Jim's Ride Across America: Day 16 Bardstown, KY to Senora, KY

Yorktown, VA to Senora, KY Completed 897 Miles

Biking Detail Bradstown, KY to Senora, KY

Sonora population 500

Day 16, May 27
Started the day with a tour of the Barton Distillery, right around the corner from our motel. Open door to our room and you smell the bourbon. Distillery sits on 180 acres and is one of at least 20 in this bourbon capital of the world, distilling 95% of world supply in and around Bardstown!!! Very interesting tour and learned a lot about bourbon and difference between bourbon and whiskey. All bourbon is a whiskey but not all whiskey is bourbon. Bourbon has much higher standards. Bourbon has to be at least 51% corn ( corn, rye and barley three grains used) and aging barrels can only be used once. Flavor and color comes from the char and wood of the barrel. Used barrels sold to whiskey distillers, whiskey does not have that restriction.lots more info to be shared about Kentucky bourbon!

Left Bardstown about 10 am headed to a B&B in Sonora. Was surprised by the long and somewhat steep climb out of Bardstown, about 9%-10% in some places. Thought we had left that stuff behind. Margie had her first blip as the SAG ( support and gear vehicle) we lost Andreas for about 45 minutes. Did not catch a shortcut on the map as we are without the detailed mapping past two days. Long story short I jumped in car with Margie as we scouted for him and finally met up. So many trucks on the roads as we left Bardstown. Concerned that he got run off the road. Phone number we had for him was incorrect and no cell service for most of the search. All is good now and headed to Howardstown for a much needed food break. Had lunch at a gas station mini mart, the only place for miles with food, pretty much the story of our lunch stops on these rural roads!

Headed off route to see Lincoln's birthplace in Hodgenville. Great monument with the birth cabin inside. Stopped first at the Lincoln Museum in town where we met Iris who was the nicest lady. Decided against spending extra time there because storm brewing, lots of thunder and wanted to see the monument, three miles away. Piled in the car with all the gear, Margie in the backseat with Andreas' folding bike!! Actually drove final ten miles like this. Picture tells the story.

Ended up in Sonora where Margie had booked rooms at a cyclist only Guest house. Totally awesome. Charlie Thurmond, the owner, is great. Total use of the beautiful historic house, kitchen, great sun room, den and frig stocked with beer. Put a smile on Andreas' face. While sitting in sun room writing the daily Loney Train Margie saw four Amish horse drawn carts go by!

Only two choices for food in town, a small pizza place and subway. Charlie ordered pizza for us and we ate it in the guesthouse. This place is too awesome to leave!