Heading into some very dry areas of kentucky (and even this place was closed). We were told to look out for "damp" counties though - you can get a beer at a restaurant but can't take it outside or home.
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Welcome to Kentucky

Today we left Virginia and entered Kentucky. The border crossing was exciting (as you can tell from Leah's photos), but then reality set in. After an afternoon spent fending off dogs with mace, hard kicks, and the most authoritative "No"s and "Bad Dog"s we could muster,* we pedalled into an oasis of safety, the Freeda Harris Baptist Center. The caretaker locked the door behind us and told us not to let anyone in under any condition.**

From the two small windows in the baptist gymnasium doors, we can see four-wheelers, dirt bikes, and coal trucks (these three types of vehicles outnumber normal cars 2:1, no joke) hurtling by on the shoulderless two-lane road. We can also hear the baying of the roaming Kentucky dogs that will undoubtedly greet us as we begin our ride tomorrow.

* With an audience. Leah noticed one man on his porch laughing as his pack of dogs trailed her down the road.
** Not exactly comforting, though the same woman also assured me that there isn't any crime in this town. We've just decided to embrace the paranoia, which is easy because it periodically sounds like there are four-wheelers madly circling the building.

Unrelated shout out to Anna (who started law school today). Goodluck with classes! Her fall semester line-up: Barkow, Epstein, Issacharoff. Not bad, right?

We made it to Kentucky. Notice I stopped for a photograph with the state sign. Also notice that we were in an area with curvy mountain roads...Katrina was supposed to stop too but has become quite addicted to the downhill.

We're in Kentucky!
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So we've been awful at updating the blog, but all of that is going to change. Until then here is a little catch up on what we've been up to the last 23 days. We left NYC and since then have made it through New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and have spent the last 14 days in Virginia and made it all the way to Damascus. Along the way we've eaten everything in site: whoopie pies in Amish country, trout sandwiches for breakfast at a gas station (at least for jeanne), ice cream every chance we get, and lots of peanut butter sandwiches and cliff bars. We've climbed the blue ridge parkway and crept along the VA creeper trail, encountered dogs - and realized why dog spray should be easily accessible (my shoe now has an extra hole in it).

The bikes strike up conversations everywhere we go, and people tend to get a glazed over look when they hear we're heading to Oregon, but everyone has been so nice. We've gotten free nights to stay at the Cookie Lady's and other various bike hostels and town parks along the way, and we're even treated to some amazing asian pears and jam at a William's Orchard right outside of Wytheville.

The biker's we run into going the other direction (who are so close to their final destination) have been full of great information - they are the reason we'll be heading north to st. louise and onto the KD Trail instead of through the rollercoaster ride that is the Missouri transam trail. They've also all still been in high spirits which is good to see after making it that far. Though we keep getting told we're making a late start and we better pick up the pace across kansas if we want to make it through the rockies before we get snowed in. Fingers crossed it will all work out fine. Ok this looks long enough. We'll be adding more pictures to Leah's album later today so look for those, and tomorrow's update will be coming from one of the other two.

Mineral, VA

JKL Ford The River (Complete)

Updated photo album

Rainy Day Riding

Yesterday was our first true day of rainy riding - at least 4 hours of straight down pour. As the rains began we passed two cows standing in a low corner of a pasture with their feet in a puddle and I thought 'why would they want to stand with their feet in a puddle?' Half an hour later with my shoes drenched as though I were standing in a puddle I still wondered why the cows thought that was a good idea.

Jeanne has begun a rescue squad for the turtles of america. I believe 4 have been rescued to date.

Heavy Load

After making it to Oregon with this thing fully loaded I'm going to be ready for a nice light road bike. The harlem hills in central park will be a cake walk on one of those.
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Amish country

Amish country! these girls got up that hill with such ease and way faster than we would have. Have yet to find a whoopie pie, hopefully can get one today because we're pretty much out of Amish country, tomorrow we get to Maryland!

Officially on the Road: Day 3

We've successfully left NY, covered NJ and are working our way through PA. If only I could figure out how to upload photos....