Berea

a few things worth noting about what we've seen in KY so far:

BOONS. both the blessings and the legend. 

CHURCHES. everywhere. no matter how large or small the city, there's going to be a steeple (or several steeples) and usually at a prominent/central location. Baptist, Methodist, Christian, Catholic (though not many), Lutheran, Presbyterian - every and any flavor you could ask for. 

COUNTIES. whenever we ask about the road ahead, the response is almost always "well, that's headin' into _______ county" .... there's more of an association with what area of Kentucky you're from (or are going into) than the actual roads & towns. dunno if this is due to the nearly uncountable number of either one, or their limited use (roads) or size (towns). 

DOGS. started to hit a few neighborhoods in Missouri and Southern Illinois where we were chased by anything from little yippers to great big woofers, but Kentucky has had the highest number of dogs per capita by a long shot so far. a fair amount are leashed/chained, but every now and then one goes for the feet or (less successfully) an ortlieb. those things are every bit as bite-proof as they are rainproof. 

LICKS. this one I've no idea as to the origin or reason for it, but there are more towns with the word "lick" in Kentucky than I ever thought imaginable. so far we've passed Paint Lick, Elk Lick, Sand Lick and Spring Lick. curiosity got the better of me, and for a change, I actually had phone service at our place for the night, so I did what anyone else would do - google. check it out: http://sammonsays.com/general-humor/lick-towns/

MILE MARKERS / ROADS. at almost every intersection (and sometimes, they don't even wait for one) you're likely to change road names (even if you're continuing on straight) and with each new road there's a reset in the green mileage signs on the side. whether it's to confuse tourists like us, a pride in the number of different roads you can take anywhere, or simply a lack of coordination between county road commissions, it sure makes the riding go quicker when you're never on the same road for more than 10 miles at a time. 

TREES. from eastern kansas til now, the ratio of fields to forests has gradually reversed; we're well into all sorts of evergreens, maples and oaks with only a small cornfield or hayfield every few miles. trees are everywhere, and the numerous species scattered on the hills are in just the right amount of color variation. as I may have mentioned, Kentucky looks, smells and feels a lot like northern michigan, which is why the last few posts have had fewer photos and more letters; would you take pictures of your backyard every day for two weeks? and to those readers not from northern michigan, my sincerest apologies. I will try and find a few good shots that really capture the fall colors so that you're not left in the dark as to the beauty of autumn in the Midwest.

until next time,

may the wind be always at your back

josh & mark

the lifecycle team