2014-07-14: Day 19 Lunch Anyone?, Howardstown to McDaniels, KY
Post date: Jul 15, 2014 1:03:06 AM
Mileage Today: 62 Total Mileage: 912
Despite a late start, a long lunch, and a stiff head wind all afternoon we still managed to advance the cause 62 miles west today.
While lunch was long, it was an adventure. We pulled into Sonora, KY about 12:30 today. Our ride map says population = 513 but that number is much too high according to a local. Teresa had arrived earlier and scouted the town. We had a Deli or a place called the Buck Snort Cafe to replenish some calories. This was a no brainer. Any place called Buck Snort had to be checked out. We arrived and went in. There were 4 tables all 1960(s) style with the shiny metal legs and the vinyl seat and back. To the left is a group of 3 local folks average age perhaps 70. The rest of the place is completely empty. The wall ahead of me is a half height wall with an opening into the kitchen. And right there in the kitchen is someone's grandmother. As I walked up to the opening Grandma says "Sorry we are out of food for today." I looked at the clock which now reads 12:35 and then to the table with the 3 locals with their empty plates. I also can see the empty cast iron skillet on the stove in the kitchen. I inquired, "What did we miss?" Grandma proudly proclaimed, "Beans, fried potatoes, and corn bread. That is our Monday special". I am thankful. Sometimes it is better to be late.
Grandma directed us to a cafe on main street. We were warned that it says grocery store on the sign but it is actually a cafe. We could not find either a grocery store or a cafe on the 1 block section that
appeared to completely define main street Sonora. I asked two guys on the sidewalk if they knew where the cafe was located. "Right here" was the response as they point at a door right in front of me. The sign above the door is missing half its letters. I couldn't even read it while I stared right at it. In the end, the food at Brooks Cafe and General Store was really quite good and really quite inexpensive. So it all ended good.
We had a nice conversation with the locals in the Buck Snort Cafe about signs along the road opposing a gas pipeline that is being proposed for the area. That pipeline is being proposed by an outside company to connect a Kentucky gas refinement facility to New Orleans. The company is offering the local land owners a $50 visa card just to talk to them about it. Per this group of locals, it is never going to happen on their land.
At the Cafe and General Store, we were asked to sign their TransAmerican ride log. That log was filled with entries dating back to 1979.
Other highlights of the day.
After two days without seeing other riders, we saw 4 east bound riders today - two from London came into the Cafe and General Store as we were eating. They had left San Francisco on June 4th and were riding 80 miles each day. We spoke with one of the other two riders along the route. He was from San Diego and riding with almost no gear on his bike. In addition, he had no helmet on and was not wearing a shirt. Talk about a minimalist. He was one pair of shorts from being in the Portland Naked Bike Ride.
We rode past an Amish boy driving a 1 horsepower buggy. Literally it was being pulled by 1 horse. We gave him a friendly wave which was reciprocated.
We crossed into the central time zone today. One time zone completed. Woohoo!
