Day Three: Wednesday, May 2nd

Pictures above are last night’s sleeping accommodations.   Read on

Well I officially admit to oversubscribing to the time needed to meet my objectives.   It takes almost all day to ride the 100 miles.   This leaves no time to get dinner, post an article and visit stores, businesses, and schools to request donations.    So here are the changes.

Tomorrow I am taking a break.   Luckily my Uncle Frank and Aunt Lakie (Louisville natives) were willing to take in a poor bike rider that looked like he needed a friend. I am safely in their home and won’t leave till Friday morning.   Read on for the details.

Today’s stats: The final odometer reading is 692.6 miles.   I did meet my objective of 100 miles a day completing 322 miles over the 3 day period.   While this didn’t kill me and I have yet to get a cramp, my muscles are tired, I am slightly sunburned, and my clothes are dirty.   I will use tomorrow to tune up my bike and body and relax.   I also plan on reducing my daily mileage objective.    Now that I am in a safe place (and know where I will sleep I will try to get caught up on stories.

Story 1: Jill’s (my wife telepathic powers).   So I am on 42S, of course, at a point where there are lots of cars and strip malls.   There is a lady up ahead that can pull in front of me or wait.   She decides to wait, I wave and mouth “thank you” and as I pass I hear her say, “Be careful”.   At that point I knew Jill had sent the comment via telepathy.

Story 2: All Hills are not Created Equal.   Going into Covington there is a hill on 42S that goes up and up and up.   Every time there was a turn I figured that the hill was at an end.   When I got to the turn lo and behold the hill continued.   I swore that the hill was going to go on to heaven.   I thought to myself that I am glad that that hill is passed knowing there got be nothing to equal it.   Today just before or after Carrolton a hill of equal magnitude appeared.   I was able to take both hills but it wasn’t fun and I wasn’t fast.

Story 3: Last night in my quest to get 100 miles I passed the mighty town of Union, Ky.   I was on 42S which switched from “Dixie Highway” to the “Kentucky Scenic Byway”.   What the Scenic Byway means is that there are no more stores, restaurants or gas stations.   This was in stark contrast to earlier in the day on 42S where all of the above were plentiful.   Out of water at the 109 mile mark I stumbled on “Boonedocks” only restaurant (on 42) within 40 or so miles.   After eating I went back on my bike looking for a place to plant my tent – nothing.   I finally resorted to knocking on doors requesting a small piece of their yard to pitch my tent.   The third gentlemen pointed to a place a quarter mile to the left, by a creek,  to camp.   It WAS GREAT!  I so love to sleep.

Story 4: Waking up this morning and knowing that the scenic byway is not my friend I planned breakfast.   Two trail mix bags, four fig newtons, and a bag of almonds totally 700 or so calories I started looking for a breakfast place.   It was at this point that I checked my water bottles.   I thought I had a bottle and a half but on had the half.   Beats the heck out of me where the full bottle went.   Undaunted I started down the road.   At mile 30 I stopped by a construction shed and asked for water which they gladly provided.    Good to go still looking for breakfast.   A mile up the road in Ghent there was a Subway but who wants Subways for breakfast so I went on to Carrolton about 10 miles up the road.   Guess where I ate breakfast – Subway at 10 a.m. with 30 miles under my belt.   Not bad both a 12″ Spicy Italian Sub and a peanut butter cookie for $5.84.  I just may eat breakfast there more often.

Story 5: Nature’s Glory.   You have heard me complain of the wind.   Apparently it is bad from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m.   I make good time in the morning and last night when I rode after dinner (yes Jill it was still light).   This morning’s ride was terrific.   I was riding close to the Ohio River, there was a cool but not too cool breeze and I could see the barges doing their work.   Kinda’ made me feel like Tom Sawyer.

Story 6: Sunburns.   I didn’t believe the stories that you could be sunburned through clothing since it had never happened to me.   Today I wore my long sleeve tights and shirt to prevent sunburn.   I am sure it helped but still have a red tinge.   Plan to go to a sporting goods store tomorrow and get white under clothes to cut down on the heat (I am really hot in the afternoons and I think it got up to 84 degrees today) and use sunscreen.

Story 7: Packing.   I am happy to report that I have everything I need but too much of a couple of things that are adding to the weight.   I don’t mind pedaling the things I need but don’t want to carry anything not needed.   I will box up the things I don’t need and mail them home tomorrow.

Story 8: Lied Again.   Remember when I told you I wouldn’t lose 42S.   Well it disappeared again today.   All of a sudden I was on 42W.   I had no idea if the 42S/42W were the same things but decided to stay on 42W which eventually tool me to Louisville.

Final Story: Why don’t the road signs list upcoming towns and cities?   The first indication that 42W was the ride road was when the sign said Louisville was 41 miles ahead.   No other city was even listed.  This is information a biker needs to know.

Thanks for you notes of encouragement.  It really helps.