June 14, 2009

Start: Vogel State Park, Chattahoochee National Forest, Georgia
End: Owensboro, KY

A day of dams - I rocked out of Chattahoochee National Forrest around 9:30 and Crossed into North Carolina briefly before crossing into Tennessee. Along the way, I ended up riding along the Ocoee River which was dammed extensively by the Tennessee Valley Authority with three dams – between dams 3 and 2 is the course that was used by the Olympians for the white water events in 1996 (DAM!). I followed the state roads trying to keep a west by northwest heading, hoping that I would cross the Appalachian Mountains efficiently, but it seemed like I spent all morning negotiating switchbacks and upanddownshifting.

I had planned on camping somewhere near mammoth cave, KY – but I ended up rolling in around 4:30 which was too early for me to stop making distance so I found a little camping symbol on my atlas at the Rough River State Park about seventy miles northwest. I rolled into the park after the ranger had gone for the day – a hand written note indicated that they would collect camping fees in the morning.

The park only had a handful of tents and RV’s so I was able to find a spot that was a fair distance from other campers and the tail waters of the Rough River dam where I would imagine mosquitoes hang out. Unfortunately – the sky to the west was black and thunder was rolling all around. Rather than set up a tent to get rained on, I decided to wait a while and see if the storm would pass. I built a fire, and decided that if my fire could beat out the rain, I would go ahead and camp regardless. Unfortunately, the storm packed a long downpour that doused my fire and flooded the area I had staked out for my tent (DAMN!). I pushed on to Owensboro and got a nice hot shower and clean sheets.

Pics: a) ocoee #2, boaters putting in for a 4.5 mile ride; b) our intrepid hero at the water above the dam; c) At barren river dam I was going to take a picture, but Ricky chased me off; d) we didn't start the fire; e) blame it on the rain.

Day Miles: 420
Trip Miles: 1,335
Cities: GA – Ivy Log; NC – Ranger; TN – Cleveland, Georgetown, Dayton, Sparta, Carthage, Lebanon; KY – Petroleum, Glasgow, Cave City, Leitchfield, Falls of Rough, Philpot
Dams: Ocoee 1, 2, 3, Barren River, Nolin, Rough River
Damnation (Number of billboards listing the Ten Commandments): 4 (at least)
Number of bookstores: 0
Sunday Hours at Putnam (TN) & Allen (KY) Counties, Public Libraries: Closed
Population of Owensboro KY: 54,067
Population of Frankfort, KY: 27,741
Participants in 2009 New York City Puerto Rican Day Parade: >80,000
Distance from Lavonia, GA to Scottsville, KY: 341.9mi
Fuel consumed: 16.225 gal (21.1mpg)
Last time fuel econ > 21: 3/21/8; (From El Reno, OK to Little Rock, AK [22.2mpg])
Cost of a room at Holiday Inn Express: $100
Cost to Park at Holiday Inn Express: $0
Stations playing Car Talk at 6pm within range of Anneta, KY: 4 (89.3, 88.9, 89.7, 90.9)
The WULF, 94.3FM, Lyrics from Brad Paisely:

'Cause I'd like to see you out in the moonlight
I'd like to kiss you way back in the sticks
I'd like to walk you through a field of wildflowers
And I'd like to check you for ticks

Oooh, you never know where one might be
And oooh, there's lots of places that are hard to reach