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Day 8 May 23, 2007 (Craig speaking) Everyone slept in a bit. At least my partners did, while I visited with hosts Sara and Thadeus (sp?). Thad did the route 8 years ago. He was sharing stories and wisdoms. "Do you know how fast a mosquito can fly?" That's important stuff in squito country as we cycle uphill. The answer is, 4 MPH. So you gotta reach down for that extra gear to get to 4.5mph if you want to escape hordes of those critters. Don't know how fast you have to go to escape a dog. I don't think any of us has the right gear to pull away from fido on a mission. Little miscommuniction regarding priority needs this morning led to first real disgruntlement on the trip. We all have different eating needs and other responsibilities that need to be clearly voiced to avoid conflicts. After a late breakfast and finding a fax machine down the road smoothed the waters for the moment. We spent our first $$ on accommodations tonight. No freebies along our route, but the 2 mile each way detour and total $15 camping fee at a nice county park was worth it. We cooked our first meals en route. Dinner in the dark was well received by my non-paying patrons. But a little yogurt in the morning's oatmeal may have turned sour. Everyone made extra "rest" stops along the way. A good flush was had by all. Day 9, May 24 Rural Retreat to Hayter's Gap. A hot day slowed us down in Damacus, a reprovisioning spot for Appalachian trail hikers. Found 3 rocking chairs on a shaded porch and enjoyed our first milkshakes while we rested for another big push at end of day.
Having trouble getting cellphone coverage, so Sharon is getting a bit anxious about losing contact with family and work. We crossed under a freeway, in sight on cell towers at Meadow View (a former ghost town on the rebound). Made last calls as we prepare to head into the real deep woods of Appalachia. Country diner stayed open for us and owner Joyce served up some great chicken, country fried steaks, bisquits & gravy, cornbread, etc... even gave us leftovers to take with us. She warned us about the big hills up ahead. Our planned overnight hostel was no longer taking guests, so we had no options as a monster hill waited between us and the next official resting spot. So I kept looking along the road for a hobo holler. Tensions tonight as one member of the party was feeling lots of pressure from work, a fouled up checking account, homesickness and being pushed physically. Early discussions of bailing out .. going home early were thrown out. A compromise for the next day ... everyone rides at their own pace to our night's destination on the VA-KY border. Lots of hills to climb, no turns in the road. A good day for cycling solo. Rod & I did not like having Sharon on the road alone ... but she insisted. Day 10. Friday, May 25. Hayter's Gap to Breaks Interstate Park A very tough start to the day. Probably our most challenging to date. 4 miles, gaining 1500 feet. Then a long downhill. MOre big truck traffic. ZERO shoulder.
Sharon is getting stronger. Traveling lighter, she is more easily keeping up. But today she is on her own. Now, Rod & I sit in Haysi, VA, library, about 10 hard miles away from our overnight stay at Breaks Interstate Park ... hopefully a happy reunion and celebration of finally knocking off our largest state in the entire trip, mileage wise. Start of Memorial Day Weekend. Should be busy at the park. I'm looking forward to the swimming pool.
By end of today, we will have logged over 600 miles, 10 states, 1 change of underwear. Many physical and emotional challenges past ... and more to come. But we are getting stronger. 10 straight days of riding is a good achievement.
The last 10 hot, uphill miles took it outta this fat boy!. then 2 more mostly uphill miles to our campsite All arrived safely and in reasonably good spirits at camp. Sharon soloed, arrived head of the boys. Camping way in back, 2 miles uphill off road. tough way to end. Met a sophisticated hillbilly, Alan, and his two kids. Daughter plays soccer, but not too popular in these parts. No flat places for a field. For football, they carve a field out of cliff side. If out of bounds, either off the cliff or into the wall. He's a KY/VA hillbilly (lives on the line). Likes to make fun of the West Virginia hillbillies. They all make fun of the flat-landers. Dinner in restaurant overlooking Grand Canyon of the south. Tough night, especially for Rod who camped next to some late arrivals very insensitive about making noise, leaving dinger of car on. Cranky for the rest of the day. Tomorrow we enter Kentucky. Fierce dogs, big coal trucks. More challenges. Oh, joy!
Day 11. Saturday. to Pippa Passes, KY. 65 miles. More climbing. Lots more. Breakfast in Elkhorn City. On way out of town, spotted a camp of Civil War renactment participants, preparing for afternoon skirmish. Very authentic. They welcomed us into camp and told about details of that era and their relatives who served in the Civil War.
These rebs were durn cordial. they dun telled us about their kinfolk who fought the Yanks.
Today we go thru Eastern KY, coal country. Very impoverished. Disgusting sanitation and garbage. Junked stuff everywhere. Bags of litter heaped along the road with "Clean-up funded by Eastern Kentucky Pride" If there was any pride, they'd pickup themselves. Holiday, so no huge coal trucks to run us off the road.
