Before following the prescribed route out of Bardstown, we rode through the center of town, partly to stop at a drugstore for a few items, and partly because we'd been told that that the town's center is old, well preserved, and attractive. It is all of that. Bardstown is a large town by the standards of our trip, with an economy concentrated on a large distillery. This is bourbon whiskey country.
Once on the road, we again had ideal cycling conditions and another beautiful day. At the midpoint we stopped to visit Lincoln Homestead State Park, which has the log house in which Abraham Lincoln's mother grew up, after moving from Virginia following her father's death at the hand of Indians. Abe's grandfather was also killed by Indians.
The terrain is got a little hillier today, and everyone we meet tells us the Appalachians will be very hard riding. Maybe so; we'll worry about that in a few days when we get into them.
We arrived in Harrodsburg, another large and attractive southern town, in mid afternoon and spent a while riding past the motels listed on our map. Two looked scuzzy. We couldn't find a third, but we passed a sign for the historic Beaumont Inn, so we turned in to check that out. Good move. It's a beautiful antebellum place, originally built as a school for young women but it has been an inn since 1916. The price wasn't too out of line, and it is good to be in a non-crummy hotel for once. Better yet, they have a good tavern and restaurant where we enjoyed a bourbon cocktail and ate a delicious meal.
A great day: good riding, no hardships, interesting historical stop, and an over-the-top place to stay and eat. Tomorrow will be another short day; then at least two long ones.
That's Sandy sitting on the veranda of the hotel.
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