Day 117 ~ Virginia Creeper Trail & White Top Mt.

Saying goodbye to Debbie at the Apple Tree B & B. Thanks for a great stay Debbie!

Pretty waterfall along the Virginia Creeper Trail

Taking in the views from one of the many bridges on the Virginia Creeper Trail

The bridges were a bit slick but we managed quite well. Gregory loved the "white water."

Trail Maintenance

Sign of the Beaver

It's Cheesy!

Blaze marking the Appalachian Trail at the High Trestle Bridge

We had a nice visit with Sue and Mac McClanahan from Bristol.

On the High Trestle Bridge on the Virginia Creeper Trail. The Appalachian Trail crosses here as well.

Above and below Gregory is playing on the equipment at Green Cove where we departed the Virginia Creeper Trail to rejoin the TransAm route.

Note the Christmas trees in the background. They are grown in abundance up here on White Top Mountain.

Parked at the deli near the top of White Top Mountain. There is one of many Fraser Christmas Tree Farms in the background.

View while climbing White Top Mountain, the second highest mountain in Virginia.

This is my climbing face.

Sunset on the descent

After a 7 mile descent the drum brake was smokin'. Mike doused it with water and the steam came pouring off of it.

Gregory with his "new" thrift store army men. He is in the bunkhouse at the hostel in Troutdale, Virginia

Date: November 13, 2009

From: Damascus, Virginia

To: Troutdale,Virginia

Route: Virginia Creeper Trail to Green Cove to Hwy.58, Hwy.600, Hwy.603

Miles Today: 33 miles

TOTAL MILES: 3,362 miles

Top Speed on this trip: 54.1 mph

Weather: Sunny and Glorious

License Plates Collected: 5 Montana, 8 Wyoming (2 motorcycle) and 1 Idaho (found in WY), 2 Colorado, 1 Kansas (Gifted from David of Baldwin City), 1 Missouri (To be sent to Grammy’s by our new buddy, Kansas City firefighter Shawn), 1 Illinois, 4 Kentucky (2 Gifted from Beth and Garry Feltus, one gifted from cousin John, one from Hwy. 127)

Flats: 10 (#10 Today on White Top Mountain Climb)

Broken Spokes: 3

Cracked Rim: 1

Friday the 13th was full of surprises. The first wonderful surprise was the Virginia Creeper Trail. We had a glorious morning riding 14 miles of this beautiful rails to trails from Damascus to Green Cove Station. "The Virginia Creeper is a shared-use trail connecting Abingdon, Virginia, with the Virginia-North Carolina border, 1.1 miles east of White Top Station, VA. Total Length: 33.4 miles" (Publication of The Friends of Mount Rogers, The Mount Rogers National Recreation Area). The surface is black cinders of crushed coal and though there were a few wet mushy patches and some larger rocks to dodge we found the conditions were suited to our bike. We had warm weather and the sunlight filtered down through the trees keeping us warm and providing gorgeous views of the mountains, fast rushing creeks, and the moss and ferns that covered the trees and rocks. Signs of beavers lined the banks of the creek and a mass of rhododendrons covered the forest floor. I can only imagine how beautiful it is through here when the rhododendrons are in bloom. The Virginia Creeper has about 50 trestles and bridges in all. This made for many lovely creek crossings but the bridges were slick and getting off and on some of the bridges was a bit tricky. On one of our entrances to the bridge the boards were raised up and really slick and fortunately Mike braked to a stop just after getting the front wheel up and over the hump. The front wheel slipped between two boards and Mike said, "It is a good thing we came to a stop or we would have "tacoed" that wheel." That would have been ugly.

On the trail we met Sue and Mac McClanahan from Bristol who were out for a day ride and we had a nice long visit with them at the High Trestle (550 feet long and about 100 feet tall). They talked to us about the town of Abingdon at the head of the trail which is home to the Barter Theatre and where many folks find it an ideal place to retire or relocate. Later I was talking to Buck at Jerry's Restaurant in Troutdale and he told me that folks used to bring eggs, etc. in exchange for a theatre ticket and thus the name Barter Theatre came about. The owners would use the food to feed the actors.

