June 14,
2001. Utica Fire Station to Clay Fire Station, Kentucky. (50 mi.) Mile 1134
Last
day in Kentucky
We are back in another Fire Station
with the Helms for the evening. The temperature and humidity were high again,
so we only had 50 miles in us today. The morning
miles were as pleasant as always, but again, by noon, we were baked and
drenched in sweat, seeking any excuse to pull over in the shade. What we tried to think of as a "cooling breeze"
developed into a full-fledged headwind just as the hills started to give us a
break. The terrain is gradually sloping toward the Ohio River Valley
separating Kentucky and Illinois.
Tomorrow we will cross the Ohio
River, leave Kentucky behind, and part company, sadly, with the Helms.
We have enjoyed immensely sharing this time with them. They have a great
spirit of adventure, interest in learning, and sense of humor,.... but
they are retired and we are not. They want to take time for a more leisurely
pace while we have to return to our jobs mid-August. We are already off
schedule a bit, and have a new bike problem. While Mike was changing brake
pads a few days ago, he discovered 6-7 stress fractures around the spokes on
his rear wheel. We have called ahead to the bike shop in Carbondale IL and
arranged for a a new rim.
We have not been pushing the
mileage lately as it would only put us in Carbondale too early, on a weekend,
but we are looking forward to
visiting with our friend and previous co-worker, Bill Davies,
who is going to school in Carbondale.
1) 
2) 
1) The Green River is not green
2) Rumble bumps but no shoulder
Today's ride took us through more
green countryside. We passed huge chicken farms while huge Tyson's chicken
trucks passed us. Here in Kentucky, they "do chicken right".
We have been impressed with Kentucky's hospitality. Here and in Utica, when we were miles from
a campground or motel, these communities have welcomed us to spend the night at
their fire station bunkhouses. In the small town of Dixon, Mike and
I went off route to find a place to sit down for something cool, only to find
the cafe was just closing up. The waitress took one look at how hot we looked,
welcomed us in, brought us very tall glasses of ice tea, and refused to accept
payment, saying it was on the house.
Again in Dixon, we were sitting in the
shade of a large tree in the county courthouse yard, looking overheated, when a
local merchant came over from the hardware store across the street, asked,
"Where y'all from?", gave us free pens and brought us
cold bottled water, no charge. He urged us to drop a postcard to let him know
about our adventures down the road. Upon receiving the cold water, Peter proclaimed,
"Here on this trip in America, I am learning to enjoy the moment."
Other images of
Kentucky include:
Beautiful butterflies,
thick woods, green grass, dogs (particularly that big, red hound with the
Confederate flag collar, straining at his chain to get at us), speeding coal
trucks and pickups, handsome horses, good biscuits, pride in Kentucky's
pioneer heritage, thick accents requiring a need for translation for our
German friends, churches with reader boards that said things like:
"Free ticket to heaven. Inquire inside."
"Exposure to The Son prevents burning."
"Be a fisher of men. You catch 'em, He'll clean 'em."
.... and (as in
Virginia) acres of lawns, where there is no need for irrigation but only a
need to mow them twice a week, making lawn mowing Kentucky's biggest outdoor
participation activity.
Lawn-mowing is
big in Kentucky
Tomorrow, on to
Illinois.
