We had loaded up with a full payload of water to avoid dehydration and although it weighs the bike down you need every drop and relying on food stops on the map is never a good thing. Getting into Vincent KY we found the Diner had closed down, luckily we still had our staples, peanut butter and bagels and a few other treats from the previous days Walmart stop.
State Route 30 that was our first few hours cycling was really enjoyable, rolling hills, but great scenery and only a few dog incidents. Luckily I had come armed with my new secret weapon, a large bag of doggy treats attached to the handlebars. The Chihuahua who was the first recipient of my dog treats proved they worked, but not quite in the way I had thought. As the steak shaped biscuit shot past it’s ear the yapping hound turned tail and ran, not to get it but purely because it thought it was a rock!
p.s. Going by the numbers we’ve seen, thanks to Paris Hilton and Sharon Osbourne for making the Chihuahua such a popular breed, I’m sure many Hick Town hubbies have been bullied in to trading in their Pit Bulls for these trendy pocket sized hounds. I know which I’d prefer snapping at my ankles.
The afternoon dragged a bit and what with the heat and the hills, then the bad road and rough rumble strips through McKee, Sandgap and Bighill were the icing on the cake.
The only point of note on the last 30 miles of the day, apart from the great views coming over the Madison County line, was another dog attack, this time by a big brown hackles raised hound by the name of Bear. He emerged from the dust of a Trailer trash drive way and I knew this was a dismount and defend, rather than a pedal like buggery dispensing Boneo's option.
Luckily my yelling bought out two young boys from the trailer who insisted I “Just give m a good kick Sir, that’s what we do, he won’t bite”, I wasn’t about to test that theory, but as Bear curled back up in the dust I knew his life wasn’t one of walks in the park, so I chucked a few Boneo’s for him hoping it would give following cyclists good doggy karma.
As we arrived in Berea the day had taken it’s toll on us and as we pulled up to take a photo of a lovely old building we realised it was the Historic Boone Tavern Hotel, an accommodation option mentioned on our maps.
We both knew what each other was thinking; I enquired about a twin room, $99, to hell with the money let’s have some luxury!
Tony has already turned the room into the most expensive bicycle work shop and is sorting out his gears, bike oil on a nice cream carpet! I hope not.
