Thomas

I name my post after the good sir I am riding with for several reasons today: 1)he saved his fourth turtle from imminent death today 2) he fixed my first flat of the trip for me. 3)he is currently wearing an American flag bandana. Today was another good and another hot day. We rode about 60 miles, and are camping a few miles off route at Larue county park in Hodgenville, KY. This city is the birthplace of Abe Lincoln. So that's cool. The terrain is smoothing out more and more which makes for very pleasant riding; gentle hills, slight climbs, and a few good downhills to cruise down. I had superman ice cream for the third day in a row--groovy. Gotta get it while I can. Also, Thomas just added it up: so far we've ridden 872.5 miles on route. In two weeks. Boom. I'm getting grimey with these two hottest days and no shower, but when am I not a little grimey in the summer time. Embracing it. Roadkill count: 234

D(et)oura the Explora

And that's all I have to say about that. Haha Today was a a great day. Today was a hot day. In the 90's. I sweat like a pig, but on a bike it all gets blown away, so basically at the end of the day my skin just looks like what the Dead sea would look like if it were drained. We rode from Berea to the Lincoln Homestead state park near Springfield, KY. We rode most of the day but took an awesome hour long ice cream break in Harrodsburg, the oldest city in KY, founded in 1774. It was really cute, and my waffle cone of superman icecream was just what I needed to get me through the last 25 miles in the sun. But about at the point where we only had like 7 miles left, a little delirium from the sun baking my brain must have set in, and I think I was scaring Thomas un poco. That's alright, he's gotta discover my insanity at some point. It's still really hot and will be really hot tomorrow,but we have a shorter day, slash we're champions, so it'll be fine. The church hunt begins. Oh, and Happy Memorial day weekend! Roadkill count: 212! We've officially broken 200.

Beautiful Berea

Today was a great day. Woke up to the sun rising in Booneville and got on the rode by around 7:11. It was just me and Thomas. Bill was gonna take a little longer getting ready and Michael left about an hour earlier.He's probably gone forever; he wanted to set a pace for himself that Thomas and I didn't want to keep, but it's chill. He was planning on doing an 87 mile day today in the extreme heat, while Thomas and I kept it cool and did a 50 mile day to Berea, KY. We got in at about 1, and due to the lack of camping or free lodging, we splurged on a motel. After we showered we took a refreshing little adventure into town on our deloaded bikes and checked out a buch of local artists and their crafts in the Old Town Artisan village. It inspired me and I wanted to buy so many souvenirs, but I don't have money or space in my panniers:( so I settled for the purchase of a piece of caramel vanilla nut fudge, yum! We then ate at BC&T, Berea Coffee and Tea, because Thomas asked a local college kid where a good place was as we were passing him. It was delish; I had a panini and an iced chai latte, yum again. So yeah, it's been a good day, through some nice rolling hills as the terrain flattens out and now i'm feeling good resting in the motel room. Hope I don't get fleas.... Oh yeah! And we've just finished our second map: onto the next one! Roadkill count: 172 (the first one for today was a dog on the side of the road, so sad, so terrifying)

Cali Swag

So yesterday we started in Lookout, Kentucky at the great baptist center where we hooked up with Bill from California, who rode 50 miles with us to Hindman, Kentucky, where we stayed last night at another baptist church and got showers for the second night in a row. It was really nice. Today we rode 64 miles and are posted up behind a Presbyterian church in Booneville, Kentucky. Thomas, Bill, and I stayed pretty tight together all day through the climbs, and it was quite fun. We saw our first Walmart en route today, which I'm glad took 11 days. We had a great stop on top of a mountain in Buckhorn where we got ice cream. Superman ice cream. All memories from the ice cream parlor in Roanoke we would go to when visiting my grandparents came back. Delicious. Tonight I ate a home cooked southern meal which Bill graciously paid for. Mm, Kentucky fried chicken, the real way. I got a shower for the third night in a row, tooooo, though it was cold. We shall camp and wake up early so as to beat the astounding heat, but apparently the worst of the mountains are over, so that might be good news, though I'll miss the downhill speed racing. Also, thought for the day: Bill kept complimenting me yesterday as I would finish the climbs after them, because of my high-geared road bike, so today, when going up the hills, I kept one specific compliment in my mind. "you're an animal" Thanks, Bill. Road kill count: 151 (today and yesterday were better days for the animals, at least compared to the two days prior.)

Nothing is Hell-ier than Hellier, Kentucky

But seriously the last bit of Virginia we rode through today and the first part of Kentucky that we've seen have been pretty rough. Coal mining territory. Sad places. Businesses shut down, lots of poverty, and lots of annoying freaking dogs that chase you as you ride by! But also lots of extremely beautiful country. Quick look back at yesterday: Wytheville to Meadowview, 71 miles. Two big climbs with really great downhills. We met a really chill couple in Damascus, Sam and lisa, headed west too. They were super cute in their matching neon. Then we camped behind a general store. Michael woke up early today to beat the heat of the day, that never came, (it was hazy and overcast all day). We planned to stay in Elkhorn city tonight but it was sketch, so we went about 14 more miles to Lookout. We're at a baptist community center thing, with showers and such. Rita or "red Riding Hood" is the host and she cooked us some good pinto beans and corn bread and chicken casserole. We played a little b-ball and did a little swinging on the swingset. Now Virginia, the longest routed state, is now over, and I'm excited for what lies ahead, but I hope we get out of this dismal area soon. Roadkill count: 127. (We hit the three digits yesterday coming into Meadowview, after seeing 30 in a day, because Thomas jinxed the 10 a day average.)

"Just Wait til I Hit Puberty."

Says Michael. In reference to what, you ask? Probably everything. Anyways, today was a great day! Last night we had a phenomenal dinner and Thomas' farm was stellar as were his parents, and then I got a bed for the second night in a row so that was restful and glorious. This morning we took it slow: ate a supa breakfast cooked by Thomas' pop and then we went to church, and then went to Thomas' bike shop to get Michael his kickstand bolt and we finally got on the road by about 12:45. We're now in Wytheville, Va after a shorter 45mile ride, to promote the restful vibes of the day. It was hot, but good, and the ride was hilly but pleasant. Today was the first day that my first gear was really struggling though; my bike isn't geared as low as theirs since it's just a roadie, but I just pushed through it and Addie made it here just fine, being the loyal steed she is. We're camping on a stage thing tonight, right by a pretty little creek which I just washed myself in.and Thomas brought a solar-powered/crank radio which I think I shall play some jams on soon and do some performing on the afore-mentioned stage;) We also met a great couple going east, Abbi and Evan, who started in Illinois and were from Colorado. They offered me a place to stay when I come through their area which apparently I will, so that was nice; thanks, y'all! Annnnd that's that. Onto somewhere tomorrow. Still excited for Kentucky, though now I'm scared because Abbi and Evan warned us about a pack of crazy city dogs who chased 'em--yikes. Roadkill count: 71 (72 if you count the discarded Barbie, poor Barbie, sometimes people just can't help but hate you because you're beautiful. I would know)

Remember that time when I thought the parkway would be the hardest part?

Yeah, me too. Well, it's not. And of it weren't for the fact that we get to stay at Thomas' house tonight and ate great lasagna made by his grandma today, I would throw this day to the dogs. But we still have a lot of climbing to do. I'm tired and not in the mood to blog. Read Michael's. Roadkill count: 52.