Of Biking, Golf Courses, and Bourbon

Still have these floating aroundLincoln's Birthplace (now in a giant memorial building)

Getting in (pre-rain)Rain view

Gorgeous

This morning

Hot weather = salt crystals appear on skin

Old Kentucky Home (house of some business dude that Stephen Foster may have visited once)

Kentucky has many things to offer. There are mountains (known as "coal" by the locals), numerous scenic areas and state parks (these are called "golf courses" by outsiders like us), lots of places to get fine whiskey (we were within 20 miles of the Maker's Mark, Jim Beam, and Heaven Hill distilleries and I still haven't had a drink), and a ton of friendly (cough) household pets (known to bicyclists as "loose dogs" or "Halt targets"). They also have a creation museum (omfg). Two days ago, we did spend a zero in Bardstown. We got to see My Old Kentucky Home State Park, which was less than spectacular but did get us outside, and I then took my dad to see Up. We're still making movie-related jokes. Twas good. :) We tried to go to the Bourbon Heritage Center to get their free tour and tasting, but it isn't open on Mondays. No bueno. After that, we just hung out at the library until they kicked us out. Found a pretty good book on immigration; hopefully, I'll be able to continue it at the next library we get to.
Tuesday, dad got in to see the dentist and got his tooth taken care of. (YAY!!! We don't have to get off the trail for two weeks!!!!) However, that left us getting out of town at noon, and the temperatures were already up around 90. We made it 47 miles over some gentle bluegrass terrain, with one climb (over the Knobs and out of the center of Kentucky), one rack problem, and 4 flats (all on the same tire - ugg). It was hot, and the flats weren't much fun, but all in all, twas a surprisingly good day. We got in to a questionable hotel right as some rain was coming in, then snacked and crashed. Slept pretty well for being so sketch.
Today we woke up outside of Buffalo, KY, visited the National Lincoln Birthplace thing, and headed down the road another 57 miles. We hit one large patch of rain near Sonora, and though we attempted to wait it out, it was still raining after an hour-long second breakfast break. We got out of the rain within a half hour, and spent the rest of the day attempting to dry off. At lunch we ran into a guy at a gas station with a 10 commandments shirt who spent time telling us that he didn't agree with Obama, abortion, or gay marriage, and I found myself a little more scared when he started talking about how Roy Moore should be in the supreme court (for non-Alabama folk, this guy is a douche and a horrible, horrible judge). And the gas station guy votes. :( Anyhoo. We do meet all sorts of characters out here. Pre-rain, we biked through this gorgeous, misty set of meadows, and post-rain, there seemed to be a lot of separated rollers. Fun day to be on a bike. We're at a state park resort right by a lake for the night, and we couldn't have had more perfect timing to get in. By the time I was out of the shower, it was absolutely pouring outside, and the lake view we had out the back was pretty well concealed by the rain. (Add in thunder/lightening, and I was thrilled to be inside.) Ooh - also today, we crossed into central time and reached our 1000 mile mark (hurray!!!!). Woot for us. We're planning on making Carbondale, IL by Sunday night, so have plenty of 50+ mile days between now and then. As such, I shall go to sleep soon. Life is awesome.