled up along side in a pick-up and asked if I was on "the bike route". I told him I was, thinking he just wanted to give me a thumb up, but he then went on to explain that I was off route.

I stopped and talked it over with him, and he confirmed that I had fallen victim to a prank played by the local thugs. They take some of the road signs down just to make bikers go down that steep hill and then the road loops back around to about 10 miles back on the trail. So if you figure it out, you have to make your way back up the hill, and I don't think anyone could pedal it, you'd have to walk it, and if you don't figure it out, you go all the way back to where you were an hour ago.

Luckily, he told me of a way to link back up with the route without losing too many miles, but it still involved a huge hill. I had to push the bike up some of it because it was just too extreme, so the whole process ended up adding about 45 minutes onto my day.

Oh well. I'm just glad I met that guy. The last few days in Kentucky have really been an exercise in tolerance for me, having to deal with so many ignorant and mean natives but trying to embrace the few who have been extremely nice and inviting. I have to keep reminding myself to give equal weight to the positive interactions because it's so easy to allow one loser to ruin my day and sway my whole impression of an area.

Today was slightly better overall. It didn't rain, the hills were shorter, and I got an awesome sandwich for lunch. Berea is a nice town, by the way. It's like a diamond in the rough. You don't have to go very far to find yourself in a totally impoverished and sad area, but the town itself is really cool.

I spent the night cleaning/lubing/tuning the bike and trying to relax a little, so I'm about to get a solid 8 hours and get off to a slow start tomorrow. I plan on going either 46 or 63 miles tomorrow depending on how I feel. I would like to go another 100, but I think my body needs a slow day to recover a little. I plan on taking a rest day once I got out of the hills.

Bed time.

Location:Harrodsburg, KY