May 24 update

Today I'm stuck in a McDonalds, waiting to check into a  motel to get out of the rain. Actually, the sun just came out, but I can't check in until 4:00. I only got 26 miles in before the rain began today. I may be stuck in Hazard for a day or two, they are calling for a good bit of rain, and riding all day in the rain is not as much fun as you might think. Below is an update I wrote yesterday and can now copy into my blog. I'll try to include a few pictures as well.

May 23 update

After I left Elk Garden, I discovered that my seat post was loose and letting my seat gradually get lower. The change was so gradual that I did not realize that it had dropped about and inch, and was probably at least partially contributing to the sore on my butt. I tried to tighten the clamp that holds the seat post in place, and managed to break off one of the bolts. I stopped in a hardware store in Honaker, Ky. and was able to find the bolt I needed, but still needed to remove the old bolt. The store owner pulled a new vice out of it's box and pulled down a hacksaw off the rack, and I was able to saw a slot in the end of the broken bolt where it stuck out of the clamp. Then I removed the bolt with a screwdriver. I then realized that the clamp was bottoming out before clamping the seat post tightly enough, so I bought a canned Pepsi, drank it, pulled out my swiss army knife and cut a thin strip of Pepsi can out and wrapped it around my seat post. I bolted it tight, and now as I write this update, two years later, I'm still riding my bike with my improvised shim.

I rode my last day in Virginia and spent the night at Breaks Interstate Park on the Virginia/Kentucky border. it's a beautiful park of about 4000 acres with a motel, restaurant (unfortunately not open for the season yet),campground,pool,lake and stables.I had a nice conversation with the camp host, a local fellow who retired from coal mining. He told me that he worked in a mine under the mountain we were sitting on that extended more than 9000 feet from the entrance. That would not be for me.
Today I spent my first day riding in Kentucky. Unlike Virginia, the valleys (hollars) are narrow, but the theme is the same, up a creek till it runs out, climb up a ridiculous grade to a gap, fly down the other side and repeat. I got five of those in today. Also, unlike Virginia, eastern Kentucky is poor. Lots of ramshackle houses and trailers and tiny towns with most of the stores falling in and abandoned. They do have a very efficient garbage disposal system though. They simply put it out by the "crick" and the next big rain disposes of it. There are wonderful rivers all through this area that are littered with trash.
I had read about the dogs in Kentucky chasing riders, but I only had one encounter today. Just as I started up a steep hill a pretty good sized black Shepard looking dog with one blue eye came snarling out at me. I knew I couldn't out run him so I got off my bike and prepared to defend myself. I've got a can of Halt dog spray, but I decided to go with the oak stick under my bike frame. As soon as I pulled it out he decided to go on back home. There's no shortage of dogs, but most of them are tied to trees in the front yard. The residents here seem to prefer a big mongrel mix instead of the ubiquitous pit bulls I've grown to love.

From Breaks Intrastate Park I had a 66 mile day to Hindman through a series of tiny and poor communities including Elkhorn City, Ashcamp, Hellier, Lookout, Vergie, Melvin, Bypro, Bevinsville, Dema, Pippi Passes, Mallie, and finally, Hindman. I spent most of the long day in the rain.
I got into Hindman wet and cold and expecting to stay at this hostel sponsored by the Hindman historical society. The phone number was on the ACA map and there were several signs along the way. I called and only got a nice voicemail saying they were away from the office, so I made my way to the hostel. I had to push my bike up this steep driveway about a quarter mile to a house that looked barely inhabited. No one answered when I called out, although the door was open and a radio was playing. The place struck me as some kind of bizarre Hansel and Gretel theme park. I hustled on down the hill and went in search for a place to spend the night. Hindman has a bit of an arts thing going on, and the first place I stopped was at a luthier workshop. I explained my situation, and the luthier gave me a name and number to call. I called and talked to Randy who was out for a hike, but said he would swing by and show me how to get to his house where I could spend the night. Apparently Randy does this on a regular basis. In any case, that's were I am tonight, in the dry with my cloths washed and dried, and a bed to sleep in. Karma is definitely going to require that I start doing more for other people.

Randy fixed me breakfast this morning and sent me on my way. He's a big nature buff, and was headed out to collect mushrooms with his dog, Jack. As it seems with a lot of people in the mountains, he's into music, plays guitar and banjo. His son is a jazz guitarist and is studying in Greensboro. Randy was a bit of a odd duck, but only in a good way. I hope the same can be said for me.

I've been very careful about brooching the subject of politics, because I know where the sentiment of most people up this way lie, but I have found a few

Typical scenery in western Va.

 My office for the day

No one around to take my picture

enlightened souls. The ones I have talked to have been very cautious about who they are around and how loudly they speak.

It's been fun talking to people along the way, they are generally interested in where I'm from, and where I'm going. Some seem quite envious.