We took a lazy start to the day, finally getting rolling about 8:30 or so. A little breakfast before we hit the road and then a quick stop to get a picture of the bikes with the miniature Eiffel Tower on the way out of town.
The route today took us from Paris to Cynthiana and then to Falmouth. Most of the route was on back country roads, with a few miles of state route roads to connect to the towns. Riding out from Paris to Cynthiana is very pretty. Nearly all on quiet roads and no problems – if you don’t count the chasing dogs as a hazard.
Cynthiana is a farming community. We arrived mid-morning and stopped at the park to stretch out and refill on water. The farmers’ market was up and going. There was a very cute puppy that I was introduced to. His name is Clyde and his sister’s name is Bonnie. Clyde is 12 weeks old and probably about 25-30 pounds. He’s going to be a big boy. He was very well behaved and cute.
Leaving Cynthiana, we had about 5-6 miles of well behaved traffic before we turned onto another quiet country road. The next 15-20 miles were a series of rolling climbs and descents with only a couple of longer climbs over 4%. The views from the tops of these hills were very pretty. Last time I rode through here, there was a Chihuahua “farm” along the way. I think they’re out of business, but the same place had a whole bunch of random dogs – a couple of which felt the need to come warn us away.
The last 3 miles into Falmouth took us along State Route 27. A bit more traffic today, but nothing too scary. About mid way along Rt27, we visited Punkyville. The creator, who has now passed, had amassed a large collection of road signs and antiques that he wanted to display. So he built a little town, named it after his own nickname, and declared himself to be the mayor. Rest in peace, Punky.
When we arrived in Falmouth, we pulled up to the old bank building that hosts our Airbnb. There were a few of the locals sitting on benches outside chatting. They greeted us warmly. I looked at the one guy and said “You look familiar. We’re you here about 4 years ago when I rode through?” Sure enough, I looked up pictures on my phone quickly and this is the same guy I sat next to at lunch in 2019. His name is Larry. Super nice people.
One of the things I really enjoy about Bike Touring is meeting people. Nearly everyone we meet along the way, especially in these small towns, is so delightful. Big city folk seem to think they have it all, but I think the people in small-town America genuinely seem happier from what I’ve seen.
We got all checked in, cleaned up, did a quick wash of my bibs, and then had a delicious meal at the Smoking Pig. Food was good! Joe was just about out of gas, so eating was a high priority. No complaints, for sure.
After late lunch (or maybe first dinner?), we went to mass at St. Francis Xavier church. On our way back, stopped at a mini mart to grab some food for breakfast. There isn’t anyplace to grab a bite for about 40 miles tomorrow morning, so we need to carry some food to tide us over until we reach Newport KY.
Reflecting on today’s ride, I have to say it was overall a spectacular day and I feel great. The only negative was the number of dog chases we had today. I don’t think I’ve been chased by this many dogs in the last 5 years combined. Only one or two dogs were aggressive enough to make me nervous, but I could do without the extra adrenaline bursts.
Tomorrow looks like another beautiful day. It’s going to be a bit warmer by mid afternoon, with temps in the upper 80s. Hopefully we’ll arrive in Cincinnati around lunch time.
Until then, may the Lord bless you and grant you peace.
Dcn. Matt
Deacon Matt's Blog 