Sue and Mac would turn around and head back to Damascus at this point in their journey. The grades got steeper at this point but compared to the climb on the road the Creeper was fantastic. Most people take a shuttle up to White Top Station and ride down the trail. They can pretty much coast the whole way and just soak in the beauty of the trail. Sue and Mac also told us about Lawrence who is a legend of the trail. He is in his 80s and rides from Abingdon to White Top Station and back everyday. That is about 70 miles a day. He has logged more miles on the Creeper than anyone and was awarded a Titanium bike that he continues to ride every day. He was out today but we never crossed paths with him…

Our TransAm map advised us to take the Creeper to Creek Junction and then get back on our route but the folks at Adventure Damascus said we could go further to Green Cove Station and still easily rejoin our route so we decided to do this. However, this information put us way off our route as once we left Green Cove we turned right onto Highway 58 and did a considerable amount of climbing before we reached a Highway 58 sign and started questioning where we were. After stopping someone for directions we realized we had to keep climbing to White Top Station. Fortunately there was food and we refueled before the final brutal climb up White Top Mountain at 5,344 feet. We had to cut over on Highway 600 and then over on Highway 603 to be back on our way to Troutdale. The sun was still shining and we marveled at the miles of Fraser Christmas Tree Farms but it was chilly when we left lunch and headed up the mountain. We warmed up in a hurry and had to make several stops while climbing this steep grade. We were rewarded with amazing views from this second highest mountain in Virginia. (Mt. Rogers is approximately 400 feet higher at 5,729 feet.)

On one of our stops Gregory and I heard the dreaded sound of air leaking from our rear tire. We found the puncture but it was a slow leak and the tire was still hard so rather than stop on the side of the road with no shoulder during a steep climb we opted to shoot for the top. Someone told us the top would be 13 degrees colder, and it was in the mid 40s up there. We didn't even take time to celebrate. I immediately layered on all of our jackets and covered our heads to retain our body heat while Mike began fixing the tire. The puncture was an old one we'd already taped and the grit worked its way through the tape. We decided to use the old tire we'd been carrying instead of retaping this one. The side wall wasn't looking so hot either. When Mike couldn't make the brake adjustments and had to pull all the packs and flip the bike over to get it done he lost it a bit. "Every time I turn around I have to fix something on this bike!" he ranted. He flung open the handlebar bag and the contents went flying as he dug for the allen wrench he needed. Gregory and I just stood there marveling as we said, "We can get that for you." Later that evening at dinner I acted out Mike's little tirade and Gregory and I had a rip roaring laugh. Mike just smiled but I don't think he found it as funny as we did. Actually it is amazing we could laugh at all considering our evening.

We had a 7 mile downhill coming off White Top but when we turned the corner and started up Highway 603, still 13 miles from our destination at around 5:30P.M., we knew we'd never make it. (We had to stop at the end of our downhill because our drum brake smelled hot. Indeed it was and when we doused it with water from the water bottles steam rose off of it.) The 603 Highway started us climbing again and Mike and I were killing ourselves trying to pedal to beat the oncoming darkness. Mike said, "Start looking for a truck." I did but the traffic was light and there were only cars. Then we had two dogs charge us from the left and we screamed and hollered for them to stay and get back. Just after we finally passed them three dogs charged us from the right. Again, more yelling, "Get back! Stay!" as we pedaled with all our might to pass this mob. My heart was racing and I just couldn't believe that here we were again in a nasty predicament way too late in the day.

We stopped for a quick rest and Gregory started to complain about his legs hurting but all we could do was ask him to get back on the bike and give us his best. He started to whimper and I just thought oh no Gregory, please hold it together. I shouted back, "We can't stop in the middle of nowhere, in the dark with no hope of getting a ride. Gregory we have to push on! Daddy and I are trying our best to get you there safe and sound." Mike and I knew we'd be riding in the dark for a while before we got in.

About 6 miles from Troutdale we came to Grindstone Campground in the Mt. Rogers National Recreation Area. We had very little food but at this point Gregory was crying so hard we knew we could go no further. I started to get us registered to camp then saw a crew cab truck. "You wouldn't happen to know who owns that truck would you?" I said. "That would be me," says Bobby who is standing in the registration booth next to his wife who is handing me my paperwork. I explained that we had very little food with us and that continuing on just wasn't an option given that it was pitch black and my son was having a breakdown. "Would you consider giving us a lift into Troutdale? The church there has a hostel where cyclist are welcome." Bobby's wife pipes up and says, "You could do that Bobby. Then the little boy could get a warm dinner at Jerry's restaurant." He agreed and when he saw our bike his comment was, "You all got more bike than I got truck." We got it in there and Mike rode in back with the bike while Gregory and I squeezed up front with Bobby. As I mentioned before it was 6 more miles to Troutdale. We'd never have made it. We would have been camped on the side of the road. Even once in Troutdale, the church was hard to find and on top of a hill, of course. It was locked up tight but Bobby suggested checking with Jerry at the restaurant. He figured he'd know all about it. Sure enough he did and Bobby drove us back up to the bunkhouse located to the right of the church even further up the hill. We dropped our bike and gear and Bobby drove us back down to the restaurant where Jerry offered to drive us "home" once we'd had a warm and hearty dinner. We filled up on a delicious salad bar, Mike had baby back ribs and taters and I had some yummy grilled shrimp. We did desserts all around and were revived and happy to have survived this crazy Friday the 13th. Once again we were blessed that kind people reached out to us.

