Bryantsville, KY

As reported in the last post, yesterday was a rest day. We visited Natural Bridges State Resort Park and hiked up to see the natural bridge carved into the sandstone and the surrounding rock formations including a cave with 50 degree air blowing out. After a picnic lunch we hung around the park reading and napping. After all it was a rest day. On the way back to our motel a storm blew through with strong winds, and bang, a large limb hit the windshield. Fortunately, no damage was sustained other than the sudden jolt to our psyches.

Today the ride wound for 75 miles to the cross road of Bryantsville. There was a transition from the woods, hills, and hollows of Appalachia to the rolling hills and farms of blue grass Kentucky. In fact in my experience it was as dramatic as crossing a county line. The first 20 miles or so of the ride was largely downhill with a tail wind. At 40 miles we reached the town of Berea. Sally rode out to meet me to get some miles in. She also enjoyed some time shopping (Pam, Tracy remember?) and purchased --- more yarn! Last year Sally and I and some friends did a bike tour with Black Bear Adventures in this part of Kentucky, and we stayed at the Boone Tavern Hotel in Berea. The next portion of the ride followed the same route we rode last year so it was familiar, and I managed to not miss turns on vaguely marked roads, unlike last year. Adventure Cycle calls Berea the "gateway to the Appalachians".

I had my share of the usual kinds of experiences that can happen on a bike ride. The Appalachia part of the ride today featured so many dog episodes, I lost count. So far strongly voiced shouts of "stay" or "go home" have kept them from getting within biting distance. I was stung in the face by a bee that hit me on a down hill. And there was a line of thunderstorms to navigate. I took shelter for 20 minutes in what I thought was an abandoned building, but a guy turned up who was using it for a warehouse for his vending machine business. He invited me to take shelter while the worst passed. He told me he can net 20-25% from the business. (Most businesses would die for that margin including my former employer.) A tornado had gone through the area in early May and the damage was very evident. I ended up riding the last few miles in the rain but without much of a storm to deal with.

We are overnighting in the city of Danville. We toured their historic park and met Abby who was manning a cooperative farm stand. She is from Ohio, went to school in NC, works during the school year in Minnesota, and is working this summer in Kentucky because "it's in the middle". We convinced her she has to ride cross country some day.