June 13 Crossing America

Boonville, KY – Berea, KY Distance 52 miles

Great start today, up at 5:30 packed and had breakfast at a diner on the road by 6:40.  Of course there has to be a kink in the game plan.  Detour Bridge out on our route, the detour will add about 7 miles to the ride.   However, talking with locals at the diner they gave Mark and I a short cut through the Countryside.  I thought we were in the country, all we cared about are the roads paved and any big hills.  The local yokels assured us the roads were paved and flat.  Rule # 2 never believe motor vehicle drivers to know what flat is.  Thus assured we set off on our new shortcut detour.  Mark left me on the first hill out of town and didn’t see him again until I connected back to the actual route.  Mark and Ike were there taking a break and as soon as we started off I was left to myself yet again.  I prefer riding solo anyway and can’t blame folks as I ride half their speed on hills and like the last 11 days there would be plenty hills to climb today.

A new obstacle to our riding having to outrun dogs and the shortcut proved to have many of the little buggers to contend with.   Lucky for me all of them were on flats or a downhill.  At one time I was surrounded by a pack of 6 or 8 beagle/hound mix breed.  Guess they
thought I was just another critter they needed to run down.  My biggest concern with them was not to have one run in front of me or between the wheels.  They were content to do their throaty bugling which is like music to my ears.  I was glad when passing one house
they had two Rottweiler chained up with log chains as they were straining at the chains to get a piece of my hide.   Outside of that, probably another dozen or so dogs chased me down the road, none a threat.

About 16 miles out came to a hill so steep and about a 1.3 mile long that I had to dismount and walk half way up as I didn’t have the energy or strength to turn the pedal crank.  For some reason, I’m confident there will be more hills I’ll walk up before this adventure is
over.  Like I said a couple days ago, I’m not a purist about crossing America on my bicycle.  If I have to hitch a ride occasionally or walk up a hill I’m good with it.

Today being one of our shortest days, I ate the most food.   Breakfast before starting out, a second breakfast at 23 miles, a 10” pizza and a side salad for lunch, a subway sandwich for dinner and a large Oreo blizzard for desert, plus purchased a few more goodies like  bananas, oranges and blueberries to snack on.  I’ve been craving fruit since the second day out.

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