A lake break to cool off. We found a fun dam jump after a little barb wire gymnastics. Not to be upstaged, Scott jumped naked.

On the ferry across the great Ohio river, which forms a natural border between Kentucky and Illinois. From left: Scott, Adam, Katie and Kevin.


As we entered Illinois, our best Lincoln pose. We rode past numerous historical Lincoln spots, birthplace, boyhood home and place of conception.


Kevin and Adam fresh out of their cross Ohio river swim. They dodged a few coal barges and river currents to complete the trip in 22 minutes.


The last post we put up was in Marion, KY, just before the ferry across the Ohio River into Illinois. Kentucky had it's ups and downs, and as much as we are stoked to be done with "United We Stand, Divided We Fall" state, I think we formed a mini-bond and are a little sentimental now that it's behind us. That said, Adam and Kevin were so psyched to leave KY that we left it twice...after taking the ferry over with the bikes, they lost their shoes and shirts, took the ferry BACK to Kentucky and swam across the Ohio...maybe not the most lucid of decisions. But, they touched the Illinois shore about half a mile down river with all limbs in tact and maybe just a little water-logged.

The rest of the day wasn't any less eventful. We found our way to Elizabethtown, IL, and within 5 minutes of being in town, stumbled into a wedding reception, free food and a sweet riverside gazebo to sleep. After a few beers, catfish and cornbread by candlelight we got down on the dance floor with the wedding party. The band really killed it on keyboard and slide guitar. We fell asleep with a cool breeze as coal barges floated by on the Ohio.

The riding had been very hot throughout the end of Kentucky, with multiple days in the 100s. However the weather has lightened up and we've enjoyed some of the best riding of our trip in Illinois. The hills are rolling, the breeze is cool and the company of the North Carolina crew has made the miles fly by.

Goodbye Kentucky

After the mountains we were into the midwest!! Gorgeous country, rolling hills and fast riding.

One of the many vast cornfields we saw in western kentucky. We also came across tobacco, timothy grass and alfalfa

Our awesome lake side campsite. We had a beautiful sunset and slept under the stars until we had a thunderstorm that lasted the whole night. It was sunny and clear the next day.

We ended at a church in Sebree, KY for an excellent meal and an air conditioned bike hostel. We met Stew, a med student who rode 150 miles on a fixed gear and the North Carolina Crew, Scott, Adam and Katie.
We are about 12 miles from the Kentucky border and will begin Missouri!! Happy times.

Berea, KY to Harrodsburg, KY

Team Surly, all riding the same bike. From left to right, Ross, Matt of Dayton Ohio, also riding the TransAm & Us. We stayed with them that night for a great dinner and some guitar playing on our new axe.

Kevin tanning at the Laundromat.

Hospitality, Hills and Dog Fighting

Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip. They started from a seaside port aboard two Surly whips...

4 June '09 -Yorktown Victory Monument commemorating British General Cornwallis' surrender to George Washington/French allies and the start of American independence.

Day 1: Yorktown, VA
Before taking off for Virginia, we had to figure out where we would stay for our first night in Yorktown. A phone number for Grace Episcopal Church was listed on the Adventure Cycling maps. Elsa Bakkum picked up on the other line and welcomed us to stay at the church. We expected to be camping, but upon arrival we were shown to a brick home overlooking the York River and beach! That night, after 8 hours of driving, we took the traditional pic of dipping the rear wheel in the Eastern waters to be followed by the front wheel in the Pacific 3 months later. We had a kick off burger and a beer at the Yorktown Pub 100 feet below. We had a great air-conditioned sleep and although we felt like kings, we knew the next few weeks would be far less comfortable. The welcome we received in Yorktown, the birthplace of free America, was an excellent way to start the trip.

Day 2: First Day on the Road (To Glendale, VA)
We woke to a drizzle as we ate our first bowl of oatmeal, heavily doctored with honey, almonds, chocolate and dried fruit. We set out through historic Yorktown along flat marshland. Within an hour we were lost in colonial Williamsburg, rolling by historical interpreters dressed for the times. We met an 80 year old fellow, expecting Olde English speak, but received frank directions past the gallows, market square and a left at the cow pasture with windmill. Once out of rainy Williamsburg, home of William and Mary College, we stumbled once more through history into Jamestown, VA. The weather worsened as we rode through the wheatfields of Sherwood Forest Plantation (home of 9th President John Tyler).

5 June '09 - Grace Episcopal cottage accomodations

5 June '09 - Willis Church in Glendale, VA, after 60 miles in the rain.

5 June '09 - Willis Church in Glendale, VA, drying our gear.

5 June '09 - Cornfields along a bike path outside of Jamestown, VA. Our first cornfields. Why is Kevin squatting? We're the Fugawi..

13 June '09 - This is Nick, a XC rider we met going west. He's from MA and had been living out in San Diego, CA. Decided to come home for a jobular.

15 June '09 - Welcome to Kentucky! Glad to be done with the first 600 miles of the trip.

16 June '09 - Our accomodations on Kevin's birthday, the Knott County Historical Society. "A four star hotel without walls"; we slept in a tent out back. Ice cream sundaes and sweet tea upon arrival...awesome.

17 June '09 - Looking back on a steep climb.

18 June '09 - Boone Tavern Hotel on the 100th anniversary. They had free cake, we ate it. The early part of the day was pretty much the exact opposite...sitting in a muddy ditch in severe thunderstorms.

19 June '09 - Our blogging location for the day on the Berea College Campus. All the students here are on full scholarship to provide education for the underprivileged of Appalachia.