DAY 27: OWENSBORO TO LEWISPORT, KY
An IHOP restaurant was right next to my motel this morning, so I decided on breakfast there. As I was getting on my bike ready to leave, a server who was outside on a break asked where I was going. I shared my story and gave here one of my "travel cards."
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| "Travel Card" I had printed to share my ride along the way. |
She was eager to know about the Equal Justice Initiative. After giving a brief overview (trying not to be overly verbose), she reached into her apron and handed me $10 from her tip money. I told her that really wasn't why I shared, and I thought she probably didn't make a lot, and that I really appreciated her heart.
"No. I really want to do this!"
I gratefully accepted her donation. I was truly humbled. What a way to start this day!
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| More of Owensboro's Adkisson's Greenbelt. |
Owensboro, Kentucky's cross-town bike path is pretty impressive. Yesterday and today I was able toi ride west to east through the center of the city only being on streets for a very brief distance, and even the road sections were well-marked for cyclists. This part of the Adkisson Greenbelt follows Horse Fork creek out of town.
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| Fully equipped with rental bikes! |
The city even provides bike rentals on the trail. The path goes through several housing developments on the east side, and the residents seem to take pride in beautifying the view with flowers and landscaping. Here's on person's tulip garden in bloom along the trail.
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| Tulips planted by residents along the bikeway. |
Once off the Greenway, I was soon back on Kentucky country roads, pedaling past fiels with tractors plowing up the ground for Spring planting. A few of these rural homes stand out, especially ones like this (which I would call "plantation style," but there's probably a more accurate term for them).
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| A "new" old-style Southern plantation-type home. |
The weather was warm and humid this morning with partly cloudy skies. As the day wore on, the cloud buildup grew to be a bit ominous.
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| Just minutes after taking this picture I was drenched in a downpour. |
I took this picture just before I pulled into a convenience store for a snack. By the time I had paid for my fare, the heavens were pitch black and it was beginning to sprinkle. I donned my rain poncho "just in case." As a turned the corner a few hundred yards down the road, there was a roar of thunder preceding a windy downpour which lasted for almost the next hour. Because the temperature was pushing 80 degrees, the wetness wasn't unbearable.
The sun once again broke out for a few minutes to help dry things out. As I was riding toward the Ohio I noticed a white car pulled over and a lady with her phone held up as if she were taking photos of me. Strange, I thought.
As I rolled up to greet her (and, honestly, try to satisfy my curiosity), she exclaimed, "I bet you are riding the Underground Railroad route!"
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| Pam Lee of the Hancock County Chamber of Commerce took my photo and "interviewed" me on the roadside. |
Pam Lee, it turns out, works with the Hancock County Chamber of Commerce. And she knows her history, especially of the Underground Railroad. She informed me that I was riding on the Josiah Henson Parkway. (I had seen no signs to that effect, but I trusted she was right!)
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| Josiah Henson, escaped slave and ardent abolitionist. He was the model for "Uncle Tom" in Harriet Beacher Stowe's very influential novel, Uncle Tom's Cabin. |
Josiah Henson escaped slavery in Maryland, becoming an influential author, educator and minister. He established schools in Ontario, Canada to teach former slaves skills in trades and business. It is thought that he was the model for Uncle Tom in Harriet Beecher Stowe's influential novel by the same name that galvanized the country's attention to the plight of Southern slaves.
After a brief, but delightful conversation, Pam asked my permission to include my photo and story in the county newspaper. I hope I get to see her work!
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| Old gas pumps. Notice the Confederate Flag as their logo. |
As I entered today's destination, Lewisport, I noted these bright red old gas pumps for "Dixie Gasoline" (a brand I've never heard of). Crossing Confederate flags make up the center of the logo. While they are cool and antique, I was also saddened by the symbolism.
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| Another monument to the Civil War. |
I was on the Ohio River again! (I'm becoming fond of this waterway.) On the bank was another marker about a Civil War event (a Union gunboat capture by Confederate guerrilla fighters). Can you see the gunboat on the river in the middle left of the photo? (Ok, it's really a barge... use your imagination!)
Something that has really struck me on this trip has been the geographic expanse of the Civil War. I've cycled almost 1,000 miles, just shy of 4 weeks, and every day I see multiple reminders of the War Between the States. It's impressing on me what a long, drawn out, arduous conflict this was. Perhaps I'm being impacted this way because I'm moving at a slower pace (but still probably 4 times faster than soldiers on foot would manage). I'm gaining a perspective one can't get from reading history books, looking at maps, or even driving in a car. It is very sobering.
Today's Mileage: 37.1
Total Distance to date: 981.8 miles
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