summer arrives in Snowmass

June 15 and they've opened 8 runs on Aspen mtn for skiing ! Only 2 weeks ago , runs were complete down to base village at Snowmass. Meanwhile Aspen buzzes with the international Food & Wine Festival which precedes the Music festival.

Mary and I back to work , bus driving and gardening respectively.

A few photos might be of interest.
1. Our Meadow Ranch friends and neighbours Mike & Gigi Potter at a nice riverside restauraunt in Basalt. Note the very swollen Frying Pan river in background.
2. Mary practising ( for the NYC RTO April 1 , 2009 concert ? ) in a partly remodeled 270 Meadow Ranch.
3. Top of Independence Pass after a solo ride from downtown Aspen - 19 miles and 4,000 feet.
4. Nearing the top of the Rim trail starting from Meadow Ranch - a wonderful mountain bike trail along the ridge skirting Snowmass Village.
5. A view of Snowmass Village from Rim Trail ridge.
6. One of Mary's jobs on Red Mountain following a planting by Mary and Gracie, with outskirts of Aspen in background and Aspen Highlands beyond.
7. A downtown Aspen street with Aspen mtn ski runs in background.

Collection of photos from the UGRR and final thoughts

I've selected a few more photos which may be of interest.

1 and 2 speak for themselves - both Aberdeen and Glencoe having significance for us in Scotland. 3 and 4 are of the brother of the famous Kentucky Derby winner Smarty Jones - just a sweetie of a young horse put out to grass in beautiful surrounds with a llama as a companion. We thought the teeth were particularly attractive.

5 and 6 are of important UGRR sites - a house in Maysville, KY, with a mass of fascinating artifacts ( one of which Mary is holding up - chains to link a mother and child )with the direct descendant ( Gerry Gore ) of a UGRR `conductor` and the other of ` the house on the hill` taken from Ripley , OH, belonging to the famous Scottish presbyterian minister John Rankin who saved countless escaping slaves and a bold anti abolitionist. It is argued that he was instrumental in starting the Civil War.

Finally , I have to include my barber and his family in Fulton, Mississippi to illustrate the really lovely people we met along the way, and one to show that I was able to keep Mary in my sights without serious neck or other injury . The last is of our point of terminus - intended and actual - the Freedom Center in downtown Cincinnati - just before a downpour. Of course there would still be another 1000 miles or so to the Canadian border for escaping slaves . Although Ohio was a free state , the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 made it illegal for anyone to hold or help slaves escaping from southern states, and bounty hunters ensured that if caught they would be returned even from the comparative safety of that state. The hardship we endured on this trip paled into insignificance compared to what these escaping slaves and those helping them suffered only 150 years ago. Quite a story really.

Canada , here we come . 2009 ?

Memorial day - Ripley to Milford-May 26---56 miles

We've arrived!!! Very strange feeling to cycle up to the Hometown Suites in Milford, where we stayed the night before the tour began. Unreal feeling after setting off from here--would we ever find it again????? And we have!!!

Had a wonderful stay in Ripley Ohio--a beautiful town with historic houses overlooking the Ohio River. Kentucky just across the water, a state which continued to hold slaves--a mere swim across to Ohio, a free state. We visited the Rankin house at the top of an enormous hill--a pusher upper so steep that when we arrived the curator of the house gave us free admission seeing how sweaty and pooped we were!

Rankin was a 19th C Presbyterian minister of Scots' descent--who was a leading abolitionist and UGRR "conductor". Rankin risked his life and livelihood, as slave bounty hunters were free to come over into Ohio and retrieve slaves (and terrorise any blacks or sympathetic whites they could find) earning a good income in the process. Rankin and his family received fugitive slaves who had made it across the Ohio River, fed, clothed and hid them--and his teenage sons would take the slaves by horseback in the dark of night to the next safe house.

Also we were shown around the Parker house, another UGRR conductor who was a freed black living at the same time--even more dangerous for a black man to be aiding fleeing slaves, as black people at the time had no rights under the law, even in Ohio. Peggy, a descendant of a freed slave, showed us around. A lovely, lively lady!

On Mike and Joan's recommendation, we stopped by and visited with Zip, a well known and loved Ripley resident, on his front porch overlooking the Ohio river. Zip and June regaled us with tales of their biking exploits and tales of life on the river.

Then 54 pleasant traffic-free miles into Milford, arriving at 2.30 pm to meet Murielle and Roland from British Columbia, who have been a day or so behind us the whole journey. They have cylced Cuba, Spain to Scotland and virtually every country in Europe--so we gleaned a lot of tips!

Celebration dinner in Milford at 20Brix Restaurant--wonderful wine and delicious French cooking (our first real break from fried chicken and hamburgers!!!) sitting outside at a table on the street. Now to bed in the positively luxurious Hometown Suites. (Anything would feel luxurious after 14 nights in a tent--but this truly is luxurious!!!)

Tomorrow we cycle in to the Freedom Center in downtown Cincinnati and the Harriet Beecher Stowe house--and then we plan to start in the early evening on the gruelling drive back to Colorado. Home by Thursday night, we hope.

