Six Hundred In

629 on Day 1, to be exact, here just outside Lexington, KY where they name roads after Triple Crown winners.

I lucked out with rain today; it was never out of the question from the get-go, and the afternoon thunderstorms that accompany hot and humid July days popped up right on schedule.  I figured I was pushing my luck heading into some very dark sky and pulled off an exit in WV with no gas station or signs of life.  As it happened, the secondary road went under the highway, and provided me with cover to check the radar and probably suit up.  Within 30 seconds of killing the engine, the radar became unnecessary.  It was pouring rain.  Win!

I did check the radar, though, and as it turns out the storm was a small cell passing me in the opposite direction.  A couple of flashes and a few minutes of waiting, and I was back on my way; cooler and happier and still in my T-shirt.  I bagged a poker chip in Charleston, and headed into Kentucky.

Another small win:  More often than not in these modern, convenient times, I determine at some point in the afternoon how well it is going and where I expect to end up, and then book a room on my phone to take the stress out of it.  The downside there is, sometimes you don't get a feel for the area or even the property itself, and can end up in a place you'd rather not be. Today, Lexington became the target, but I didn't make any reservation.

I get points for Holiday Inns on my credit card and usually look there as a first choice for overnights.  Arriving in Lexington for the first time, and wanting to ride through the city itself seeing as it was well after business hours, I got off the highway and discovered a Holiday Inn right there.  I also found a bunch of homeless people pushing shopping carts and holding their cardboard signs.  Like, a lot of them.  Now the nice thing about homeless people, and this isn't cool to say so let's keep it between us, is despite being skeevy, you're almost certain they're not armed because if even if you gave them a gun, they'd sell it for dope.  Or food, if you're giving the benefit of the doubt.  In any case, armed or not I was nonetheless glad I wasn't committed to dismounting and unpacking at that particular point on the map.

Not far outside the other side of Lexington (nice city, by the way) was the equally nice town of Versailles, with a very nice Holiday Inn situated right next door to a McDonald's and a WalMart.  A nice end to a nice first day.  I did not end up eating again at the McDonalds :-)