91 Degrees 100% Humidity

DAY 14
Hazard, KY to Booneville, KY

Fire Chief Sam and Jason pick us up from Twin Rocks Bible Camp around 7 am. We hadn't seen Preacher Mike since the night before and were disappointed we couldn't thank him for his hospitality.

Back on the trail by 8 o'clock. A short 46 mile day to Booneville is on our itinerary. 46 miles is the distance we calculate using our maps. However, we've learned that you always have to tack on an extra 2+ miles due to the inaccuracy of the maps. Let's just make it an even 50 miles, that way we won't be disappointed.

"This is the last day of big climbs, then we're in the flats", I've heard this statement from three different cyclists in the past three days. It's driving me crazy. Each day following "the last day" has also consecutively gotten harder. I'm a grown man who can interpret maps for myself, but when others continuously give opinion as fact; especially opinions that you really want to believe, it makes it hard not to listen. Yes I'm ready for easier miles, but I've decided not to get my hopes up until we enter Kansas.

Local post office

You know it's a hard hill if Allen is walking!

My shirt is sticking to my back, soaked in sweat. My arms seem to have sprung a leak as water beads up and eventually flows to my elbows where it trickles to the ground. The sweat pooling on my forehead breaches the levees of my eyebrows and stings my eyes. I'm baking in the sun climbing another Kentucky hill. I can see the top, wait a minute, the road curves, dammit! Towering clouds growing in the distance indicate the predictable afternoon thunderstorm. With these storms come my nemesis... Humidity. I reach the true top of the hill and salvation lies in the downward sloping road which will bring cooling relief. But not yet, I must wait for Becky to also reach the top. Although the exhausting work of climbing the hill is over, the sweat still spills from every pore of my body. Hurry Becky, I might pass out. Salvation is right there, but if I leave, Becky will never catch me. She'll fall further and further behind. No one will be able to protect her from those evil Kentucky dogs and I'll have to explain this all to her dad.

The nice people at the Presbyterian Church of Booneville welcome cyclists to camp on their property. They've built a large covered platform with picnic tables, along with a shower room for us free skatin' dirty cyclists. This will be more than adequate to survive the weather that never comes. A very productive day is had by all, including a tune-up your bicycle 101 class given by Allen, a trip to the library to email our parents to let them know we are still alive, and a dinner at the local diner for some authentic southern cookin'. All in all, a very good day.

Bike maintenance 101

Stats: 
Miles: 50.22 miles
Average speed: 10.3 mph
Max speed: 39.5 mph