Wednesday, April 24, 2013

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?



20 comments:

  1. WOW this sounds like so much fun! I loved the pictures too....just beautiful!

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    1. Thanks Jen! The miles just kind of slipped by :)

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  2. This sounds completely amazing! All I can do these days is a recumbant in my living room, can hardly wait to get outside again!

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    1. I'll come to Canada and ride with you Anita! :) Definitely on my bucket list.

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  3. Wow - from Indy to Kentucky, that is AMAZING. The only way I could get The Hubs to do that would be to tell him we would camp out at Jim Beam after the trip!

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    1. Jim Beam, Heaven Hill, Maker's Mark and Woodford Reserve!

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    2. Of course, I don't touch the stuff! I was there just for the ride!

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  4. You are truly inspiring. I was getting sore reading the post!! Those are some awesome pictures and I can't believe you didn't freeze to death sleeping outside. You are an amazing woman! Great pictures!!

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  5. Great post and photos. It has me thinking of my oldest brother and sister-in-law who were amateur cycle racers in Tacoma Park, MD. They inspired a love for cycling and a respect for cyclists for the utter strength it requires. I can't imagine riding over 100 miles. Amazing and inspiring!

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    1. Thank you Kevin! It's a fun sport and I'm at home in the saddle :)

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  6. Beautiful... I read about biking tours of places. I would love to go on one sometime!

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  7. What a great post Michelle! The picture of you guys with the bikies is a real gem.

    Just thinking. I don't suppose seeing some fit, good-looking women in lycra could have increased their curiosity?
    Cheers, ic

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    1. Ian, very funny! I'm sure they were just intrigued by our cycling prowess :)

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  8. Heh heh, gotta love those biker dudes! Looks like you had gorgeous, albeit chilly, weather for your bourbon country tour. Did you sample any of the booze?

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    1. They were indeed hilarious! I think they took all the samples ha ha ha! No sampling for me :)

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  9. What wonderful experience Michelle! I can tell you had such fun in there :) Loved all the pics.

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  10. How many miles? Superfit woman must be your middle name for sure. I was out on my bike today and not sure if I could muster up 1 mile as not been on my bike for a bit. I thought my lungs and heart was going to pop out of my body at one point :(
    I'm glad that you're enjoying all of this and having fun though. Enjoyed your pics too Michelle.

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    1. Oh no!! Well keep at it! Every ride gets easier :) I do enjoy it and being active keeps me out of trouble :)

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