The Crucible

 Monday, May 26, tour day 23

The experience of this trip can turn on a dime from perfect to pathetic.

Monday, the route threw everything it could at me in an effort to defeat me, but I persevered!

A few weeks ago, it was naive to declare the day 'the hardest day ever', because that seems to be redefined on a regular basis. Monday was one of those times. 

We knew it was going to be a long day and difficult day. An 81 mile day was by far the most mileage we've done yet. People in the group planned to tackle this by getting up and on the road early. I did not. I'm not a morning person, so I got up at my regular time, was a little more expeditious than normal, but got on the road around the time I normally do. 

The campsite the night before was in a bit of a 'food desert' so there were no stores to pick up breakfast and lunch fixins for the day. That was the first challenge. 

We hit up a convenience store/mini-mart at the corner on the way out, and made due with what they had. 

The day started off nice, but warmed up quickly. It had been cool and dry the last several days but that broke some time overnight and the heat and humidity were bearing down on me by 9 am. 

The prior few days had been really nice, with gently rolling hills that were barely noticeable after the hard climbing we've done. That changed on Monday though, and the steep Kentucky hills were back with a vengeance. Right off the bat, there was a hill so steep that we all had to get off our bikes and push them up the hill. That happened several times throughout the day, either because the hills were that steep, or they just came in such quick succession that my legs couldn't handle them! 

Written on the road at the top of the hill. 

Around 10 am I found a little greasy spoon restaurant and had 'second breakfast', which was wonderful. There's been a dearth of restaurants along the way, and when we do find them we've either already eaten, or the timing just doesn't work. But today I was riding alone and the timing was just right!

After breakfast I ran into some of my group about a half mile up the road, they had stopped for flavored ice, and were just getting back on the road, so I fell in with them and we rode on. 

Being Memorial Day, there was a lot of vacation traffic, and we were heading into a place called Rough River Lake, which was apparently a popular recreation destination. People were heading there with their boats and RVs. We ended up with a lot of traffic stuck behind us on a narrow 2 lane road going up a hill. This is a double whammy because we're really slow going up the hill, and the cars are stuck behind us and they can't see over the top of the hill for oncoming traffic to safely pass us in the other lane. So they're basically stuck waiting for us to get up the hill. One the one hand, it was good that there was a larger group of us, so we were more visible as a group, but it also made it more difficult for people to get around. For the most part, people were very patient and courteous, but there were one or two people who were not. The worst offender was one big RV that would rev it's engine every time it passed a rider - the exhaust belching out black smoke that totally engulfed us in toxic darkness. 

So far we have; Hill, heat, traffic and toxic exhaust. And that was all before noon! 

As the day wore on, it continued to get warmer, and the hills felt like they got harder. Stores were few and far between, so I stopped when the opportunity presented in order to get gatorade and something to eat. 

Then, it was noon, again! We crossed the timezone line and traveled one hour backwards in time! Great Scott! 

This was apropos, because time seemed to drag on, and felt like it flowed backwards as the miles stacked up and the hills were relentless. 

Adding to the rough day, I also finally started getting saddle sore. Nothing terrible, but on a day where I spent 9 hours on the bike, it certainly wasn't pleasant. 

Then, around 3 pm, as the hills wore on and my legs wore out, nature decided that we hadn't quite had enough yet, and the skies opened up on us in a heavy downpour. But the joke is on Mother Nature, because the rain felt great. The other riders around me stopped to don their rain gear, but I just tucked my phone away someplace dry and rode on in the rain. I was already soaked with sweat, what's a little more moisture going to do? Steam rose off the hot pavement, and I could taste the salt streaming down my face, but I wiped it away with the back of my wet glove and just smiled. 

Still, the hills didn't relent, and at one point I was barreling down a hill so fast that the rain was stinging my face!

The downpour eased up after about forty minutes, and another half hour after that I was just about dry! Which was the cue for it to rain, again! Then, the sun came out and I was riding in a sunshower, which was kind of neat and a little pleasant. 

After the rain let up the second time, the sun came back out and I was baking again. By then, I was only 10 miles from the end, so of course the hills ramped up, with several long, steep climbs to the finish. With just over 2 miles left, the last big hill did me in and I ran out of energy. I stopped and ate a Cliff bar I'd been saving for an emergency, drank a bunch of water and had the power I needed for one last push. 

