Kentucky

Though originally considered too far west for us, once we discovered some cool dudes who live there, Kentucky became a viable land option. So a night in a marginally creepy (but really not too bad) motel brought us within distance of said cool dudes. Darren of the Shrieking Shack agreed to meet us in the morning, so we drove to a bakery/cafe on the outskirts of Lexington. From the moment we saw his bare feet and beard, we knew he was the man for us. Over iced coffee and pumpkin muffins we discussed Lexington and Berea, KY, where Darren and his family are looking to buy land. We discussed the local scenes and what was cool and lame about the area. Darren was full of useful information, like impressing upon us the need to acquire the mineral rights of the land we buy (or else the very land could be pulled out from under us!). And we got to meet his wife and kids! All cool dudes in their own right.

Taking only pumpkin muffin memories, we followed his be-stickered pick-up to the Shrieking Shack, where we would be playing a show later in the summer,

and then continued on to the local food co-op, where we spent much of the rest of the day, internetting, eating, shopping and chilling with Darren here and there.


Finally it was decided, after much mulling and blogging. We would drive down to Berea and check it out! The drive was minuscule (only 45 minutes), the landscape rolling,

and the arrival sunset-lit.


Darren was working with some friends at MERJ (a meeting place/farmer's market/cool place representing the convergence of nearby counties)

to set up a music festival for Solstice weekend. They worked feverishly to get a tarp up over the stage,


which they succeeded in doing, and which we rewarded with leftover cinnamon buns from Tennessee.


Berea itself was a small college town and we didn't get to check much of it out, but we trust Darren and his assessment.

Thanks Darren!

West Virginia, wild and wonderful, followed Kentucky, as we began the end of the trip, though in truth, our trip would continue to continue.


The race began to get to a campsite before it closed -- a recurring problem we had been having, and the reason for so many motel stops. With only minutes to go, and miles ahead of us, we got confused and then enlightened so drove as fast as we could in the right direction and at 10 o'clock sharp, pulled through the open gates of a state park, where we spent our last wooded night in the presence of utter silence and tree-obscured stars.
Tomorrow -- Virginia...and Baltimore!