Stormed out.

From: Bardstown KY
To: Bowling Green KY
Mileage: About 160km :(

I woke up early this morning, showered, brushed teeth, etc.  I met a retired couple from Rhode Island who were touring around.  They warned me about storms that were heading my way.  I decided to change course and avoid the Bluegrass Parkway, and just cut straight down I-65 South to Nashville in an attempt to outrun the storm.  I broke camp and packed up, but not before snapping a few pictures of the site.

I jumped back on the Bluegrass Parkway and took my Nashville exit. I started getting uncomfortable, so I pulled off and topped up my fuel.  I bunch of these trucks drive by:

I also started worrying about these clouds:

So I jumped back on the bike and headed off.  Before I left the campsite, I put my rain covers on all the bags just to be safe.  Good thing I did!  Not too long after getting back on the road, I was hit with a few drops of water here and there.  But then all of a sudden, I collided with a storm front right around Bowling Greens, KY.

I was forced to pull off and seek shelter because the rain was pretty intense.  I stopped in at a gas station to wait a few minutes and make a new plan.  I ended up chatting with a guy who was full of questions.  He used to be a trucker, and drive a tour bus, so he had some great route suggestions and tips.  We talked for a while, and he told me which areas to avoid.  We discussed the weather, and I decided to move one exit down the freeway (taking the back roads) to a more populated area.  I stopped at a Starbucks to use my giftcard and research the weather a bit further.  I looked at radar maps and stuff, and decided it would be better to stop.  I was headed to Nashville, and they were supposed to be hit with heavy storms tonight.  Plus it's more expensive to stop there.   While at Starbucks, I met a group of people in a convoy of Camaros.  Turns out they were from Canada, and several from Ontario.  They were headed to Phoenix for some sort of convention.  I spoke with a guy and his wife from Kingston, Ontario.  They had followed almost the same route, and were headed the same way as me.  The difference?  They have air-conditioned cars.  Yesterday, they had gone for rides in Nascars, and after the meeting in Phoenix, the couple I spoke to are going out to LA, then up the Pacific Coast Highway, then down the Las Vegas, then back home.  I finished my coffee and chocolate chip banana bread and went to the motel.

I checked into the Motel 6, dried out my stuff, relaxed, and wrote this stuff.  I'm glad I stopped - there's some sort of wicked rain outside, not to mention a VERY high wind.

HIDING!!

Isn't this what you do during a storm?

I've been told to take more pictures with me in them.

Tonight, I'll get some rest and try and wake up very early tomorrow so I can repack all my stuff (again), and get a solid day in.  The truck/tour bus driver told me not to stop in Memphis since it's not the best place.  It's far from here, but I guess I'll make up lost miles tomorrow and keep going past it.  I'm planning on taking I-65 to Nashville, then jumping on I-40 West.  I-40 runs all the way across the US along the route I want, and eventually takes me into LA.  I guess I'll be sticking to it (though I might try and exit to take the old Route 66 at some point).

Time to hunker down and wait out the storm.

UPDATE:  If I'd pushed on toward Nashville, I would have entered some very heavy storms, and an area that's under tornado watch.  Even here, the winds outside my room sound incredible.  I'm going to check on my bike... :S