Day 19: Kentucky Wine

67.67 miles (Total: 841.86) Average Speed: 11.4mph Max Speed: 39mph

I start the morning on the phone to my bank, they had blocked my attempt to top up my travel card online. The online protection at Halifax has gone overboard recently, every transaction I’ve been making has been blocked or verified. After straightening things out I finally get my stuff together concious of the fact I seem to always be the last one packing up at the minute.

It’s a glorious morning, not only is the scenery stunning but we soon realise the roads are flat and at worst gently rolling. The barns on each farm have strange decorative symbols and we even pass a bunch of Alpacas, Kentucky continues to surprise. The ride comes to a halt when we approach a barrier with road closed signs. I remember a similar situation on one of the first days and insist we will be able to walk our bikes through. Once past we soon find half the road caved in with stationary machinery where workers must have been but as expected we could walk through no problem.

Barns with strange symbols

Flying V Formation

We stop for refueling at small store who made us some great fresh sandwiches before pushing on towards Harodsburg, at this point we still weren’t certain of where to stay. Once we reached Harrodsburg we had managed 46 miles. Feeling good to push on we decided to go a further 25 miles for a campsite so with our heads down pushed on. The single lane roads were busy and I cursed each pickup driver that flew past at 120mph, exhaust spewing fumes in my face as I struggle through tiredness. The drivers in Kentucky have not been as nice as Virginia. The gangs spirits are tested further by 2 huge dogs that chase after Joe causing him to nearly swerve off the road, a young guy eventually gets them back under control and I give him some strong verbal advice on how to keep his pets safe not only from cars but from the pepper spray that us cyclist carry.

Guess this is where the old signs go

Not again.

Joe & Cooper

As tiredness kicks in we stop every couple miles and I tell Terry how much further we have to go. The fact were in yet another dry county annoys everyone but then out of the blue we spot a winery sign and its right on route. As we turn the corner a guy drives up to ask where were all from, I then ask him if the winery is up ahead, he replies “Sure, I’ll just turn round and go open up for you”. Seconds later were invited in and sipping this guys sample wines! We also learn hes a local police constable and he explains this is one of the only premises in the county permittted to sell alcohol. He then insists we can pitch our tents next to the winery before offering us all to take a shower in his house across the road. We stand with huge grins in disbelief at how the evening just got turned upside down so quickly. Donny the host then tells us he is leaving the winery door open so we can use the rest room during the night and that should the forcast storm get bad we can all go inside. Cooper and Terry cook up the pasta meal we had bought stuff for earlier and we sip the bottles of Elderberry and Blackberry wine we purchased. Donny soon returns with a crate of beer he had drove to the next county to buy and joins us for a brew.

The night topped any yet but as we crawl into our tents lightening in the distance illuminates the sky. Thunder calls and threatens for a few hours and eventually the storm kicks in. I immediately grab my things and out towards the winery, Terry is already doing the same and we call Cooper and Joe. We sleep on the floor with our roll mats and sleeping bags as the storm booms outside as I laid there wondering how these miraculous things keep happening on the trip and soon come to the conclusion that if I started all over again it would be no different. Cycle touring is bitter sweet.

This ones for my sister.