Day 21 - Marion, KY

Left the firehouse at 7:30, stocked up with some Honey Bums and headed west. Today was one of the easiest days of the whole trip. The hills were even smaller than the day before and I did the first half of the milage in no time. Like always, the last 10 miles were the hardest. But this time not because of my legs, it was my back that hurt. Just not used to several 100+ km days in a row. Tomorrow could get a painful riding..

Not much to say about the route today. Maybe that I've done my first 1.000 miles? Just 2757 left!

I've mentioned the Amish yesterday. Googled a bit and indeed Kentucky has Amish population. The town where I'm staying right now actually is something like a hub for "Amish-related" tourism, as the guidebook says. I'd love to meet Amish folks and talk to them. There are videos on YouTube of Amish speaking their German dialect. It's kinda creepy but fascinating how these people speak a language very similar to what is spoken in Germany today, considering they've left the country several hundred years ago...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxPlTRq84-4

I forgot to tell you about a funny dialog I had few days ago:
It happens 10+ times a day that people ask me where I'm riding to. That guy's reaction is worth to quote: "I've just started with cycling, but nothing like this. This is a lifestyle!"
Wish it was!

Tonight I'm staying at the church in Marion, Kentucky. Shower, couches, WiFi... everything a biker dreams of.

Tomorrow morning I'm gonna take the ferry over the Ohio river entering Illinois, my third state on the trip.

I've thought about how to capture the scenery here with a picture. At the spectacular natural monuments of the west you can take a pic and pretty much get the atmosphere on it. But Kentucky isn't the state of spectacular landscapes. What makes riding Kentucky nice is the overall atmosphere... The fields, the smell of hay in the air, the relaxed little towns, farmers riding their pickup trucks, old barns, cattle and much more.  Can't possibly get that feeling on the web.