Today is a much needed and well deserved day off in Louisville, Kentucky. Being in the big city after so many days of riding through endless hills, forests, marshes, and fields is sort of a shock to the system. So many sirens and heavy trucks.
downtown LouisvilleHaving a "rest day" means that I can sleep in as late as I like, which, because we have been heading out most days at 7:00 means that although the mind says sleep in, the body says get up. I slept until 8:00 and called it good enough. Calling it a rest day anywhere, but especially in the big city, is an oxymoron since it also means getting the laundry done in time to dry before packing tonight, shopping for essentials, aspirin, sunscreen, particular food fetishes, bike gear, etc. and still try to squeeze in tourist time as well as sit around and regroup time.
After breakfast, Kris and I headed out to find the Post Office to mail off boxes of tourist pamphlets, non essential clothing and anything else we could think of to decrease the weight. Of course on the way we had to stop off and get postcards, which I may one day get around to writing to people, maybe, and purchase small , touristy gifts for friends and family. It was a pleasant sunny walk in a clean, walker and biker friendly downtown.
As we wandered, we ran into many of the other women out seeing the sights and doing a little exploring in search of lunch and or dinner places, interesting sights and photo opportunities. We stopped off at the Glass Gallery and Jazz Cafe, a warehouse which houses several art and architectural glass studios, a hands on workshop area, and a good gift store/display of glass art. We also took a swing past the Louisville Slugger Factory and Museum where the famous baseball bats are made.
Art glass at the glass gallery and the Louisville slugger factory and MuseumThe central downtown area of Louisville is well laid out for walking, with pleasant parks and open areas, one way street grid, sidewalks wide enough for ambling, sitting and outdoor dining, public bike racks in the form of sculptures and a very pleasant atmosphere.
We found a "yuppie" type restaurant with outdoor tables and an excellent selection of small dishes. Kris had a sunchoke, sundried tomatoe and mushroom bisque and I had a local rabbit pate and then we both had grilled cheese sandwiches on pancetta bread with a pear marmelade. Everything was unique and delicious and it was a luxury to be able to sit in the shade, chat with other bikers as they wandered by and people watch. While we were eating, a stretch limo, entirely covered with bright read 1" glass mosiac squares, pulled up and disgorged what had obviously been some sort of a small office birthday celebration, as the last man out of the limo was wearing a funny birthday candle crown. He made a deliberately dramatic exit, bowed to the limo driver holding the door, bowed to the lunchers, bowed to the passers by and then took off his crown and went back to work.
The Humana health care organization has its headquarters here and they are grand and very Egyptian temple sort of looking with huge 4 story tall granite pillars and huge bronze urns of flowing water flowing down the back wall of the outdoor lobby on trapezoidal shaped granite is contrasting colors. They also have bicycles for the use of their employees called the "freewheelin" program. Riders supply their own helmets but can take the cruising hybrid bikes out and use them any time and then return them.
Humana freewheeling bikes and rackPerhaps the best part, on a psychological basis anyway, is that we have no more 90+ days, although we do have two 80+ days. We also have two short five days stints with a rest day before the final 6 day haul. After what we have done so far, tomorrow's 55 miles looks and feel quite doable. We are also having a switch around in guides, with Laurie taking a week off and Michelle coming in to work with Patty until Cincinnati. We will also pick up five new riders, who are only doing the last part of the tour in Cincinnati. We have lost one rider, who quit here. Nobody is quite sure why except that she said she had been too lonely for her partner. It came as a shock to all of us, as she seemed to be enjoying the ride and doing the miles without too much difficulty. Who knows? It will be hardest on the two ladies she was riding with, but undoubtedly the grouping will be changing around a bit.
I have spent the rest of the day updating blogs, organizing photos and trying to repack both suitcases . I can't believe that I am hungry again already, but the body needs to play catch up I guess, so I'm off to roust up some food, clean my bike, repair a pair of shorts and mend my gloves and then repack and organize for tomorrow.
Does it say something about this whole experience that I am almost giddy at the thought of only having to do 55 miles?
Dragon sculpture bike rack
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