gettin lucky in Kentucky

I am currently in Russelville Kentucky, a picturesque American town with southern style country houses and blossoming trees.

I left mountain home and stumbled upon what was once a family amusement park by Norfolk Lake. I explored all the old buildings and attractions (including a skeeball room, a go cart track and what was left of the petting zoo) and fell asleep on the mini golf course. The next few days in Arkansas were gorgeous, lots of mileage through the heavily wooded ozark foothills.

It eventually flattened out into swamplands as I got closer to Missouri with long narrow streams running along each side of the road and miles of farmland and forest. I stopped at a diner in mcdougal for some coffee and a bite to eat as the sun was going down. There I talked with some locals about my trip and listened to a middle aged guy who had 6 kids from various mothers try to tell a 23 year old who had 4 kids in between his time at jail to "quit while he was ahead''. I bid them farewell and headed to Piggott in the dark.

I made it into Missouri the next day, got a 25 cent cup of coffee at a Cambell gas station and made my way to the Sikeston. I thought I would make it to the Mississippi not too long after leaveing Sikeston and find a dry place to sleep ( it was supposed to rain that night) but ended up having to set up camp next to the highway. i tried setting up a waterproof tent by draping my tarp over a string between trees but the wind kept blowing it around and I ended up having to fall asleep uneasily with the tarp wrapped around me and the rain pouring over it all night. The river was gigantic and where I was crossing I had to cross the Ohio too which was equally as huge, I crossed on these narrow 2 lane bridges with no shoulder which was terrifying, I didn't get too many oppurtunities to take in the view while I was crossing. I cautiously made my way into Kentucky.

I'm officially east of the Mississippi! Its this that has made me realize just how far away from the southwest I am. The deserts and dryness that defined the first part of my trip have been replaced by green grass, creeks and lakes and flowers in bloom.

I passed through the land between lakes yesterday, an undeveloped peninsula surrounded by Kentucky Lake. I spent the night next to a beautiful clear creek.

I'm just about out of time on the library computer, happy belated easter