Day 116 ~ Back In The Saddle Again!

Team Triple "Double" (minus Mommy's picture taking hand) Salute to start off our day. We also had a group hug.

Gregory receives his Lego catalog from Grammy during our mail stop in Rosedale.

Picturesque Posies

Gregory got a kick out of the Texas Longhorns we saw today and below he is doing a good job of calling these cattle to the gate. They got within about 6 feet of him.

It is kind of hard to tell from these shots but we had one steep climb today. This is an uphill shot and below I'm looking over the edge of the road. There is a tiny creek running along down below.

Route 76

Family Photo After Our Big Climb

Team triple salute as we conquer our huge climb of the day and get ready for a 4 mile downhill. It was wet with lots of switchbacks so we had to take it easy but we had some spectacular views and saw 4 deer multiple times as we kept catching them on the switchbacks.

Beautiful view as we crest the rise of a hill. We are turning right and will ride over these mountains tomorrow.

Mike and Gregory both just say no to another picture. This time we are taking a rest out in front of the Damascus High School. We hear this town is really into their football.

Gregory shows us the 24" wheel Specialized he'd like as his next bike. The 20" Gary Fisher that is in the rafters at Grammy and Papa's house is sure to be too small when we finish our travels.

The Appalachian Trail (AT for short) runs right out in front of Adventure Damascus Mountain Biking. Note: The brick walkway is the AT. See below why Damascus considers itself "Trail Town U.S.A."

John over at Mt. Rogers Outfitters gives Gregory a necklace. He made the "chain" while the AT association makes the wooden medallions. This one has a white blaze like they use to mark the trees on the Appalachian Trail.

Dinner at Quincey's Pizza was divine. I had Cajun Pasta with Grilled Salmon and Mike had the Creole dish below.

Date: November 12, 2009

From: Lebanon, Virginia

To: Damascus,Virginia

Route: Hwy. 19 to Hwy. 80 to CR803, CR709, SR91

Miles Today: 45 miles

TOTAL MILES: 3,329 miles

Top Speed on this trip: 54.1 mph

Weather: Cloudy and Cold (43 degrees at 7:30 A.M. ~ Brrrrr…)

License Plates Collected: 5 Montana, 8 Wyoming (2 motorcycle) and 1 Idaho (found in WY), 2 Colorado, 1 Kansas (Gifted from David of Baldwin City), 1 Missouri (To be sent to Grammy’s by our new buddy, Kansas City firefighter Shawn), 1 Illinois, 4 Kentucky (2 Gifted from Beth and Garry Feltus, one gifted from cousin John, one from Hwy. 127)

Flats: 9

Broken Spokes: 3

Cracked Rim: 1

Today was a rousing success. I was so incredibly proud of our teamwork and determination. It felt colder this morning than ever before and we could see our breath as we exhaled. We were off to breakfast by 7:30 A.M. and on the road by 8:30 A.M. It was a bit frustrating to have to ride the 8 miles back to Rosedale to pick up our mail and then have to backtrack 2 miles yet again before we could rejoin our TransAm route but we were really pulling together like a well-oiled machine. I know Gregory was motivated to get our mail because in the package from Grammy was his Lego catalog! I too was happy to have my blood pressure medication and other prescriptions and supplements. It wouldn't do for me to be climbing these hills with high blood pressure!

At the post office we met a kindly older lady who told us about the Methodist Church that puts up cyclists. When we told her we'd called yesterday but had only gotten a machine, she apologized and explained that they leave the kitchen door on the church open for cyclists! Ugh. All we would have had to do was find the church and check the door and we wouldn't have had to delay Doug and Alice and we wouldn't have had to ride another 8 miles out of the way. But, we can't look back now with regret. We must look onward and be thankful that we were so close to all of the services Lebanon had to offer.

