 Great rural riding  Fulton County courthouse, Hickman. Classic turn of the century Queen Anne structure with the only operating Seth Thomas clock in US  Cotton crops now becoming common |
 Bidding farewell to Bart near Tiptonville, KY was traversed with a bit of cheating, accepting lifts when offered, Blame it on the Chiggers  Bald Cyprus on shores of Reelfoot lake  reelfoot lake famous for Largemouth Bass and Crappie |
3/9/2011 and 4/9/2011, Columbus, KY to Hickman, KY
D66, Av17,T3.88, Total 5206km
No dew had accumulated on the fly, this was great. Having a normal brekky, a 0900hr start was accomplished .
The roads in Kentucky were narrow without a white line on the shoulder side .Very little traffic was encountered. The route followed, offered tranquil rural scenes with Oak trees lining the roadside in places with soya beans and corn in most paddocks.
The corn harvest was well under way. Harvesters and other equipment were sitting in some paddocks of post harvest stubble.
Arriving at Cayce, a stop was made at a small store that was big on grog supplies. The owner said he saw lots of cyclists stopped here, but once again no aussies and kiwis.
Kentucky had this lovely kind of deep rural feeling about it, trees were and woods were significant within the managed environment.
Eastern kentucky near in the foothills of the Appalachians is where the grass, meth labs and moonshine are located .This is some distance from here and is real hillbilly country .
Services were few and far between, coming out of the gentle hill country, the landscape was dominated by bottomlands with vast fields of soya beans.
Needing water I stopped at a large roadside implement shed that a couple of guys within it were working on a semi tractor.
Walking in I announced my presence and my reason for being here. The owner offered me Gatorade and water from a fridge.
We were yarning about farming and the weather ,Bart said sit down, he swung a huge floor level fan our way to cool us down.
We got on well, he introduced me to the owner of theTruck, Jan. After about half an hour, Bart said why dont we go and get some lunch. I explained my situation., no problem he said so we loaded all my gear in the huge pickup.
An enjoyable lunch of local catfish was had at Samburg over looking Reelfoot Lake, some thirty miles from the shed.
The first Bald Cyprus trees were scene growing within the waters of Reelfoot.
He was going to drop me off at Reelfoot State Park after lunch.
Anyway enjoying each others company he offered to have me at his house in Hickman, KY. My protests of imposing on their family went unheard and I accepted.
We stopped on the way to his place to get some Benadryl cream for the chiggers ,yet another remedy.
Bart was a successful soya bean and corn farmer with some 2400 acres of crop.
Ariving at their house in Hickman I was made welcome without doubt. Sandy his wife was introduced to me and their two sons ,one an Ag economics grad and the other an engineering student.
It was an enjoyable evening chatting about our respective lifestyles, etc. It was so nice to be in a comfortable home and a bed other than a motel or air version.
The chiggeres and I had a great sleep.
4/9/2011
A respectable sleep in was enjoyed, after all it was a long weekend here .The previous night Sandy had asked me if I would like to come to their church.
Back in Australia I had thought about this scenario and had come to the conclusion should it arise the experience should be taken up.
After all this was the Bible belt. Bart had told me he didn’t frequent the church much.
Their church was best described conveying the missionary Baptist faith. My having not been to a church service other than a funeral or wedding for at least 35 years, this was indeed a new experience in more ways than one.
Everyone was friendly, the minister delivered an emotion charged sermon about the belief in god and the rewards offered. Bart and I sat in the back row .Sady told me the message was evangelical in its presentation.
I was pleased to have attended this kind of church, things are vastly different than the old anglican ministers and their preachings that we were forceably subjected to at Nelson College in NZ.
Everyone made a comment to Bart how they hadn’t seen him here in a while, he commented to me, you are the main reason I am here .
Fom here we drove to Union City in Tennessee for lunch. In this town last July a Goodyear tyre manufacturing plant closed down putting some 2000 staff out of work.
This epitomises the plight of middle america. The town has still not recovered from its closure. The vacant factory owned by the county is huge .
I think to myself, what other industry left in this country could ever offer this number of people meaningful employment, who are largely mono skilled, work again.
Coming back to Hickman was a scenic tour of the area ,it was a relaxing way to spend the afternoon,
A classic Sunday afternoon drive. We were talking about sport, I explained to Bart that I had played Rugby but became to small for the game. In a classic Kentucky accent he said, “you was picked geen” I had a good laugh at his accent and the expression.
Most trees from Columbus to here were damaged, often displaying upper crown failure. The infamous ice storm of the 09-10 winter was responsible for this destruction. The cracking of branches was overwhelming in the woods I was told. Beautiful old trees in Belmont park at Columbus, while still alive, have lost their natural form, many were destroyed beyond retention.
