Mandatory Firehouse stop as we rode out of Madison, IN
Riding through the drive through
Later at the official SAG stop in Carrolton in a bank parking lot, several of the riders took advantage of the drive through tellers to ride through and get cash, mostly for the novelty of being able to do it on their bikes. We also saw our first "real" type road biker, with helmet and riding light as opposed to kids without helmets on the sidewalks. We all waved greetings and called out hello, but we were completely ignored. Firefighter Kathy gave us our new acronym for the day, FLAS. Not that I think Lance Armstrong would react that way, but there certainly are a lot of bikers we have all seen, or know, who do.
We have started passing some new types of wild flowers as we ride along the country roads that run parallel to the railroad tracks. I thought these thistles were especially nice.
Hints from the cue sheets of the past few days
You know you are in for a challenging day when every street name on your cue sheet includes the word or concepts of a ridge, trail, crest, hill, mountain, spine, high, view or any combination thereof often combined with a cute or coyly descriptive pronoun such as Devils', Hangmans, Cedar, Butte, Eagles' etc.
You also know that you're in trouble when the cue sheet mentions use caution, steep climb or lists the climb distance.
I've been seeing a lot of those words, expressions and phrases recently. Fortunately the only ones that showed up today were Dry Ridge, where we are staying, and yes, it is dry and atop a ridge, why do you ask?, and "begin .5 mile climb". The 1 hill climb that appeared earlier in the cue sheet, and that we had all been anticipating with dread, turned out to be a gentle 6 %, wide and winding, through the woods, with a small stream trickling along beside the road for company. That climb was rewarded with an equally satisfying 1 mile downhill, on a wide, gently curving, freshly paved road with absolutely no traffic. That downhill today was the closest thing I can think of to bike Nirvana. Alas, the .5 mile climb that appeared later to get us up onto the ridge where Dry Ridge is located, was a killer 18% on a narrow rough road with a killer drop off shoulder and a number of impatient trucks. It was one of those days where the downhills were shorter and shorter drops while the uphills, although not particularly steep, were endless.
As we have ridden , the pack has gotten more and more organized and skilled at doing the hills in a single line and making as much room as we can for the drivers. We have even dismounted half way through a climb and waved drivers past before continuing to pant and chug our way up the hill. As the stiff climb came at mile 55 of a 60 mile day today, and we were all hot, sweaty and at the BBS (beyond bitchy stage) we never dismounted on the ridge climb but just mentally told the drivers to suck it up. It worked and we got to the top without slowing, dismounting, or losing anyone to the slope. Of course it took us a while before we could even speak once we got to the top and pulled over but I doubt any of us could have done it a week ago while staying mounted.
We also had several turtle 911 calls. Firefighter Kathy has been stopping and herding turtles back off the road whenever possible. She was feeling derelict in her duty because the last two turtles we have seen have been on downhill runs, when no one in their right mind would or could stop. Today my mirror again committed suicide, this time on the lovely 1 mile well paved gently curving downhill and it is now at rest somewhere in Kenutcky as there was no way I could have stopped and retrieved it. At the bottom of one downhill, on a short level run along the stream, Kathy found this turtle and was trying to herd it with her bike tire. He was big and mean and did not want to be herded. Kathy gave up when he started lunging and snapping at her tire, but felt redeemed a bit later when we found another smaller red neck slider to rescue.
Today's ride is probably about the most rural, in terms of not having many towns that we have done since Tennessee so there was excitement when we found an historic sign just outside of Glencoe. As we rode into Glencoe, we watched a car squeak under the railroad crossing arms just before this train came through.
The rest of the ride into town was broken only by a stop at a quilting shop called The Quilt Basket, which Anne knew about. Since it was off route down a gravel pathway, only three of us avialed ourselves of the opportunity, but it was well worth it. Beautiful quilts, kits and an amazing collection of fabrics. The family owns 80 acres, most of it wooded, but with lovely lush mowed lawns, blooming dogwood trees and flowering gardens right around the house and shop.
Dry Ridge, KY, is a wide spot on interstate 75 with an outlet mall, some quick food places, a Cracker Barrel restaurant and a couple of motels. At the quilt shop we had been advised to stop at the Country Diner as we turned off the backroad and onto the State Road for the ride into and through town to the motel, but as we turned, Jennifer spotted a DQ in the distance so we rode past the motel and scarfed DQ for lunch before heading back to the motel. On the way we passed several ladies who had been out to do a bit of light lunching and shopping. By delaying our arrival a little, not only had we enjoyed some sight seeing, but the luggage had been unloaded and trollied into the motel. Although I am on the second floor again, I don't mind because this one has an elevator.
Today's Syndromes and acronyms
BBS- beyond bitchy syndrome
FLAS-freaking Lance Armstrong Syndrome- applied to the spandexed rider who blew past the Sag stop in Carrolton without bothering to look up or respond to our greetings and waves. He also ran the red light at the corner.
CCBBS-Cross country because of bug syndrome- so named because that's what happens when a huge ugly something land on your glasses and you are so startled that you run off the edge into the tall grass and then have to stop and pick it all out of your rear derailleur . fortunately the road was pretty level and I got back on without incident.
Finally- MASS- Mandatory Aqusition Stop Syndrome-what Anne did and the quilt shop while we just watched.
Today's Stats
distance 58.58 miles
ride time4:19
speed 13.5
elevation gain 2935 feet
today's one historic sign
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