Ride To Conquer Cancer, Training Progress, Part 44

Stranded again! Yesterday's early morn 13.7 mile ride before work turns into a lazy morn because I have another flat tire and again no spare tube. I phone my wife and she picks me up and shows me Gaines Road which is beautiful country road that I will explore when I get my bike back from the bike shop. My guess is that there is some pointy thing in the front tire, undetectable by me, puncturing the tubes. I am now a bike guy without a bike. These first two pics are at the intersection of Bond Pike and US 227 northwest of Stamping Ground. This is where my wife rescues me. The pic below shows my bike on Bond Pike facing US 227. Stamping Ground is to the left.

I have divine help today notwithstanding the fact that I am dead in the water...and these goats and old tractor today are the instruments of God's saving help. I like to say my morning prayers while biking these beautiful, peaceful country roads. I just finish my Guardian Angel prayer "Angel of God my guardian dear..." when I notice these goats and old tractor. I stop and take some pics and then notice that my front tire is flat. Flat tires are annoying but my goat-inspired photo op probably saves me from serious injury. Look at the pic below to understand why (left click pic).

This is a long, steep Bond Pike descent that empties into US 227. Last time I rode down this hill I did about 40 mph. It is just after the goats and old tractor.

Some people equate goats with the Devil. Not me.

My vital stats from the bike computer: Speed (13.6 mph avg., 37.7 mph max.); Heart (119 bpm avg., 146 bpm max.); Cadence (82 revolutions per minute avg., 111 revolutions per minute max.). I burn 329 calories. Actual pedal time is 1 hour.

Ride To Conquer Cancer, Training Progress, Part 31

This is what it looks like this morn at 6:50 AM riding 18 miles down Biddle Pike to Skinnersburg to Glass Pike to Long Lick Pike and back. The fog fogs my glasses so I ride without them. I put my bike into sonar mode--ping! ping! ping! Something big and fast parts the fog directly in front of me. I swear it's a torpedo but it barks as it whizzes past. Barking torpedoes? Only in Kentucky. Anyway...what a great time of day to bike. It's cool. It's quiet. It's calming. Traffic is zilch. Distant mooing and barking and other critter sounds seem to carry further and have that special early morn-biking-Kentucky country road-barking torpedo quality. Ya know what I mean? Colors are subdued but richer. They aren't washed out by the noon day sun. Even smells are richer (that's an artsy-craftsy way of saying "smellier"). I pass through a pungent yet delightful aromatic cloud of tobacco as I pass an old tobacco barn on Glass Pike. Cow and horse manure twizzle my nose hair. Prayer seems the proper response on my return trip to get ready for 10:30 Mass. Glass Pike resounds with "Our Father," "Hail Mary," "St. Michael the Archangel," and "Angel of God my guardian dear." A final prayer of thanksgiving leaves my lips for heaven thanking God for watching over my son Nicholas during his recent biking accident.

Speaking of Nicholas...the plastic surgeon says Nicholas' elbow injury is healing nicely. No infection. He will need a skin graft though. He will meet again with the plastic surgeon next Friday to schedule the surgery.

This headstone pic and the following ones are from my July 16 ride. They were taken at the Pollard Henry Cemetery on NE Countyline Road.

There are a lot of Kidwells. "Cheak" is a bench.

Detail of headstone's soldier pic.