Casey Co.

Date: August 30 Sat
Weather: 90F
Mileage: 13
August mileage: 340
Year to date: 1767

Saturday morning during Family Camp i snuck out for a 1-hour ride in the great emptiness that is Casey Co. What we're talking about is a very rural Co. in the Appalachian foothills. The roads tend to follow the creeks in between the knobs, and when you need to cross a knob, the road goes straight up and over and straight down. I copied a map from our Counties of Kentucky map and took my camera along too in the "man purse bag". I almost got lost in the first half mile b/c I couldn't quite get a grip on the road directions. My map, hastily copied at home while departing, blurred a bit of 1 road and I wasn't trusting my directional judgement.

This pic is a blurry mess, but you can tell that I kept 1 pannier on as well as the handlebar bag.

Quite soon after my departure I happened upon this scene and I don't think I can do any better than this glimpse of rural KY.

The slightly shiny part of this ironweed is actually a bug of some sort.

Another classic KY scene of tobacco and a lonely farm road.

After some pleasant miles on 70 I began to have problems finding the necessary roads. I've found in other rural KY searches that road names vary source by source and you never know what is right. In this case, I was looking for a turnoff onto what the original map had listed as Johnny Hatter/Sugar Rd. I came across a road names Wesley Rd. which seemed to fit the approximate location, but one never knows. I continued a bit further down 70 and came to a 2nd road, this time one with no name at all. I ventured up a bit and flagged down a truck. The driver kindly stopped and I inquired about the road name. She had to think a bit before coming up with Elmore Hill Rd., which was a name on my map. The 2nd turn added a few extra miles, but it was a fortuitous mistake. Elmore Hill Rd. is, in fact, one of those knob-climbers, but it wasn't nearly as bad as it could've been. I put the LHT in the small ring in a reasonable gear and did the climb with little trouble. I only thing I had to adjust was my helmet. The temps of late have been making my head feel like oven stuffing, so I took it off and kep it off for several miles. The top of Elmore Hill was more rural ridge riding, this time as good as yesterday's Mt. Salem ride. Other than the heat I couldn't have asked for better terrain or conditions. At the end of the road I found this church, which is pretty typical of many rural churches you come across in KY. From there I travelled on the slighly busier Willow Springs Rd. and then to 501 at Lawhorn Hill. It was a lucky route in a way b/c the turn onto 501 gave me a long downhill to the 70 intersection again. I'm glad I didn't have to climb back.

Rich Hill Christian Church

Admittedly it was only a 1hr, 13m ride, but what grace to be granted a little time to turn the wheels. I've been reading more of late about the power of meditation, that oneness of mind that you get by filtering out of the noise and discursive thought. I think quite often on the bike you are more in the moment and meditative that at any other time of the day. It's just the road, the turning of the pedals, the controlled breathing and the glorious scenes around you. I thank my wife and kids for allowing me the time to take this respite. The rest of Family Camp was its usual best. Great people, great meals, and great time to NOT be doing things other than being with great people in great community. It took me 5-6yrs, but I'm a convert to the power of camp. Peace.