We like Kentucky (mostly)

We are nearing the end and wondering what life will be like when the ride is over.  Two months is a long time to do something and we've adopted a new lifestyle.  Of course, this lifestyle includes talking about reaching the end.  All the time.
 

Important note:  We haven't seen any dead armadillos on the road since we entered Kentucky.  The last one was actually right before the sign "Entering Kentucky."

A few days ago, we passed two young men on high tech touring bikes going the other direction.  They came from Virginia and were going to San Francisco!  Peter stopped and talked shop for awhile.  Nobody who rides can believe I'm on a mountain bike.  But I still like it for climbing hills and for rough terrain, of which there has been plenty every day.  They were fixing a flat tire.  I rode over 2000 miles before I had to seek air.


Alas, my rear tire finally wore through and I had a blow out yesterday after racing down an Appalachian hill in Kentucky.  Suzanne had to drive to a bike shop to get a tube for me.  It was a hot day of climbing and Peter was not tolerating the heat well at all.  We seem to take turns at being overwhelmed by heat.  It wound up being a short day- just 28 miles.  Mostly uphill.  Being chased by dogs.


We've been trying to capture our trip on film so that we can make a show for ourselves and to show to everyone.  Peter commented today that we take a ton of photos and snips of video, but it can't represent the depth and colors of the scenery, the feelings of the sweat and heat, or being pelted by rain, the panic of having a barking dog run 20 mph along side your bike, the desolation of seeing abandoned stores or mile after mile of trash on the road.  It's glorious to wind down the other side of a hill with the wind cooling you off and bumblebees bouncing off your chest and helmet. 

In Kentucky, there are beautiful farm spreads with pillared mansions and acres of corn.  We saw a pink and orange sunset over a small herd of black cows huddled up together in the grass, making a circle around the little calves.  When there aren't any cars, all you can hear is a riot of birds that sounds like a jungle.


Tomorrow, Virginia!