A Little Ride in Kentucky

What do you get when you take a beautiful stretch of historical land in the heart of Kentucky, and bring in 50 cyclists from different parts of the country for a 151 mile, two day cycling tour?  A lot of fun, laughter and adventure. A delight for all of the senses.  It was a fantastic weekend and I feel privileged to have been part of it. 

Thirteen of us made the trip down from Indianapolis.  The route: The scenic Bourbon Trail.  The ride would take us through iconic Civil War battlefields, breathtaking green pastures of thoroughbred farms, fields of beautiful flowers and several famous distilleries.  The Kentucky countryside boasts rolling hills and some challenging climbs.  The ride promised to be provocative, and it most definitely was.  After the lunch stop at the Makers Mark distillery, the group thinned out as riders departed at varying times.  I rode most of the afternoon with my girl, Monika.

By the time we reached the overnight rest stop at mile 101.3 (a little longer than expected due to a few wrong turns) we were tired, sore and famished.  The rest stop was a picturesque farm labeled The Farm Bed and Breakfast, in Danville, KY.  It is a family owned and operated oasis.  We checked in, took turns showering, pitched our tents in the pasture and settled in for the night.  The sunset was beautiful.  We were served a delicious country-style catered dinner.  Pulled pork, coleslaw and farmer baked beans.  Melt-in-your-mouth brownies for dessert.  (Don't ask how many I put down...it wasn't pretty!)  

The next morning came with temperatures in the lower 30's.  We layered up, broke down the campsite, ate a delicious breakfast with fresh food right from the farm, and packed to depart.  The race director's family provided additional SAG support for all of our things.  We saddled up and set out for a chilly start to the day.

We encountered some interesting characters along the way!

Bikers meet cyclists...they were fascinated by us and our bikes:

The day brought more climbing, additional photo-ops and a lot more fun.  We completed the ride after 60 miles, including one very gravely road.

It was a ride rich in American history, the beauty of nature and active cycling. A feast for the eyes, mind and body.  My spirit was tickled by every moment of the experience.

All in all I would give the weekend a B+.  The only aspect I would have liked to see different was the temperature.  10 degrees warmer would have been ideal!  But I'll take what we were given.  It was a wonderful experience, and I will return next year!  In two weeks the same Indianapolis crew (and more) will travel to Chattanooga, TN for the 3 State 3 Mountain 100 mile ride.  I'm ready to tackle the mountains!

If you're interested in these rides, here are the links:

The Bourbon Cycling Tour: http://www.thebourboncyclingtour.com
3 State 3 Mountain: http://www.chattbike.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=63&Itemid=37

Perhaps you'd like to join me?