June 29th (Tuesday) 2004
 At
Pippa Passes Hostel I edited our web log thus: "Our 11th day of cycling
and at the end of the second map (out of twelve) that we've got to cover.
We are off to Berea today, not too far - about 58 miles I think. Hope there's
a bike shop in Berea. Will post again soon! ". The bike shop in Berea
had ceased to be, sadly.
Well, today ended up being a hot and humid ride. Started off amidst the
wooded hills of Kentucky and ended in Berea, which is really the end of
the hilly bit of Western Kentucky. The first half of the day was amidst
the ups and downs of the hills, while the second half took it easy by
sailing along river valley's into Berea. Had a wonderful time in the second
half - apart from being chased by dogs on the official shortcut of Murphy's
Ford - a bit of a quiet road and with a couple of dogs who really like
to chase cyclists and are a bit big. Well, we dazed them with the dazer
and they ceased to chase, but it's not what you need. Another cyclists
who met them later said that they were still on form, but this time they
got 'maced' - i.e. a form of pepper spray. Whoever owns those dogs should
make an effort to keep them under control (the owner appeared to be strimming
[a very popular american occupation] while his dogs were going for us
- I shouted 'Happy Strimming!'). We finally hauled up at the Knight's
Inn in Berea - tho' it turned out the Holiday Motel (not a chain, apparently)
does more (swimming pool plus microwaves in rooms, apparently) for less
just a hundred yards down the road. Still, a hot shower was very welcome
at the end of the day, even if I couldn't make a decent cup of Earl Grey.
We did 58 miles, even with the shortcut, so moving on well. The picture
shows the beautiful wooded valley that leads you down towards, after many
a mile, Berea.
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