We stayed that night at a volunteer fire house in Utica, KY, a town of less than 500. There was still very little around, so we ate dinner at the local gas station / food mart across the street. 

Then, exhausted, we slept on the floor of the fire house. But, the place was air conditioned, had a shower and even a washer & dryer. To us, it was like the four seasons! 

Exhausted, but having traveled backwards in time by one hour, we crashed for the night. Preparing to do it all over again the next day.


Thank you for reading!
Please feel free to comment and let me know what you think, or just say hi and let me know you've stopped by.
Also, please sign the guest book, and if I don't actually know you, please let me know how you heard about this blog!
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Two Days in Paradise

Friday and Saturday, May 24 & 25.

Before I started, when I would think about this trip, this is what I would daydream that the days would be like. These two days, this was what I dreamed. 

As has been the case more often than not, the prior days had been particularly difficult, with long mileage (back-to-back 70 mile days) and relentless hills. 

(See 'Kentucky Fried Cyclist', this post picks up immediately after that.)

Then we had a rest day in Berea, KY and it was like someone pushed a reset button. I just couldn't stop thinking that as I was riding, it was as if the rest day really was some sort of reset, and things just changed after that. 

The rest day was very nice, and laid back. Different from the last two rest days, where we were hustling and bustling around. Because the camp ground was so far outside of town, we mostly just hung around. I cleaned and lubed my bike chain, did laundry, slept in, ate well... it was just a good day. 

When I got back on the road Friday, I was fresh and ready to go. 

Right off the bat the day was nicer; at least 10 degrees cooler than it had been (thanks to the massive thunderstorms that rolled through), and the humidity was much lower. The day started at about 65 deg, and topped out at maybe 70. Clear skies with a few clouds to occasionally keep the sun off. Almost everything about the day was better in every way. 

The relentless soul crushing hills from the last few days had given way to gentle rollers that were not only easier, but actually kind of pleasant. 

The scenery had changed from coarse rocky hills to lush rolling greens. Even the roads were better, with terrific back country routes, great views and almost no cars whatsoever. 

Then the mileage was much lower as well, 50 miles on Friday and only 45 on Saturday. Heck, at this point 45 miles is like having a day off! I got into camp so early on Saturday that I barely knew what to do with all the free time!

Friday's ride was just plain gorgeous. This is the kind of day where I get on the bike, pedal, and when I look around I am just happy to be here doing this, and happy to be alive. 

There were lush fields that were so green it seemed unnatural, I took my sunglasses off to make sure they weren't affecting the coloration, and the green still seemed to glow. The fields stretched off to the horizon where they were finally broken by rolling hills, rich forest, or gray-blue mountains far off in the distance. The deep, rich blue of the sky was mesmerizing in it's beauty. The cloud formations constantly changing from thin whisps to rich textured layers. 

Occationally a passing airplane would fly over, it's contrails scratched across the sky while the passengers jet from some big city to some other big city. Whatever hustle and bustle the they were going to, the concerns of 'regular life' seemed far away and unimportant

These were the days I dreamed of. Repeatedly I thought to myself how fortunate I was to have all this, to be able to experience all this. To be outside on such a gorgeous day, riding my bike and feeling my heart beat strongly in my chest as I breath in clean air tinted with honeysuckle. Nowhere important to be, and no time I needed to be there. The view was endlessly breathtaking, and changed with every pass I climbed. 

The beauty and fortune of what I was doing threatened to overwhelm me, until I breathed deeply and just let it flow through me. To breathe it in, feel it deeply in my being, and then breathe it out. To repeat again and again throughout the whole day. To be alive, and to be living, fully and in the moment. 

And when we finally arrived at Harrodsburg, KY for the night, I thought the day was done, but there were still moments to be had. 

On the small Main Street there was an old 'Pharmacy' and soda jerk shop. Now converted entirely into a cafe, but with most of the original decor intact or restored. 

After dinner we went there and took over the back deck. I had a delicious brownie sundae. 

There are two musicians in our group, and often they will treat us to some music at the end of the day. On this day, the owner of the cafe lent his guitar to one of our gang, and the other with his ukelele, played for us while everyone enjoyed their dessert and drinks. Without a care in the world. 

The music flowed through me, and once again I felt my heart swell with the feeling of how fortunate I am to be able to enjoy these moments. I sat there, and was just simply, thoroughly, happy. 

