May 24 2008

The day started early (6:15am) to enable everyone an opportunity to enjoy the day without the fear of running out of daylight or steam. The route was to be about 90 miles in length over semi-hilly terrain which could turn the day into one very long leg burner if done wrong.

A right turn out of the state park and a pedal back across the Kentucky Dam - the group was fortunate to have a pickup truck block traffic so there was no problem with traffic rushing by as each rider tried to navigate the narrow roadway. Once across it was back out on the country roads with little to no traffic. Ironically, a crossroad produced a marker signifying the burial place of Thomas Jefferson's sister who had immigrated to the area with her husband in the early 1800s.

The initial terrain roller coasted for the first twenty miles to the town of Smithland (pop 401) giving everyone a chance to wake up those legs for what was to come. Just outside of Birdsville the road took a turn to the sky. For a little over a half mile it tested everyone's lung power, heart rate, leg strength, and overall sanity -- the grade hit 20% about the time the thoughts were switching between "I am nuts for trying to do this" to "I can do this" to "I am dying" to "I am having an out of body experience" to "mountain goats would not even try this!".

And then it was coast downhill and hope by the time one gets to the bottom the heart rate will be back to normal. Oh no, is that another hill? Oh, here we go again. Up, up, up to the town of Joy and down, down, down to the town of Carrsville. Now, however, we have reached the Ohio River flood plain and are seeing more and more farmlands. Horses, cows, goats, sheep graze on the rolling hills bordering the river as it rushes by. Signs warn of possible high water spots reminds us all of the power of a river when full of the spring storms deposits. The roadsides now are showing signs of previous flooding that has receded leaving tree branches pushed in piles up the hillside.

Nature is still in control. The roses are in full bloom, the wild iris are swaying in the breeze, the honeysuckle is still perfuming the air and the birds are providing the melodies. A head wind periodically challenges the riders, but the thought of a hill predominate the thoughts. When one needs to ride for as long as today's ride is, hills are not something that one wants to see a lot. Just outside of Sturgis (pop. 2030) the road became a ripple with a downward flow. For a little push of the pedal the bike just coasted to the next rise only to be encouraged by a muscle flex to go up and over. Surprisingly to most we found ourselves for awhile in Amish Country.

And then there was Morganfield's (pop. 3654) water tower in the distance. Oh, what a welcome sight. Home tonight is a motel on the main drag of a community in the heart of western Kentucky farm country. And -- the one historical claim to fame for the town is the Abraham Lincoln spoke here (according to their historical markers!).