June 11 Crossing America

The Breaks, VA – Hindman, KY Distance covered 71 miles.

Up at 5:30 no delays getting ready today was able to get on the road by 7:30 as have a good amount of distance to cover today.  Nice downhill out of the Breaks, crossing over into Kentucky.  Finally getting to the end of the Appalachians hills are getting shorter in length but still steep.  Instead of climbing for 4-6 or even 8 mile long hills we’re down to climbing 1-2 1/2 mi.  Still a chore for this old guy but at least it allows me to stay up with the group a little easier, though my tongue still drags the ground as I climb.   I’ve also decided to take shorter breaks, paid off as I was the 3^rd rider finished today.  Two perks of doing so, I was first one in the one and only shower and one of the first to cook dinner.   The big bonus was about an hour after finishing it began to Thunderstorm and rain came down in sheets.  Thank you Lord, I didn’t need another bad day on the road.  It’s bad enough having to
contend with the erratic shifting on my S-Works.  Oh yea, riding the S-Works allows me to go a couple miles an hour faster to help me stay with the group.  This Old Guy needs any advantage he can get.  Maybe I can put sleeping pills in their drinks tonight and everyone will sleep in giving me a chance to keep up?  It certainly is humbling being the slowest
rider of the group.  Now how can I go back 30 years and 50 pounds lighter, the latter I could or should do but I love my food.

Highlights of the day; Not having to keep my head glued to the pavement had a chance to enjoy the fantastic scenery of the Kentucky Valley.  Took a couple pictures one of an old RR bridge crossing the Pond River had the reflection of the bridge in the river, too.  I’ll include it for your viewing pleasure.  The other which I find amazing, is that as Pepper had warned us, when we crossed into Kentucky we had to contend with dogs chasing after us.
Only had one little doggie in Virginia chase me and he didn’t have a chance.  One home today there were five dogs all barking and chasing along beside me.   I did my normal calling them puppies in a gentle tone and telling them didn’t intend to trespass on their territory.  Hey it works 99% of the time.  Trish later told us she was petrified when they chased after her.  By her telling you’d think they were close to tearing her to shreds, silly city girl.   Oh yea, I liked this one and again gave Trish a fright.  One of the long steep hill climbs today was along a very backwoods country road, about one lane wide.  Both sides of the road seemed to have an endless array of junked junk and mobile homes that even rats would give pause to inhabit.  Well as we passed this one rickety old trailer there were two good ole’ boys shirtless and with a week or two growth of whiskers, of course, in the middle of their driveway burnin’ a box spring and various other evidence.
For surely, they were destroying the evidence of whatever mayhem or shenanigans
they were a party to the night before?   All of this was happening under colors of the Grand Old Confederacy Flag.  Hell yea, the South will rise up again with these two characters.
NOT!   Did I mention Trish was our entertainment today?

Follow