Then on Saturday I got to do this all over again. The weather was spot on perfect for riding, the roads were ideal, as if out of a bicycling brochure. The view was unmatched, all the beauty that Kentucky had to offer. We finished the day in Bardstown, KY, and I went into the town square. The town was adorable, with an old country feel, but lots of people and vibrant shops and restaurants. I stopped and had lunch at a place similar to the night before, I had a burger and a milkshake that topped off the day wonderfully. And then later, for dinner, the group took advantage of BBQ grills at the campsite to grill up chicken, steak, grilled asparagus and more. A real treat that didn't go unnoticed. The campground itself was beautiful, and we set up our tents in a terrific and spacious grove of trees. 

I slept wonderfully that night, and didn't dream of the perfect ride, I just had two days of it for real. 

Thank you for reading!
Please feel free to comment and let me know what you think, or just say hi and let me know you've stopped by.
Also, please sign the guest book, and if I don't actually know you, please let me know how you heard about this blog!
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Cheers,
Aaron

Kentucky Fried Cyclist

Kentucky Fried Cyclist

After three days in Kentucky, I was fried. 

Used up and burnt out. 

Put a fork in me, I'm done. 

It seemed like it took forever to cross out of Virginia, but we finally entered Kentucky after a beautiful and restful night in a hotel at Breaks Interstate Park.

State lines are somewhat arbitrary assignments on a map, sometimes established by some river or notable geographic feature. The border between VA and KY was not this. So I had no real expectation that anything significant was going to change just because the license plates were different. 

That was not an accurate assumption.

Virginia had been hilly. We crossed the Blue Ridge Mountain section of the Appalachians, and that was tough. There had been consistent rolling hills and some real challenges. And yet, somehow Kentucky seems worse. The hills in KY are steeper, the terrain seems more... course. 

The ride into Breaks Interstate Park on Sunday was relatively easy. It was about 30 miles, and although the hills were challenging, they weren't back breaking. We got in early due to the short day and took full advantage of having hotel rooms and the spectacular view out the back patio. I sat on the patio, ate an orange, and just looked out at the view and tried to take it all in, let it flow through me. 

We needed a short riding day because the following day was a beast; 70 miles with multiple significant climbs. So we relaxed, had a good dinner and went to sleep in huge, infinitely comfy beds and slept like the dead. 

The hotel restaurant was closed Monday morning, so we got on the bikes early and headed out to find breakfast. 

The day started off fairly relaxed. We all knew we had a long, hard day ahead, but there was no urgency in the air. We made our way to some food, and grouped up and rode together for a while. 

The Friday before (the rainy day in 'The Road to Damascus') we had had a very long climb up a not-too-steep hill that took over an hour of just spinning our gears to get up. At the end of the day, we all congratulated ourselves for being noticeably stronger since the start of the trip, in order to get up that hill with relative ease. 

Well, we celebrated too soon. Yeah, we're stronger, but the hills are literally rising to the challenge. 

As the day drew on, the back country roads and long uphills started to wear on us. We spent an hour, at least, spinning up this one steep climb. I stopped once or twice to give my legs and my heart a rest and take in some fluids. The group was fairly spread out at this point. 

Then we bombed down the other side and rolled out a long road that ended at a beautiful little lunch spot that served ice cream and an assortment of foods. They didn't seem open when we first rolled up at 12:05, but then as a few of us gave up on the place and rolled out, they opened a window and started taking orders. Most of us got some ice cream, I got a 'slaw burger', which is pretty much what it sounds like. 

We took our time at lunch, and an hour later got back in the saddle. At 1pm, we were less than halfway to the campground for the night. 

Taking a moment to appreciate the wildflowers

The rest of the day blurred together. There were more brutal climbs, and more miles under my wheels. The day ticked away, and still I pedaled. 

The group got fairly separated by this time, and even the 2 other people I had been riding with had ditched me and gone ahead. I rolled into the little town of Hindman by myself around 8pm, a full 12 hours after I left in the morning (aprox 9-10 hours in the saddle). We were staying at a cyclist hostel in a guy's back yard. And it turned out this place was at the top of the steepest damn hill that has ever existed. I could barely push my bike up this hill on a good day, which was made all the more difficult by the day's long ride. 

It may not look steep, but I'm holding the camera level!

Finally at the top, exhausted, frustrated and hungry, the gracious host greeted me with a flurry of questions; what's my name, who am I with, and a few others that I just ignored. I asked for a few minutes to catch my breath and compose myself, and after being briefly taken aback, he gave me my space. 

