Distance: 46.3 mi, Climbed: 1,247 ft
Completed: 1,172.8 mi, 60,083 ft
It’s been more than a month since Rich and I started this ride, and one of the things we’ve noticed most is the changing landscape of spring. Back in early April, western New Jersey farms still looked stuck in winter—bare earth, muted colors, and ground not yet prepared for planting. But as we’ve pedaled farther west and the temperatures have warmed, we’ve watched the growing season slowly come to life.
Today, riding through the backroads of western Kentucky, all of it felt especially vivid. The countryside was alive with different shades of green depending on what was growing and how far along it was. Near Lewisport, Emmick Farms seemed to capture the season perfectly—wheat stretching as far as we could see, rippling in the wind beneath a bright blue sky.
And what a day for riding. After so many chilly mornings lately, today was finally a shorts day. The one challenge was the wind. A steady 15–20 mph breeze blew across the open farmland all afternoon. With almost no tree cover, we felt every bit of it mile after mile.
We started the morning heading west out of Hawesville on Route 334, which curved alongside the Ohio River. The route took us past heavy industry—large factories for coil-coating metal, facilities producing aluminum pellets, and massive operations processing crushed limestone and gravel.
So when I first saw a sign for the “Kentucky Scenic Bypass,” I was a little skeptical.
But the road quickly settled into quintessential western Kentucky scenery: enormous farm fields, oversized agricultural equipment, and long quiet stretches where the only sounds were the wind and the occasional passing truck.
When we reached Lewisport, we stopped for a real sit-down lunch at a Mexican restaurant. Across the Ohio River in Indiana stood the Rockport Generating Station, a huge industrial complex dominated by two coal-fired units and a towering emissions smokestack. The contrast between the quiet river town and the massive power plant across the water was striking.
We haven’t done many proper lunches on this trip, and it felt good to slow down for a while.
Yesterday, both Rich and I dealt with flat tires. Mine had been on the rear wheel, but I also knew my front tire had been punctured because white sealant had oozed from a small hole before sealing itself—as tubeless tires are designed to do. Problem solved… or so I thought.
I didn’t think about it today until one of those aggressive Kentucky dogs came bolting towards me from a yard. Instinct took over, and I sprinted hard to get away. I outran the dog—but my tire couldn’t handle the effort.
A few minutes later, we were back on the side of the road again.
Knowing the sealant was no longer holding, Rich tried plugging the puncture with a bacon strip, but the hole was too small. So he cut the tire to make the opening larger. Somehow, that did the trick. The sealant grabbed hold and resealed the puncture without even needing the bacon strip.
Woo hoo! Back to riding.
About five miles before reaching Owensboro, we connected to the Adkisson Greenbelt Trail through Greenbelt Park. After battling wind, an unfriendly dog, and tire drama earlier in the day, it was the perfect way to finish—smooth pavement, trees overhead, and a peaceful path carrying us into town.
