Forward Ever; Backward Never

Thursday, May 22

 Dover, TN to Grand Rivers, KY

55 Miles

Total Miles to Date ~ 684

We spent most of the day riding through Land Between the Lakes Recreation Area and crossed into Kentucky at 17.6 miles. The roads were rolling most of the day, with a lot of climbing - I think I may have hit my maximum speed for the trip, 36 MPH, on one downhill. The roads were shaded roads a big part of the day; a lovely ride, but hard, hard, hard. It was the usual, Holly, Mary and me, most of the day. Marni joined us at mile 40 and the four of us rode the final fifteen together

Just before arriving at Kentucky Dam Village, where we will spend our rest day, we stopped at a bike shop in Grand Rivers. I bought a pair of shorts to replace the ones I was wearing. Cycling shorts I wore on our 1998 X-Country. Cycling shorts with little to no padding where padding is important. Cycling shorts that should have been tossed in the trash long ago, and will now join the LOST & FOUND list. Next to the bike shop was a muffin shop where we found Ben and Jerry's ice cream in teeny tiny cups. Mary had a sandwich. From the quiet roads of The Trace that runs through Land Between The Lakes, we found ourselves on top of Kentucky Dam - a narrow two lane road with a shoulder that is in need of repair. And traffic! A bus-sized motor home was close enough that Marni reached out and punched it as it drove by. We spent what felt like one-mile on that road and did not like it. It was frightening. Our room is nice, overlooking a lake that was created by the damming of the Tennessee River. 

There has not been a lot to see on this ride (I am not the only one on the ride to feel this way). We ride from point A to point B, but there is nothing of note in between - nothing that tells us we are riding along the "official" route of the Underground Railroad. The best part, for me, about being out here is that Holly and I are together. 

FLORA AND FAUNA REPORT:

Commode - Found on signs in various rest rooms, "please do not throw paper in the 'commode' ". We ARE in the south.

Red wing blackbirds

Deer along the road - seen by Mary

Birds, birds, birds

Sorry this was posted late. Judi