We took time at the Valero Fas Mart to warm up, use the facilities and let Gregory peruse his catalog before heading out. The morning went incredibly well despite the fact that we had one huge whopper of a climb with a lot of sharp switchbacks. I was huffing and puffing something awful and Mike made several stops just so I could catch my breath. My patience for Gregory's many adjustments (fixing the balaclava after he got it so twisted from itching his head that he couldn't see through the eye hole; adjusting his shorts, tights and fleece pants so they didn't rub on his waist; switching out gloves, etc.) was wearing thin and Mike had to step in while I stepped away from the bike for a meditative stare up at the hawk soaring in the sky…breathe Dorrie, just breathe… My mood improved greatly when the sun decided to peek out from behind the clouds even if it was ever so brief.

Lunch was at the first place we saw as we came into Meadowview, The Little Diner. We cringed a bit when we saw the owner smoking at the counter but thinking it was the only thing in town and finding that they did have a non-smoking section we decided to give it a try. I must say I was really surprised by my delicious lunch special of chicken and dumplings. I haven't had chicken and dumplings since I was a girl and it was just as good as I remember my mom making. Buck, a retired plumber (believe it or not), was our waiter and was a kick. Not only did we get great service but he kind of took a shine to Gregory and kept asking him about our trip. He even snuck him a Snickers candy bar. I paid my compliments to the chef, owner Chris Patterson, and Buck came outside to see us off.

The last 13 miles to Damascus had a few good rollers but we made good time and got in around 3:30 P.M. We even had a lengthy stop where Gregory tried to coax several cows over to the fence. They came within about 6 feet of the gate but didn't quite know what to make of this masked creature.

Damascus calls itself "Trail Town U.S.A" because not only does the TransAmerica Trail run through the town but also the Appalachian Trail (a hiking trail from Maine to Georgia) and the Virginia Creeper Trail (a 33.4 mile Rails to Trails that connects Abingdon, Virginia, with the Virginia-North Carolina border) and the Daniel Boone Heritage Trail. At lunch we'd talked to Paul at Adventure Damascus Mountain Biking and he informed us that the hostel for AT hikers and Adventure Cyclists had no heat and was closed for the season. His other recommendation called The Dancing Bear proved to be closed for the season as well but owner Diane referred us to Debbie at The Apple Tree B & B where we are extremely comfortable. I'd actually given Debbie our website over the phone at lunch so she got a chance to see us and our bike before we showed up at her door. She had us all set in a room with a queen bed and a twin she made up especially for Gregory.

After stowing the bike in Diane's garage and getting some nice hot showers we made our way down the street to Quincey's Pizza for dinner. You are probably thinking the same thing I was, "Pizza. Not pizza again…." Quincey's was highly recommended and didn't disappoint. As you saw from my pictures I had Cajun pasta with grilled salmon and the salmon was cooked to perfection. Mike had a Creole dish with shrimp and sausage that he said was delicious. Mike also sampled a local Charlottesville, Virginia winter ale called "The Gift." I had a sip and it was pretty tasty. I had to marvel at the fact that we were all sitting there together, happily enjoying a delicious meal and each other's company after a grueling day of climbing. What a way to bounce back Team Triple!!!

Day 115 ~ WE QUIT! ~ JUST KIDDING...

Our Road Angels Doug and Alice

This sticker on Alice's car let's everyone know she and Doug are "Friends of Coal" though Alice agrees there is a right and a wrong way to mine coal. Doug is retired from the business and Alice's daddy was also a coal miner.

Gregory gives a thumbs up after we agree that the show must go on!

Date: November 11, 2009 Veteran's Day

From: Pound, Virginia

To: Lebanon,Virginia

Route: Hwy. 83 to Hwy. 80 (Rosedale) then Hwy. 19 to Lebanon

Miles Today: 0 miles (approx. 75 miles by car)

TOTAL MILES: 3,284 miles

Top Speed on this trip: 54.1 mph

Weather: Cloudy and Cold

License Plates Collected: 5 Montana, 8 Wyoming (2 motorcycle) and 1 Idaho (found in WY), 2 Colorado, 1 Kansas (Gifted from David of Baldwin City), 1 Missouri (To be sent to Grammy’s by our new buddy, Kansas City firefighter Shawn), 1 Illinois, 4 Kentucky (2 Gifted from Beth and Garry Feltus, one gifted from cousin John, one from Hwy. 127)

