July 17

July 17, 2013

Great sleeping last night.  AC was great.  Brutal outside with the heat.  Sleeping in the tent would have been no fun.

Got an early start today.  Left around 5:10, but I had to go back.  Forgot my cell phone.  Went through Whiteseville, pop 552, where they had a high school called Trinity.  I always thought it was in Louisville and was much bigger.  Then it was onto Fordsville, pop 524, where we got a cup of coffee.  Went through Rough River State Resort.  Beautiful lake and dam.  Lots of boating.  Resort place.  Golf course nearby.  Then it was through McDaniels and Madrid (?), and I have no idea what city we are in or even if we are in a city.  We are staying at a hostel.  Lady has a store and she allows cyclists stay for a donation.  You can set up a tent in her backyard and she even provides a meal.  She has been doing this for 22 years.  Her daughter went to Elizabethtown High School.  Just one of the nice people we have met on the  trip.  She has like a side porch on the store where we can sit in the shade and just watch the cars go by.  Or she has some couches and tables inside to get out of the heat.

We did about 70 miles today.  Thought there would be more hills than there were.  A good ride.  About 170 miles from Berea. Looking forward to seeing friends and family.  Saw some dawgs  today.  Got chased by two.  No real wildlife.  Saw a sign advertising “fast rural Internet service”.  I saw that as maybe an oxymoron.  Not seeing as much UK Wildcat fever as I thought we  would.  Saw some Amish shtuff yesterday.  Saw a couple Catholic Churches. Overall, we have seen thousands of churches on the trip.  How do they all stay in business.  Saw a restaurant called The Knotty Pine and one called Boogie’s.  Climate is very humid just like home and very hot early.

One thing we have noticed is that the people we are seeing in the diners and places we stop are not nearly as friendly as earlier in the trip.  Not sure what that means.  Either we are getting grumpy or the people are  not as friendly.  I think it is the latter.

The meal was out of this world.  She made mashed potatoes, mixed  veggies, green beans, pasta salad, chicken, and we had sweet pickles that this local guy in the provided.  His wife cans pickles.  His name was Aaron and he reminded me of Andy Griffith.  He was funny and had that accent.  Arnold, Lucy’s husband was a hoot also.  After dinner, her daughter  Lauren engaged us in a game of foosball.  She and her dad were pretty good.  It was me and Arnold versus Lauren and the guy Lyle room Hawaii.  We split, each winning a game.  She wouldn’t let us help with dinner, so it was soon off to bed.  Hot as Hades.  Difficult sleeping and there were motion lights going off and on all night.  Like Chinese water torture.

Jeff, Jerry, Jack, and Sue

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