Driving 'ol Dixie Down

On the Road

It rained hard last night. I awoke several times to the pounding of the rain on the top of our tent. The protective covering held fast, though, and all our team rose in the morning dry and warm. Camp was broken, and we stopped at a local restaurant for breakfast before taking the ferry- the only way across the Ohio River- to Kentucky.

As Dave pushed off from the Kentucky shore the rain still came down at a decent pace. Lauren and I drove on through the countryside and waited for Dave in a small town 40 miles down the road called Dixon. As I sat in the library reading I received a text from Lauren that Dave had arrived and pushed on another 20 miles. The clouds had broken and the sun was starting to push through.

We continued on through the beautiful countryside of Kentucky. The interlocking corn fields, bundles of hay, and green forest formed distinct patterns that resembled patchwork quilts. After another short stop in a small town Dave pushed onward before calling it a day. We drove a few miles up to Owensboro to a hotel the Evanses had reserved for us. It was a special treat after a long day of very wet biking for Dave.

For dinner we found ourselves at an all-you-can-eat buffet. Not having biked for two days I kept my plates on the small side, though it should be noted my dinner plate did not differ all that much in size from my dessert plate. Dave, however, must have had eyes bigger than his stomach. I almost had to roll him out of the car back into the hotel.

Fact of the Day

Approximately 1 in 5 adults in Zimbabwe is living with HIV. The life expectancy for men is 37. For women it is only 34. I'm currently reading a book called My Own Country about the spread of AIDS during "the plague years" in rural Tennessee. The author, infectious disease specialist Dr. Abraham Verghese, makes the observation that while some diseases target older people, AIDS is predominantly a young person's disease.

Trivia Contest

Answer to yesterday's trivia: 10 more points to Mrs. Evans! Face AIDS boasts more than 150 chapters on high school and college campuses across the country. If you are interested in starting one please send us an email at rideagainstaids2009@gmail.com or go to www.faceaids.org. It's easy to start, rewarding to participate, and important to maintain.

Today's Trivia Question: Kentucky's state flag boasts what famous pioneer? (10 points)

Standings: Nate Rooks maintains his slim lead (30 points) over Mrs Evans (25 points) and KTO/Matty Pru (20 points). Will Mrs. Evans' overtake the top spot tomorrow?