Post 8: three days in Kentucky!

Hi again!

Daughter Julia, back at Mission Control, posted the photo I took on my blackberry of the proof I am now in my second State. There is probably a way I can get this text to link with that photo, but I am not capable of achieving that on the bb; sorry.

I was apprehensive about Kentucky, having heard about aggressive dogs that chase cycles, huge coal trucks on narrow country roads, and possibly less friendly people. In the event all have been fine; with the dogs, so far a cheerful "Good dog!" has seemed to calm them. And the coal truck drivers have always been considerate.

The accent of locals deep in the Appalachians has baffled me sometimes; I feel a fool having to say "excuse me" three times when I can't understand. But then I am probably just as baffling.... After entering a country store close to the Virginia state line, my 'How ya doin'?' Was answered (with a smile) with "What the hell kind of hillbilly accent is that?"!

Those who know about this TransAm route say the Appalachians are the hardest cycling of the whole trip, because the hills are much steeper than the climbs in the Rockies. I have found the days quite wearing, so now I have left the Appalachians behind, today, I am pleased. Perhaps the tight, enclosed valleys made me feel shut in too; certainly today, as views opened out, I felt relieved.

Various impressions.... Lots of poverty in eastern Kentucky; lots of homes were boarded up and decayed; every tiny homestead seemed littered with rusting car wrecks; noticeably more obesity in the poor areas; hard physical work for people making a living from the land (I have seen people hoeing their vegetables by hand in the hot sun). Today, as I came out of the mountains, the neighbourhoods were visibly more prosperous. But everyone I have met has been friendly and welcoming, and I have had some fascinating conversations. One that lingers in the memory was yesterday, as I had lunch in a country store. An old guy was there, 86, who had lived in that valley all his life, except in World War Two; he had signed up for the Navy in 1941 aged 16, and was in the S Pacific, helping to construct the air base from which - eventually - the bombers flew to drop the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. What a world away from mountain Kentucky....

Random thoughts.... Churches vary so much, from the clearly prosperous to the ramshackle. And there seem to be a chaotic profusion of denominations. Best church name seen so far - "Poor Bottom Freewill Baptist Church". (Mine felt a bit poor at the time.)

More road names: "Tranquillity Lane" - how lovely. But also "Soap Town Rd" (where did that come from?).

Nature notes: this morning, on a very quiet road, an enormous commotion over my head. As I looked up, about 20 small birds (sparrows?) Were mobbing a hawk and saw it off....

What happens in my head as I ride? (Andy Miller asked me this in an email, especially did I get particular tunes on the brain?) Well, today I have kept going back to "Keep the home fires burning".... It's not that I can quite remember the First World War, but maybe the line "While our boys are far away, they'll think of you" is specially relevant when friends and family do seem so far away.

But emails, phone calls on skype from family, and comments on the blog, all keep me feeling in touch.

So many thanks to you all! And much love, Ken