Two short days

18/07/2015

After I got to bardstown, I was feeling pretty beat. Normally I get up naturally at around 5:30, but I got up at 9! Even with the time change, that's pretty incredible. That  might be the latest I've gotten up on this trip. Usually I feel a little sluggish in the morning, but it wears off after a few minutes of being up. In bardstown, however, I just couldn't beat the fatigue. I went to McDonald's, had a huge breakfast, but I still couldn't motivate myself to get on the bike. I resolved to take a tour of the local bourbon distillery and then head out, but only to Harrodsburg, a town about 45 miles down the line. The tour was way cool! I got to try some good bourbon, and I finally understand the distinction between bourbon and whiskey. I thought about getting some for some friends who appreciate it, but ultimately decided it wouldn't fit. Setting out at noon was a mistake, however. I hate riding in the middle of the day. It was incredibly hot, and the sun was brutal. I was admittedly pretty miserable. I thought that I could bike through the day without eating, which was dumb. It's hard to go more than about 30 miles without eating something. I pushed on, ignoring the gurgling in my belly. It's like I subconsciously wanted to feel shitty. The landscape was beautiful, of course. I rode along a little creak in between two sets of hills. It was shady, relatively flat, and kind of cool. The hills getting out of the valley were super steep. I would have loved them any other day. I decided that my bad day was due to too much caffeine and subsequently a lack of sleep. I hadn't  slept for more than 5 or 6 hours in over two weeks. I resolved to get a motel and sleep. And I did. 

I woke up today after sleeping 9 hours, and my ride into Berea was great! Another much needed 45 mile day. Berea seems pretty cool. One of the few places I've encountered on this trip that have vegetarian and vegan food. I think I'm ready to put on some better mileage to get out of Kentucky. Apparently I start going into the Appalachian mountains tomorrow! I think it might rain tomorrow, which could be a nice break from the heat and sun. The next place I'm looking forward to hitting is Damascus, VA. This is the only place where the TransAmerica trail interests the Appalachian trail, and I'm excited to stay at the hostel there. I think it might be my first night in Virginia as well.