For a mountain range none of us really knew much about, the Appalachian mountains which stretch between Virginia and Kentucky are proving to be surprisingly hard work! Since the last update, we have had three more days of tough riding.
Day 7: Wythville,VA - Damascus, VA (60 miles)
Day 8: Damascus - Elkhorn City, KY (86 miles)
Day 9: Elkhorn City - Hindman, KY (66 miles)
Riding here is really hard work- not only are the mountain climbs ridiculously steep, but it has also been up to 42 degrees at times- which has meant that today we were forced to take a two hour break in the middle of the day to lie around at the roadside while the sun went in! It's seeming like a long time ago that we were getting the subway out of Washington- despite the hard work and sore legs, we are all getting into the swing of it now, and will probably be in California before we know it!
We have left the big mountains behind for now, and now are going to go through a few days of steeply rolling hills, pretty draining in this heat. If all goes to plan we will be in Berea, Kentucky by tomorrow night- apparently a distance of well over 100 miles- unfortunately this is necessary if we want to keep our average mileage up...
Just want to mention a big thank you to Joe Bowen who helped us out big-time in Hindman today in finding our lodging for the evening- all those people who said "you can't miss it" were sorely mistaken! Joe has just written a book detailing his two 14000 mile bike rides around the USA and Canada- a pretty remarkable achievement, and something we'll definitely be reading once we get home.
That's all for now, hope to update again soon-maybe even the next state!
Hal, Sam & Dave
Hal, Dave & Sam -
ReplyDeleteHeard you didn't make it to Berea as you had planned, but got caught in a thunderstorm, and you ended up staying at Linda's Victorian Rose - the best bet - as the Presbyterian Church campsite can flash flood even without warning. She said she enjoyed your company, and I'm glad you decided to stay at her cottage. Thanks for cleaning up the tent after the previous two guys from Oxford left it in such destitute condition.
Had a cyclist by the name of Eric last night (an Eastbounder) who said you all left the tent in fine shape. Thanks so much for helping us out. Have you met Monica or Terry yet? Monica from Sweden will be here Monday, Terry will be here tomorrow. Take care - thanks for being such nice guests. I tell you after the retired cop from Oxford stayed here with his proclivity for exaggeration and embellishments - I almost quit taking cyclists completely. What worries me though is if a bobby can easily distort the truth as he did, it worries me for the sake of the citizens he is trying to protect - he sees things through tainted eyes. Wouldn't want him to be against me in a court of law - as I've found his word not true in minor circumstances. You three have redeemed the English in my eyes! Thanks again for your kindness and understanding. David R. Smith, Pres. Knott Historical Society.
Hi David, thanks for the best wishes! Glad we've served a purpose in showing you not all Brits abroad are all bad! Thanks for being an ace host, will be sure to email you with that photo soon...
ReplyDeleteWe've made it as far as Marion- about 10 miles from the Illinois border- good progress!
Thanks again,
Hal