Sharon had itchy trigger finger with dog mace waiting for those vicious E. KY dogs. Lady at camp warned us they'd drag us off our bikes. The first poor little foo-foo they came after her got a full dose, direct hit in the face by Sharon. Dog wouldn't have been big enough to grad her shoelace, let alone pull her to the ground and maul her. Pippa Passes is a very isolated christian college in the mtns. Pretty setting. Best dinner to date, baked spaghetti. Unanimous choice for kudos. Overnight in home/hostel. Rustic basement, with shower and TV room upstairs. Just a quick overnight and out in the am. No other guests.
Sharon has been bruising all over her legs. Bike abuse! Pushing her bike to the finish line in Pippa Passes. Day 12. To Boonesville, KY 72 miles Climb, climb & more climb. We all traveled at our own paces for most of day, but kept in contact. Overnight in backyard of church. Setup for bikers. Met one solo x country rider, Tony, who was on a faster pace than us and a father/daughter duo out for a week, post graduation. Great in-out hamburger meal. Grocery store next to our campground was closed down due to discovery of a very large family of copperheads occupying. No unwanted visitors in the night. WalMart super store was the day's highlight. Air-conditioned at just the right spot for lunch. I drank a 1/2 gallon of OJ.
Day 13 To Berea, KY. 65 miles. Early start, good early progress with still some tough hills, including our toughest (but only about 300 yds) to date. A folk art, college town. Arrived a bit late for stores open, but found a helpful visitors center and a great campground close to town, only $5/night. with laundry and swim pool .. and quiet campers. Sharon lost her smile around lunch time. We didn't have any water or food places to stop for this segment. She was ready to stop long before I did, at Noon. A little food put back into a manageable emotional balance. Rod seems to enjoy riding alone. I got in a groove where a felt like superman for a few spurts on the flats. We each have to ride to our own body rhythms. Sharon wanted a hotel room, but backed off a little from the $129/night at the nice hotel in town. Seemed pleased with nice campground @ $5pp.
A typical super mini-mart. WalMart, be careful. To Date: 805 miles Day 14 will end in Springfied, KY. 73 miles. We now are in air-cond. library in Harrodsburg, KY, 95 degrees at 3:00pm. Rod wants a swimming hole. Sharon wants some ointment/magic cure for her first case of jock itch. Rode a day or two, too many in her wet cycling shorts. She now can feel sympathy for those athletes who just can't resist scratching themselves on TV. I gave her some hydrogen peroxide. Thinking maybe the sting of that would take her mind off the "itch".
Our favorite road to date. Single lane. Paved. Downhill all the way. Everyone in good spirits today, even though another hot day. Some steep, but sorta short hills. Into the rolling farmland. Tomorrow we get a bit of Abraham Lincoln history...his birthplace. Harrodsburg is first English settlement east of Alleghenys.
Will be overnighting in city park free. Must check in with sheriff first, though. Everyone enjoys sleeping out. Hot nights. Lots of fireflies about. Easier to get up and out. Craig is usually up 5:30-6, followed by Rod. To do our fussing. Today I put on new brakes for Sharon. Not much left from the mtns. Sharon up by 7a. On the road to breakfast by 7:45-8:00. No one spends much time getting pretty. End of Week 2. Going strong. 14 days solid without a break. Sharon's knee is a bit troublesome, but she has been icing whenever she can. On pace to be out of KY in 8 days.
4 C's. There's been lots of Climbing, Cows, Churches (mostly Baptist) and cemeteries. Smells. Honeysuckle, heat-baked roadkill, campfires, bacon cooking outdoors, Sharon's dirty sleeping bag in a hot tent (maybe it's just Sharon, up close!) RoadKill. Possums the clear leader, they get flattened. Rare dog (they look dumb, but know how to stay away from moving bumpers). Bunnies in VA, but none in KY that I've seen. Racoons must just get knicked. Seen quite a few on their backs with rigormortis, lots of flies, but no tire treads. Just real bloated. It's possible to cruise downhill past possum or racoon without gagging with one breath. A bit of a push on the flat. No chance going uphill. You're sucking oxygen and it is putrified with those ripened odors of the roadkilled. Quite a few black snakes too, but mostly in VA. Some about 5 ft long. |
bikes and tractors only on these roads
First milkshakes on the trip in the heart of the Appalachians, in Damascus, VA.
welcome to KY.. Please come again
Virginia was fine, but it is so nice to leave her behind us.
One of the nicer buildings we've seen in E. Kentucky
Caught in a real gully washer. Fortunately close to another mini-mart. 
Bonnie & Clyde, hillbilly style
