Postscript
Ike’s precipitation never made it to the Daniel Boone. The winds did however. Hurricane force winds were recorded in Louisville, Kentucky and a strong wind advisory was posted for Lexington and the Daniel Boone. We’ll have to wait and hope for another storm to bring much needed rain to the state, though we wish for no dangerous hurricane.

Current Track for September 11
It was 47 years ago today that Hurricane Carla made landfall and battered the central Texas coast with wind gusts to 175 mph, and up to 16 inches of rain. Carla also spawned a tornado which swept across Galveston Island killing eight people. The Category 4 hurricane claimed 45 lives and caused $2.22 billion dollars in damage.

Forecasters haven’t directly compared Ike to Carla yet, but this hurricane will most likely impact Kentucky. After making landfall Friday, Ike should swing northest north and aim for Kentucky and the Daniel Boone National Forest. The final track however has yet to play out, but if the bluegrass gets under this tropical depression, the state undoubtedly will do some catching up on the meager precipitation it has received this summer.

On average, the central part of the state receives about 11 inches of rain in the summer, however only 8 inches has fallen from June-August and none so far in September. In September, one of the bluegrass’s driest months, rainfall totals average about 3 inches. Last September, less than one inch of rain fell that month. Bone dry.

Enter Ike
A storm of this magnitude could definitely bring 3 inches of rain to the bluegrass. It could bring 6 inches. If it strengthens to a category 4 storm above the warmest section of the Gulf of Mexico as predicted, it will contain an enormous amount of energy and water vapor. Hurricanes this strong produce more energy in a day than the U.S. produces at all power plants in a year. That’s a lot of juice and Ike has to go somewhere.

Below is a sea surface temperature map, which shows Ike and upper 80s water temperature in the western Gulf. Hurricanes need over 80-degree F surface temperatures to sustain. Every degree about that is like adding gasoline to a fire.

Lexington’s First-ever 2008 Bike Prom!
September 6, 6:00 PM
Fundraiser for The Living Arts and Science Center.

Postscript: The prom was tremendous with 96 gorgeous riders and tons of fun at the afterparty. Photographs can be found here on Lexrides.com.

The Event. Dress up and Dance your bike around downtown Lexington during the 2008 Bike Prom. Ride stag or bring a date. No prior prom experience required, just bring your bike, share your fun-loving attitude, and promenade your style in the city.

What will you do on your special night? You will ride to selected destinations with a provided map and stamp your dance card at each location. You will asked to perform prom activities at each dance stop, such as be fitted with a supplied corsage, primp at the glitter station, partake and properly toast from the magic punch bowl (adult and child versions provided), select just the right tune, take a whirl on the dance floor, and have your photograph made with a backdrop of stardust and rocket ships.

While prom activities will be easy and fun to complete, you might find a few bike-related challenges that will spice up your night. All destinations and activities will be provided on the map and dance card.

Prizes and Afterparty. In the euphoria of the evening, maybe you’ll get lucky and the win the coveted crown of the Prom King or Queen. As you grace us with your cosmic moves on the dance floor, remember style is more significant than speed. Prizes for best-dressed couple and best-dressed male and female. We reserve the right to offer mystery prizes too. Prizes will be awarded during the afterparty at Molly Brooke’s Irish Bar with drink specials and DJ music by local mix-meister Mick Jeffries.

Start Time and Place. The prom starts at the Living Arts & Science Center, 362 N. Martin Luther King Blvd., Lexington, Ky. Registration begins at 6:00 PM and the dance starts at 6:30 PM. Rain date is the following Saturday, September 13. The event is $5.00 and all proceeds benefit the Living Arts & Science Center. The event is open to the public.

Sponsors. Proudly sponsored by following local businesses: Isle of You, Pedal the Planet, The Morris Book Shop, Molly Brooke’s Irish Bar, The Hive, and CD Central.

Hope to see you there!

A postscript on the event: Thanks for all those trail lovers who showed up and visited our booth. We met many outdoor enthusiasts with great trip stories. For folks who walked away with great coupons and discounts, the store is open. If you couldn’t make it out and still want those deep discounts, just register for our newsletter and you’ll get a new round of superb coupons and map specials the first of September.

Once again we are participating in the Woodland Arts Fair in Lexington, Kentucky. The event runs typically from 10am-6pm on Saturday and 12pm-5pm on Sunday. We’ll back in the shady section, the bottom of the U, in the Woodland Christian Church Annex.

We’ll have all of our maps, which will include special, one-time free downloads of the GPS data packs and discount coupons only available during the fair. We’ll also have a cotton candy machine and free lama rides, no we won’t!, but other booths will have said treats and activities. Nearby our booth is Cricket Press, who makes some of the most attractive screen printing ephemera and t-shirts you’re gonna find in the Bluegrass.

Hope to see you there!

On July 4th we released a trail lover’s and backpacker’s atlas for a wild & historic national treasure, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Our trail atlas was designed for the modern trail user equipped with a GPS, but we focus our cartography on showing the rugged, historical, and ecological character of the park. These maps are beautiful, easy to read, and provide a pleasure as you wander over the pages and discover a new Smokies.

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We are proud to have contributed to the recent Daniel Boone National Forest magazine, The Boone Trace. This comely tabloid-sized full-color magazine is the U.S. Forest Service’s official visitors’ guide and welcome publication with maps, photographs, and timely information. With over 700,000 acres, 100+ developed recreation sites, and 600+ miles of trail, this national forest provides ample opportunities to refresh, reconnect and challenge yourself in the great outdoors. The Boone’s Trace magazine is free and should be the first document you read before your adventure in the forest.

The opening paragraph reads, “Dense woodlands, towering cliffs and plunging waterfalls are just a few of the natural wonders found within the boundaries of this most unique forest. Extending across mostly rugged terrain, the forest provides breathtaking scenery, clean water, and an abundance of wood and wildlife.”

The national forest is now divided into four ranger districts; Cumberland, London, Redbird, and Stearns Ranger Districts. The Cumberland Ranger Districts has two of the most popular destinations in the forest, Cave Run Lake and the Red River Gorge. This knobby and cliff-rimmed country is home to historic iron furnaces, rare and endangered plant communities, great arches and sandstone formations, and the rugged Cliffty Wilderness Area.

The London Ranger District is defined by the Rockcastle and Laurel Rivers. Great recreation destinations include Bee Rock, Rockcastle Recreation Area, Turkeyfoot, S-Tree, and the Laurel River Lake. While forest ownership less continuous in this district, many trails (official and unofficial) spline the ridges and creeks for hikers, mountain bikers, and motorized vehicles.

The Stearns Ranger District is home to the Beaver Creek Wilderness Area, Natural Arch Scenic Area, and numerous horse camps, shooting ranges and picnic areas. The area outlines the northern portion of the Big South Fork Recreation Area, which competes with the Red River Gorge for the title, “The Land of Many Arches.” The Redbird Ranger District is not contiguous with the other ranger districts, but off-road vehicle and mountain biking enthusiasts will find the Redbird Crest Trail a fine loop trail.

The Sheltowee Trace is forest’s unifying, long-distance trail, which connects the northern tip of forest with Tennessee’s Pickett State Park. This is the forest’s only National Recreation Trail and is the longest trail in Kentucky. Trail users can find more information at http://www.sheltoweetrace.com.

Magazine designed by Gwen Hensley of the forest service.