Kentucky dogs

Bardstown, KY to Hindman, KY
80 miles

Well, we had been dreading the appalachian mountains for quite some time, and now that we're in the middle of them, they really aren't as bad as we expected. Sure, there's lots of uphills, but there are also downhills in between. In the rockies, it was more of huge, long uphills followed by one downhill. I suppose for someone who hasn't experienced the rockies, this would be pretty tough.

Elissa is still riding with us, and I'm impressed with her. She doesn't have the best bike and gear (including a lousy saddle), but she keeps on trucking like a real trooper. Tomorrow, she and Dewayne will be heading back home, and they will be missed.

Today, as we took a break, we looked down the road, and in the opposite direction, there came David, who is crossing the transam route (Virginia to Oregon) via recumbent (a bicycle where you are seated more horizontal) tricycle. He's the first we met who was on a recumbent, as well as the first who was on a tricycle. We shared some water with him, which he was grateful for, since the last two gas stations were closed, and he had a hilly 30 miles ahead of him before he would be able to get water again.

I tell ya, Kentucky is full of unleashed, aggressive, barking dogs who think every cyclist is fresh meat. I keep my pepper spray handy, but fortunately haven't had to use it.

Tonight, we're staying at the Knott Historical Society bed and breakfast, but not indoors. Rather, we're camping outside, and it's a fairly nice place. David, the guy who runs the place, has kittens, so we've been watching them frolic and catch invisible insects. David has a wealth of historical knowledge about the local places here. It is pleasant and interesting to hear him talk about all the history of Kentucky. We helped him set up a large tent that will be left up for future cyclists to use. What a nice way to kick back and relax.