After riding in heavy rain yesterday, and with the threat of more thunderstorms along the route today, plus missing my two boys, I woke just not feeling great. However, this changed as soon as I was on the bike, as is usually the case. AND What a fantastic day, one of the best riding days so far, sunshine, great roads, meeting nice people and beautiful scenery.

It’s days like these that remind me why I ride, that free, fun experience travelling from one place to another seeing and experiencing so much. On a bike I feel so much closer to where I am, really more a part of it, not closed up in a climate-controlled car. Yes cars are very comfortable but I can’t explain the feeling and experiences you get from travelling on a motorbike.

I only had about 180km to go from London to Sandy Hook so only took the back roads. I had this mistaken image of Kentucky being flat and dry a bit like I expect Montana to be. How wrong was I. I guess this is one of the reasons I travel…to learn. Kentucky is very pretty with rolling hills and it’s GREEN. The backroads were practically empty with a mixture of open fields and almost tropical looking forests. Once again, the houses were a mixture of stunning huge house, to pretty mid/small sized ones to ready beat up ‘’come on throw your trash out’’ small houses and trailers. What’s interesting is that you find all 3 varieties in one road.

On the way I saw a beaver (well I think it was a beaver, I couldn’t see the tail and am not sure if there is another animal that looks similar from the front) I also saw a ton of squirrels again and a deer. I nearly hit the deer and was glad I was on a back road and going slowly. There I was riding along looking straight at this animal thinking ‘’damn that deer statue, in that garden under that tree, looks so real’’ Then it moved and then it ran across the road DAMN moving statues get you every time.

I arrived at The Little Sandy Lodge around 1pm. What a gorgeous little place recommended by my friend Colleen and so pretty and great value. The owner is so nice I really liked her. I asked her where I could go for a walk and she recommended the Laurel Gorge down the road. Such a pretty place, quiet with loads of birds and dragon flies. Fortunately I didn’t see any of the local snakes. The waterfall was not flowing but that did not detract from how much I enjoyed the walk.