Bluegrass and Back Roads
The fading sun left behind the sparks of a million fireflies as I pulled into Kentucky Horse Park, just north of Lexington. I had come to Kentucky on my 650 V-Strom to fulfill a promise to myself. I had passed through the Bluegrass State frequently on interstates to somewhere else, but had never stopped to explore. So, I was back. And I was about to discover that if ever I had been looking to practise graceful and technical cornering in an idyllic setting, then Kentucky was for me.
As I set up my bivy, I thought back on the day’s ride. I had delayed my departure due to a bank of turbulent weather, wondering if I was just being a wuss. But rolling into Dayton, Ohio, I discovered a curtain of tornadoes had made national news for the destruction they had just unleashed on the city. Cleanup was underway, and I rode through neighbourhoods without roofs, where large trees lay in tangles and city crews were using snowplows to clear debris off the roads. In parking lots, numerous churches and agencies had set up relief centres offering food, water and clothing. Businesses stood in darkness. Amazed though I was, somehow it seemed disrespectful to take photos. I moved on, counting my
