Sideswiped!

A lot has happened. I'm okay. I wrote this next part yesterday morning, while I was waiting for a bike shop to open...

When I got up this morning, I got a kick out of this view. From my tent, I could look across this river, into downtown Corydon and see Butt Drug store. Given the cycling pains I've had this trip, I found this amusing. (You might have to zoom in to see the store.)

We had a pretty cycle this morning, climbing a ridge out of Corydon toward New Albany. Near the top of this ridge, a car sideswiped me! If you are going to be sideswiped, I guess this is the best way for it to happen; I didn't get hurt, and I wasn't thrown from my bike. I was climbing a slight incline on a left-sweeping curve. I heard a car approaching, so I made sure I was as far right as I could get. Next thing I knew, the back of my left hand was brushed by the car. I let out some combination of a gasp and a shriek, and I saw the driver pounding the steering wheel with his hand. I think he never even saw me (before he hit me). We had been headed into the sun all morning, so I was probably in a blind spot for him at that moment. My mouth stayed open for quite some time...as I shook from my close call. I also couldn't figure out how I hadn't been taken out by the guy's side view mirror, but maybe something about the left curve of the road saved me. I caught up with two other riders who were sweet to give me multiple hugs. Still, I had tears streaming out of my eyes for miles after that. 

The route today takes us through New Albany, Clarksville, and Jeffersonville in Indiana--all side-by-side urban communities directly across the Ohio River from Louisville, Kentucky. 

There's a great Underground Railroad Museum in New Albany that our notes say we "should not miss," but today is Sunday, so we're out of luck on that. 

New Albany was a very active community in the Underground Railroad, helping slaves that made it across the Ohio River. 

Pretty riverfront with great views of Louisville. 

The plan I made last night was that I would stop at a bike shop in Clarksville but, as I rode into town, I thought that might not pan out since it was Sunday. I called the store and talked to the owner. He very nicely suggested that he open earlier than their usual 12:00 Sunday opening time, just so they could work on my bike and get me back on the road. How sweet is that?! So here I sit, proud of myself for having found my way here, and waiting for the store to open. 

The bike issue I've been having is with the front derailleur. I have knocked the chain off to the inside several times and I have also occasionally had trouble getting the chain to drop down on the smallest chainring. The fact that the chain will move too far to the inside and then not far enough to the inside convinces me that I need an expert's intervention. 

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Update, next day:

The bike store took such good care of me and my bike! Turns out I needed a whole new derailleur because mine had a stripped screw that was preventing it from behaving well. They had me back on the road at 12:15. Oh, the joy of cycling with a functional, snappy front derailleur!

I found my way back to our route and ate my lunch in Jeffersonville along the river. 

This next bridge is only for pedestrians and bicycles going across the river:

Heading out of town, I saw this historic marker about a free black woman who helped others escape to freedom. 

I spent the rest of the day finding my way to camp. I hadn't seen anyone else from our group since early morning due to my bike-shop detour. I arrived last in camp to learn that one of our riders had been hit by a car and was in a hospital! Once we had camp set up, we all jumped in the van, drove to Louisville to visit our wounded comrade and eat dinner. 

It was great to see that Huey was okay. No broken bones. Severe road rash. I guess his legs are very dinged up. He's headed home. Won't be quite the same without him. 

Mileage for the day: 48. 1,959 feet of climbing. 8 plus hours on the road. 

Today's route, part 1:

Part 2: