Live to Ride...Ride to Eat

[Stichill_imp]

Headed out on a food ride to celebrate US Independence Day. My general destination was Bardstown, Kentucky but I did not plan a route. I set the GPS on "Find a thrilling ride" and off we went.

First stop was breakfast at the Farmhouse Grill in Owenton, Kentucky. The place is run by some nice women who could be your wife, mom, daughter, or sister. Wonderful people.





Ribeye with fried eggs, hashbrown potatoes, and a biscuit for less than USD $10. Plenty of carbs for energy and protein for endurance. Downed two glasses of Diet Coke for hydration. It was already starting to feel hot outside and the temperature was going to keep rising throughout the day.



When it's hot, I like to stick to shady roads along creeks and rivers. It can be as much as 5 to 7 °F cooler in these shaded lowlands than it is up on the exposed ridgetops.





Unavoidably, I end up back on the ridges and exposed to sun and heat. But at least the views are worth the slight increase in discomfort.





The lovely old homes of Bardstown were all decked out for the celebration.





I had thought I might get a chicken salad sandwich at the old drug store lunch counter, but alas the drug store and all the other little eateries in town were closed for the holiday. Well, good for them. Everyone deserves a break now and then.

I ended up at a regional chain restaurant in the "new" area at the outskirts of town. The calories were on the menu and most entrées were well north of 1200, so I opted for a chicken salad at 600-ish. In the past I might have thrown caution to the wind, but I've lost over 30 lbs / 13 kg / 2 st and didn't want to overdo it.



Don't know why, but I'm fascinated by railroad structures.



Stopped in Lockport for a Gatorade and an ice cream sandwich. It was really getting sweltering by mid-afternoon, about 95 °F / 35 °C.



The mighty Kentucky River was flowing strongly over the dam at Lockport.



A couple hours later, I was back home and cooling off in the swimming pool.