Day Four (45.7 miles, 119.8 total): Over The Hill and Through The Woods

Its a good morning. Alarm goes off at six and I'm refreshed, ready to take on the world. Seems like Ella is feeling the same way too; JUMP JUMP JUMP!!!! Apparently I look like a good trampoline in the morning! I let Ella out for a few minutes and check out the weather conditions. Its a nice cool morning with a soft haze of low hanging fog. Back in the room, I use the coffee pot to quickly heat some water for my oatmeal and well, of course, coffee! After scarfing down my morning feast, I make sure everything is packed correctly and ready to go. A last minute scan of the room and I'm out the door!

A few minutes later, Joel joins me in the parking lot and soon we are cruisin' down the highway. Almost a half mile in we jam straight up a hill.

Definition of a Hill (noun): Long steep thing trying to kill you with absolutely no mercy.

I reach the top of the unforgiving monster gasping like a 90 year old smoker. A refreshing gulp of water and I'm warmed up for the rest of the day! Nothing warms you up quite like hills to start the day! Soon we are trekking through the mountains of Eastern Kentucky once again. Absolutely breath taking mountains, visually and physically. Unfortunately there are some people who don't appreciate the beauty and destroy it with their garbage. Litter is a very common sight among these hidden mountain roads.

About an hour and a half into the ride we face the demons of the woods: Kentucky dog packs. The first of these packs is led by a bear sized dog pictured in a few other blogs (crazyguyonabike). The bear-dog ends up being quite friendly as long as we were off our bikes and walking past his turf. Its kind of like taking your shoes off before walking on the carpet. His mountain, his rules. The next pack isn't quite so accommodating. Joel ends up having to spray another pit bull and keep two other dogs back as well. Fortunately for us, the dog packs are becoming fewer the farther west we go. Go west.

The day drags on like the second day. Its almost as if we are sifting through the same neighborhoods. With less dogs of course. The humidity builds as the sun burns higher in the sky. Im roasting like a thanksgiving turkey as we climb up another Goliath hill. I can feel the weight on my bike with each turn of the pedals. I just passed a post office, my mind is swimming through my gear, sifting through what I need and don't. At last a few clouds mute out the suns rays and I push on. My bike reaches the crest of another hill and I fly down the winding road. The cool wind on your face, the green flashes of trees passing by, the low buzz of your tires gripping the asphalt; it truly is an amazing sensation, worth every last ounce of energy used to make it to the top.

Like a beacon in a storm, I finally see Buckhorn in the distance. Just around the bend, a magnificent old wooden church stands tall and proud among the low building cowering at a distance. We stop for lunch at a small store that used to be a gas station. Inside, several old men and women who probably remember WW1 were sitting around chatting amongst themselves. They were all very kind and asked myself and Joel about our trips. The old women loved Ella of course and asked all about her. I bought a gallon of water to refill my depleted supply and snacked on some food. The old men frequently rode their motorcycles along our route and gave us a heads up on the next few hills.

Eventually we rode on into the afternoon sun. Of course they were right about the next hills and Joel left me in the dust as he powered up the mountain. Wearing down in the heat, I slowly eased myself along the narrow mountain passage. Making it to the top, I down another water bottle and load the next into the rack. Lock and loaded, I shoot down the twisty slopes. Ella is hanging her head out of the basket, tongue waving in the wind, enjoying the moment of cool air.

The next few miles are rolling hills through the wild Kentucky woods. The occasional abandoned home or trailer, overgrown with trees and vines, appear on the sides of the road. After about an hour, I come to the finally big hill. I am motivated to get this done and start hauling up the hill. Fired up, I cruise along the roads with everything I got. I reach the top, feeling like I had conquered the world.

What the old guys didn't tell us, was that there were at least six more smaller, but still good sized, hills leading into town. But we pushed on against the afternoon sun and dwindling water supply. We finally made it to Boonesville! Asking around town, we eventually locate the church that allows cyclists to stay overnight. It actually ends up to be a nice little covered pavilion in a freshly cut grass field! Cold showers are availible too! After a refreshing subzero rinse, its time for some food! And with food on the brain, I must leave you! Keep reading for more adventures from me and Ella!