Hickman was a dying town with buildings being demolished downtown and many remaining were in poor repair. This scenario has been repeated so many times during this journey alongside the MR.
Maybe one day when prices on the coasts are out of many peoples reach, will life at its fullest return to these once vibrant river towns.
D66, Av17,T3.88, Total 5206km
No dew had accumulated on the fly, this was great. Having a normal brekky, a 0900hr start was accomplished .
The roads in Kentucky were narrow without a white line on the shoulder side .Very little traffic was encountered. The route followed, offered tranquil rural scenes with Oak trees lining the roadside in places with soya beans and corn in most paddocks.
The corn harvest was well under way. Harvesters and other equipment were sitting in some paddocks of post harvest stubble.
Arriving at Cayce, a stop was made at a small store that was big on grog supplies. The owner said he saw lots of cyclists stopped here, but once again no aussies and kiwis.
Kentucky had this lovely kind of deep rural feeling about it, trees were and woods were significant within the managed environment.
Eastern kentucky near in the foothills of the Appalachians is where the grass, meth labs and moonshine are located .This is some distance from here and is real hillbilly country .
Services were few and far between, coming out of the gentle hill country, the landscape was dominated by bottomlands with vast fields of soya beans.
Needing water I stopped at a large roadside implement shed that a couple of guys within it were working on a semi tractor.
Walking in I announced my presence and my reason for being here. The owner offered me Gatorade and water from a fridge.
We were yarning about farming and the weather ,Bart said sit down, he swung a huge floor level fan our way to cool us down.
We got on well, he introduced me to the owner of theTruck, Jan. After about half an hour, Bart said why dont we go and get some lunch. I explained my situation., no problem he said so we loaded all my gear in the huge pickup.
An enjoyable lunch of local catfish was had at Samburg over looking Reelfoot Lake, some thirty miles from the shed.
The first Bald Cyprus trees were scene growing within the waters of Reelfoot.
He was going to drop me off at Reelfoot State Park after lunch.
Anyway enjoying each others company he offered to have me at his house in Hickman, KY. My protests of imposing on their family went unheard and I accepted.
We stopped on the way to his place to get some Benadryl cream for the chiggers ,yet another remedy.
Bart was a successful soya bean and corn farmer with some 2400 acres of crop.
Ariving at their house in Hickman I was made welcome without doubt. Sandy his wife was introduced to me and their two sons ,one an Ag economics grad and the other an engineering student.
It was an enjoyable evening chatting about our respective lifestyles, etc. It was so nice to be in a comfortable home and a bed other than a motel or air version.
The chiggeres and I had a great sleep.
4/9/2011
A respectable sleep in was enjoyed, after all it was a long weekend here .The previous night Sandy had asked me if I would like to come to their church.
Back in Australia I had thought about this scenario and had come to the conclusion should it arise the experience should be taken up.
After all this was the Bible belt. Bart had told me he didn’t frequent the church much.
Their church was best described conveying the missionary Baptist faith. My having not been to a church service other than a funeral or wedding for at least 35 years, this was indeed a new experience in more ways than one.
Everyone was friendly, the minister delivered an emotion charged sermon about the belief in god and the rewards offered. Bart and I sat in the back row .Sady told me the message was evangelical in its presentation.
I was pleased to have attended this kind of church, things are vastly different than the old anglican ministers and their preachings that we were forceably subjected to at Nelson College in NZ.
Everyone made a comment to Bart how they hadn’t seen him here in a while, he commented to me, you are the main reason I am here .
Fom here we drove to Union City in Tennessee for lunch. In this town last July a Goodyear tyre manufacturing plant closed down putting some 2000 staff out of work.
This epitomises the plight of middle america. The town has still not recovered from its closure. The vacant factory owned by the county is huge .
I think to myself, what other industry left in this country could ever offer this number of people meaningful employment, who are largely mono skilled, work again.
Coming back to Hickman was a scenic tour of the area ,it was a relaxing way to spend the afternoon,
A classic Sunday afternoon drive. We were talking about sport, I explained to Bart that I had played Rugby but became to small for the game. In a classic Kentucky accent he said, “you was picked geen” I had a good laugh at his accent and the expression.
Most trees from Columbus to here were damaged, often displaying upper crown failure. The infamous ice storm of the 09-10 winter was responsible for this destruction. The cracking of branches was overwhelming in the woods I was told. Beautiful old trees in Belmont park at Columbus, while still alive, have lost their natural form, many were destroyed beyond retention.
Hickman was a dying town with buildings being demolished downtown and many remaining were in poor repair. This scenario has been repeated so many times during this journey alongside the MR.
Maybe one day when prices on the coasts are out of many peoples reach, will life at its fullest return to these once vibrant river towns.