Feeling very chuffed: 1500 miles, no accidents, no mishaps--lots of lovely people met along the way and stunning biking. Feel much inspired to finish the UGRR next year. Meanwhile, enjoying reading more about the slaves and all the brave people who assisted them on their flight to freedom.

photos : 1. outside the Rankin House on Liberty Hill above Ripley, OH , 2. with Peggy outside the John Parker House , Ripley, 3. The well kennt figures of Zip and June outside their Riverside Drive , Ripley home ( acknowledged by a toot of the horn from all the pilots of the continuous stream of river tugs pushing these huge barges) and 5. one such barge. 4. shows Mary passing shades of a bygone era - a good tobacco chew ad.

Owensboro, Ky to Madison , Ind

We've had one memorable day cycling after another - 4 since leaving the Executive Inn on the banks of the Ohio at Owensboro. Exceptionally good value there including
an ` eat all you can ` breakfast for #8 courtesy of the ` omelette man ` It obviously softened our senses a little as we took a wrong turn out of the city adding 5 miles before we even got started on the right road. The wind moved to the west just when we started heading east and we quickly made up time getting to Vastwood County park outside Hawesville by 4 ( 54 odd miles ) . Pitched camp there , but made the mistake of going out to eat ( could have settled for pizza at camp gates ) which involved another 6 miles there and 6 back . Bonus was that the view from our table at the restauraunt high above the Ohio and these enormous tug pushed coal barges entering the locks and heading up river to Louisville and beyond was magnificent . If we'd known our route the next day ( and the only place for breakfast within 30 miles ) was this same restauraunt we'd have settled for pizza willingly.

We left the campsite before 6 the next morning in the knowledge we had 75 miles to do the following day with a lot of hills on the way. Huge breakfast ( at the same Riverview restauraunt !) and then the most gorgeous ride through rolling Kentucky farmland following the Ohio for the next 69 miles. Wind was pretty neutral and with the hills factor , this was thge hardest day yet. But there was no alternative if we were to stick to the Adventure Cycling route as there was nowhere in between either to eat or sleep . We ended up at a service station at Brandenburg contemplating an almost impossibly difficult last 3 miles ( off route as it happened ) on a busy road to the motel we had pre-booked by phone the day before without ascertaining where it was. Rescued by a couple of `good samaritans` who not only drove us to Abe's Country Inn ( grander than it sounds ) but got us fixed up with reasonable quality take away food from a restauraunt a further 2 miles down the same busy road .

The power of recovery on a good night's rest though is a great thing and the fresh dawn brought renewed strength and enthusiasm where we thought neither might ever return. Because of the incredibly heavy traffic right outside our door and a daunting 3 miles plus back into Brandenburg we were sufficiently motivated to get going at day break ( clocks going forward an hour hadn't helped ) and we were seated inside the Brandenburg Permans cafe by 6.20 am ordering another dose of high protein and carbohydrates.

From there to Clarksville via the historic town of Corydon ( 60 odd miles )- site of Indiana's first capitol building and beautiflly maintained , a night at Holiday Inn in Clarksville ( with good views across the Ohio to Louisville, KY ) and then a further 60 mile ride yesterday to Madison , IND and the Clifty State Park where we've pitched our tent for 2 nights . A rest day to day and it's been bliss. Lots to see and a delightful old town right on the banks of the Ohio. A fascinating historical centre and it formed an important ` station` for escaping slaves .

Photos . 1. our lovely camping spot at Vastood Country Park, Hawesville, KY. 2. site of Lincoln's crossing over to Indiana. 3 site of our crossing over into Indiana. 4 view of Louisville, KY from our motel in Clarksville , IND ( extraordinarily containing an enormous and thriving shipbuilding yard ) and 5. Mary and Laura the owner of the laundramat in Madison who relieved us of just about everything we possessed while we enjoyed this gem of an historic town and refused to receive any payment.

Henderson to Owensboro

The rest day in Henderson was well timed . It rained all day . Apart from valuable time in library , we visited the impressive Audobon , an early 19th century naturalist and bird painter ( who interstingly used an Edinburgh engraver ) museum and exhibition. The curator there Jackie in an incrdibly generous gesture offered to rescue us from our very wet campsite that evening and drive us across the river ( and back again at end of evening ) into Indiana for dinner at her house . She and Wayne gave us a most wonderful barbecue dinner with masses of fresh vegetables and much else. Pictured are her husband Wayne , brother Gib and his girlfriend Theresa and his daughter Hannah. Jackie also produced a beautiful illustrated old edition of Burns poems which I was pleased to try to read ( and interpret ) . A very jolly evening . What a wonderful act of kindness - totally spontaneous and we must have looked like a couple of vagrants - and what a lovely family .

It finally stopped raining late that night and we made an early start from the damp Audobon state park campsite for Owensboro. Made it there by lunch time ,but by the time we found a bike shop and got new tyre for Mary's bike , we decided to remain in Owensboro at motel . A vitally important part of each day for both of us is our back & yoga exercises. See superb illustration of Mary's `downward dog ` outside motel room on banks of the Ohio looking across to Indiana on a lovely sunny evening.

