Day 25 - Hodgenville, KY to Rough River Dam State Park

70 miles
June 20, 2006

Last night I woke and saw some lightning on the horizon. It was around two in the morning, and from my position camped on a baseball field, the lightning was in the direction of third base.

I woke again an hour later, and the lightning seemed closer. So I broke down my tent, moved into the dugout, and proceeded to have my face eaten by mosquitoes.

I woke again at six o’clock this morning, realized it hadn’t rained, and wished that I’d stayed in my tent.

I packed up and was on the road nice and early. It was easy to put in some miles before it got too warm, and the morning was great along some beautiful, flat farmland with mist that blanketed everything. Soon the sun climbed high above a cloud and burned it all off.

Then it got really hot, so throughout the afternoon I essentially went from gas station to gas station, hydrating during long breaks and taking advantage of the shade. One store had a register book for cyclists, which was nice because I got to see who’s ahead of me. It looks like two people signed in yesterday.

Later in the afternoon I was daydreaming and missed a turn. The correction to get back on route totaled about nine extra miles. Soon a thunderstorm approached – it was slow-moving without much wind, but I could see plenty of lightning toward the horizon and hear thunder. I was close to my destination for the night, and it looked like the storm could pass me by anyway, so I didn’t seek shelter and kept riding.

It rained hard for less than five minutes and stopped. While the rain was coming down, a kid in a van pulled up next to me and asked if I wanted a ride. No thanks, but it’s nice to know that someone was thoughtful enough to make the offer.

Tonight I’m in the campground at Rough River Dam State Park, and it’s quiet with only a few RVs parked here. I took a shower tonight and it felt amazing after today’s humid sweat. Now I’m sitting alone at a picnic table writing this – watching fireflies and listening to the oldies station on the radio. I was rockin’ out to ELO and Mrs. Robinson a few moments ago.

Today I crossed into the Central Time Zone, and gained an hour! Believe it or not, it’s the first time in my entire life that I’ve ever ventured out of the eastern time zone. Ooh now they’re playing The Hollies – Bus Stop. “Sometimes she’d shop, and she would show me what she boouugght.” Life is good.