Kentucky... Ugh

We made it to Kentucky! It's raining, but we made it!

DAY 12
Breaks Interstate Park, VA to Lookout, KY

If you can remember the original Nintendo Paperboy video game, then you can appreciate the threat of a dog chasing you on your bike. We'd been hearing about these rabid stray dogs wandering the countryside of Kentucky for the past week now. In fact, we had two or three dogs chase us in Virginia already. But the dogs in Kentucky are what nightmares are made of, so we're told. Becky holds our only canister of mace as a precaution, while I have a blow horn.
 
I'm not overly concerned about this potential dog threat, it's just another obstacle we have to prepare ourselves for and react properly too. We've heard most accidents occur while the cyclist is attempting to access their form of dog repellent, resulting in a fall. Therefore, my instructions to Becky are to first of all be safe and don't panic. Second of all, access the mace and burn the godless dogs eyes out.

Our alarm goes off at 5:30 am. The past two days attempt to rise at this unrealistic hour had failed miserably. Today would be different. I shake the sleep from my head, extend my left knee and brace for the expected shock. Nothing. No pain. Today is going to be a good day! We're up and on our way by 6:40. First stop, five miles down the road to meet up with Lauren. She plans on skipping her rest day with Allen and Eric in order to ride on with Becky and I. We pull into her hotel just as the first raindrops dance on the pavement. The dance quickens as we scramble to squeeze ourselves and bicycles under the shallow overhang of her hotel. 

As the three of us make our way through the curvy wet streets, I chuckle to myself. Great way to start a new state, Kentucky, whoopidy-do!!! I turn my head in order to see through my steamed up glasses and yell to Lauren, "Probably wasn't the best idea to skip your day off and join us!" The intensity of the rain increases just as we enter Elkhorn city and take refuge at a Subway restaurant. Our friends Carson and Robert are also stranded there for the moment.

A stop at the post office to send home 7lbs 10oz of unnecessary gear

Time for a new plan. It's one thing to ride in the rain. It's a whole other thing to ride all day down steep wet mountain roads in a torrential down pour and then have to find a place to set up camp while soaking wet. We opt for Plan B, cyclist only lodging and a short 20 mile day to the Freeda Harris Baptist Church. We're greeted by Alice, a sweet older lady who has been allowing cyclists to first camp and then stay indoors after the gymnasium was erected, since '76. Fellow church patrons and her are busy organizing clothing they've collected to give away to the needy. They're all a bunch of feisty southern ladies who are arguably some of the sweetest people on this earth. We spend a dry peaceful night knowing we made the right decision as the thunderstorm rages outside.

Drying out all our wet clothes

America!!!

The storm we would of been camping in if it weren't for Alice and her friends!

Dry and cozy

Stats:
Miles: 20.64
Average speed: 10.5 mph
Max speed: 34.1 mph