Finally a little on signs - a couple amused me . The entering of `police jurisdiction ` in Mississippi made we wonder what we had just come out of ! The ` no nothing ` bit may have been in or out of ` jurisdiction` . I'm not sure .

Waverly, TN to Henderson , KY

3 fabulous days cycling. V quiet roads - indeed it seemed we could go almost an entire morning without a car passing us in either direction. (Dogs were challenging--we cope no bother with one or two, but then they started calling their pals, and at one time we stopped and faced off 5 or 6 at once, all howling for blood! Mary's
bit.)

Mileages on the 3 days were 56, 53 and 61 averaging between 9 and 11 mph. A fair few `testing` hills , but the legs are much stronger and only a few were a major struggle and even those only of 300 ft or so of vertical height. (Tally so far: Mary's pusher uppers: 3. George's: 1) Starting early makes a huge difference , but then we tend to disagree on what sort of a stop to have at 10/11 am. I favour the traditional American full breakfast. M favours holding out longer for fried chicken, cornbread and okra(--which she is rarely allowed to have!Mary again)

Ist day was Land between the Lakes - 45 or so mile stretch of park land between the dammed Tennesse and Cumberland rivers. Enjoyed bald eagles, buffalo , the Homefarm exhibition - superb displays of what farming in mid 19th century Kentucky was like. (Really enjoyed the traditional breeds of livestock, especially the Maran hens and chicks blissfully pecking in the dirt. Funny to see USA cockerels behave the same as the UK ones--calling over their hens when a particularly juicy worm is found.) Then to campsite in Grand Rivers.

Next day was hard with an unhelpful wind and a fair slog to the ferry across the Ohio at Cave- in - Rock , Illinois. (Mary pooped and in foul humour, so) we stayed there in a v comfortable cabin looking across the Ohio and at an approaching thunderstorm. V satisfying. A good restauraunt only minutes away. (Mary now very happy again....)

Then an early start again , and deciding to go go for Henderson , KY if any sort of a good wind. We got it and fortified by good breakfast ( albeit spoilt by my having over inflated M's back tyre while she was ordering and the metal valve snapping in the middle - to the rescue our spare inner tube ! ), we made it to Henderson and to the campsite in the Audubon State park at far end of town. Small choice of places to eat . Chose ` The Golden Coral `. As much as you could eat - and good quality - for $9.99, and $9.28 for over 60 year olds - no ID required which disappointed me . Beautifully cooked steak and a choice of pies to die for ! (Felt a little bit like being amongst pigs at a feeding trough--of course we loved it too...)

Today in Library in Henderson , enjoying a rest day. This afternoon to the Audubon exhibition. Tomorrow to Owensboro and bike shope to get new spare inner tube for M's bike, and then continue up the Ohio. About 1000 miles done and maybe another 400 to go . Feeling cautiously optimistic. But anything can happen ... as we know so well . We'll be thinking of Meghan & Dennis as they head off for their cycling tour to Burgundy with the Butters` this w/e. Take care !

No photos this time . Left the lead in tent . Will add next time.

Now had chance to add photos from this stretch of the route. 1. crossing the Kentucky stateline from Tennessee. 2.always stop for horses and dogs if we can. These were particularly friendly. 3. the ferry across the Ohio into Cave - in - Rock , Illinois . 4. The cave itself - pirates lived here in days of old and raided river traffic on regular basis. 5 Mary, pooped, in lovely cabin on banks of Ohio river. V fortunate to get it without reservation . Just turned up - fully booked for rest of week we gathered. Otherwise it was going to be a wet night in tent.

Fulton MS to Waverly TN

4 brilliant days cycling since we left Fulton. Quiet roads, stunning scenery, lots of dogs ( but our policy of always stopping and `talking ` to them when what they really want to do is chase has paid dividends )and again lovely people.

First night at Tishomingo State Park and then a long way to Shiloh Military national park ( scene of the famous Civil War battle on the banks of the Tennessee river . Hugely moving . Another case it seems to me of `lions led by donkeys`. A poor night in motel in Crump and a very wet couple of hours cycling the following morning on way to Mousetail State park . Major find was a good restauraunt 5 miles or so before campsite. Campsite ( which we had to ourselves )was up a very steep hill - a walker - upper , but well worth the effort. An early start next morning and again , a superb little cafe just beyond Pineview to stoke up with protein for a longish , and quite hilly section to Waverly. Our friend Will Jones ( previous asst minister at st Michaels, Linlithgow , drove over with his daughter Grace from Brownsville where he is a minister , and joined us for dinner.

Today a rest day . Disappointingly the public library is shut , but this kind motel owneer at Imperial Lodge is allowing me to update blog and catch up on emails. - see pic.

Tomorrow we'll aim for 6.30 start - horrendous rain / thunder storm forecast for tonight - and hope to reach Dover. we follow the Tennesse all the way down to where it joins the Ohio passing Land between the Lakes. Another hilly section ahead , but we feel strong and fingers crossed.....

Thanks to all who are giving suppport and encouragement . Keep the comments coming in. It all helps.