There was cold pizza and cold water waiting for me there. I scarfed down several slices and started to feel vaguely human again. I set up my tent in the yard, and finally went into the house to take a shower. 

I slept well that night, and David, the host, had put out a fantastic breakfast spread for us in the morning.

Tuesday was another brutal day. Rumor was that it was less harsh and slightly shorter than the day before, but as rumors often tend to be, it was untrue. It was another 70 mile day, with nearly 7 peaks to climb. These were steep uphills with downhills so sharp that I had to use my brakes to descend  (as opposed to just running them out and enjoying the ride.) We counted the peaks as we rode, but that only reminded us how many more we had to go. 

The day was much the same as the one prior, brutal, long and difficult. The weather was slightly more accommodating, with a lower temp, some cloud cover and more of a breeze. Because we didn't ride as a group, we took it at a better pace and didn't stop as often. I managed to make it to camp just before 6p, which was a nice change. I wasn't as exhausted, and was in good spirits despite the fatigue, but the day was definitely difficult. 

We ate at a diner that night, and stayed in a grassy field behind a church. The church had set up a shower stall for cyclists that consisted of a shower-head attached to a hose. It was bone chillingly cold, but still nice to actually have a shower and our own little space in a pretty, peaceful fiel

Despite the 2 hard days in a row, I was feeling pretty good, upbeat and happy to have completed them. It wasn't easy, but at no point did I ever think I couldn't do it. Still, my body told me that it was well used and certainly tired. 

Sunrise over our campground

Breakfast the next day was at the same diner, and the staff there treated us very well. It was odd though, to be in a restaurant that allowed smoking inside. I'm pretty sure I haven't smelled a cigarette in 3 weeks. 

Wednesday was an easy day compared to the two before. only 52 miles, and without the hellacious climbs of the last few days. 

Yet, even with an easy day, the long mileage was starting to wear on me. There were small hills where I had to get off my bike and push it up. It was hard to tell if these were just very steep hills, or if my legs simple weren't up to the task anymore. (I think it was a mixture.) It was slightly reassuring to see others also pushing their bikes up the hills. Maybe it was a necessity, or maybe it was contagious, like a yawn. 

New definition of 'going green.'

52 miles should have felt like a reprieve, but it was not. I could feel that I was noticeably weaker, and without shame about it either. The body can only do so much. It wasn't only muscle fatigue, but also that I had used up all the glycogen in my muscles and pretty much every available calorie in my body. The prior 2 days I'd burned somewhere in the order of 7-8000 calories each, and didn't take in anywhere near that 

By the end of the day, I was riding alone, tired and ready to be done. And even so, I did a mental assessment and decided that I was still glad to be doing this trip and still enjoyed being on the bike. 

I got to camp relatively early, compared to the last 2 days, and just took a little while to sit and recover. There were good showers, a nice field to set up camp and dinner was at 6. We made breakfast burritos for dinner, I ate two! (about a half-dozen eggs total.) And I finally felt satiated, at least for a little while. 

We had finally earned a rest day, much needed. We camped at an RV park in Berea, KY, on the outskirts of town. We did some laundry and relaxed. The hardest days behind us. 

Around 10p, massive thunderstorms rolled in. I ran for my tent and got in just before the deluge came down, and then weathered the storm as my tent shook and the wind threatened to topple my humble abode. I'd never been in a tent in a storm like that and wasn't sure if it would hold up! It did, and I slept well. 

The next morning another round of storms rolled through and I was woken up to my tent being blown at a 45 deg angle and the wind howled viciously. Then, around 8 am the storm broke and I poked my head out of my tent to find a beautiful day with clear blue skies. 

We took the day to relax, did some bike maintenance, resupplied some necessities from a nearby walmart, and just chilled and put the last few days behind us. This was a great day off, and maybe even more appreciated for the extreme effort it took to get here. 

And despite the hard days prior, I was in a good mood, feeling energetic and ready to conquer the world... as long as there are no more hills involved. 

Thank you for reading!
Please feel free to comment and let me know what you think, or just say hi and let me know you've stopped by.
Also, please sign the guest book, and if I don't actually know you, please let me know how you heard about this blog!
http://4300miles.blogspot.com/2014/05/guest-book.html

Cheers,
Aaron