Flats: 9

Broken Spokes: 3

Cracked Rim: 1

Thank you to those of you that left encouraging comments after reading yesterday's blog. Lucky for us our "Road Angels" Alice and Doug Hayes came to the rescue today. They arrived at our motel at 7:30 A.M. despite the fact that their own home (as well as about 160 other homes in their area) suffered a power outage. They also cancelled their morning plans so they could drive us all the way to Rosedale (they initially agreed to take us the 27 miles to Haysi). This brought us back to the Trans America route and to our mail stop. Unfortunately, the motel in Rosedale was up for sale and closed and we couldn't reach anyone at the Methodist church that hosted cyclists. Because it was Veteran's Day we couldn't pick up our package and ride on down the road so we were forced to stay 8 more miles down the road in the town of Lebanon. Doug and Alice were so amazingly understanding about the whole thing despite the fact that the situation put them way behind schedule to make Doug's doctor appointment back in Pikeville. We tried to give them gas money but they refused and there are just no words that can express how much their kindness and generosity has meant. They really played a big part in getting our trip back on track. Thank you!

Our Carriage House Motel was yet another older and musty smelling place. It definitely wouldn't have been our choice especially for a place where we had to spend half a day, and a night, but we made due. Right after we rolled the bike in the room I gathered up the dirty laundry and headed down the road to the nearby laundromat. I dislike doing laundry but it was a great way to get some alone time and none of us were over yesterday's incident as of yet. I put the clothes in the washer, went next door to McDonald's for a coffee and then one more door down to Rite Aid where I selected a People magazine for some mindless reading. Back at the laundromat I relaxed to the hum of washers and dryers. I really wasn't looking forward to going back to the musty room and the uncomfortable silence.

Once I returned we all decided we were hungry and could use some fresh air so we walked across the street to the Movie Gallery to rent a couple of movies and then we walked about 4 miles round trip to eat a late lunch at the Bonanza Steakhouse. The brisk air (around 50 degrees) did us good and it was heartwarming to see all of the Veterans getting their free buffet in honor of their service to our country.

Though we were still avoiding the inevitable family meeting regarding our trip, we cuddled up together in front of our iMac to watch Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson in Escape to Witch Mountain. Gregory and Mike followed that up with the third installment of The Mummy series while I tried to nap. After Gregory and Mike returned from getting a snack at McDonald's we did finally have our family meeting. We all basically agreed that the previous day was horrible and expressed our concerns about the weather and our ability to make it over the upcoming mountains. We focused on the importance of coming together as a team and that we all needed to be in agreement if we were going to push on. Mike read the Field Notes on the Adventure Cycling Map and got us excited about what we still had to come and we realized that if we just made a big push the next two days we'd be over the worst climbing and have a reprieve before we had to think about conquering the killer climb up onto the Blue Ridge Parkway. We all agreed we didn't want to quit and that if we made our minds up to do it that we would. I went to bed praying for good weather, our stamina and our continued good luck. I think there was still some underlying doubt as to our ability to continue with the same drive and determination we'd had up to this point but we were at least willing to give it a go. It took me a long while to go to sleep and it was a restless night for all of us. Gregory climbed into bed with us in the middle of the night and Mike was up around 1:30 A.M. taking Advil for a toothache. He ended up in Gregory's bed after being crowded out of his own.

Day 114 ~ The Very Happy and Horrible Day ~ State #10, Virginia

Gregory and Mike on the corner of Perseverence Dr. and Purpose Rd. on the Alice Lloyd College Campus where we had a yummy breakfast at their cafeteria.

Gregory outside the Alice Lloyd College Student Center. Cindy Hall at the bookstore went out of her way to loan us maps of Kentucky that we copied to reference an alternate route today. Thanks Cindy!

Coal mining operation and one of the many coal trucks that blew past us today. We were informed that coal production was down and this traffic was light. I'd hate to see what a busy day looked like!

Our Colorado buddies Barb and Bill caught up with us again in Deane, Kentucky. This was one of the bright spots in tough day.

In this shot we were just cresting the top of a hill after a hard climb. Unfortunately it was raining and I think Mike has a raindrop on his face.

Meeting Alice Hayes at the Jackhorn, Kentucky Post Office. That is Michael to the left of my Mike.

Arriving in State #10. We are not happy campers here and found it hard to celebrate.

Another hill and more construction before we can call it a day in Pound, Virginia. Here they are burning trees they have cleared from the hillside.

Date: November 10, 2009

From: Pippa Passes, Kentucky ~ Home of Alice Lloyd College

To: Pound, VIRGINIA (First Day in our Tenth State!)

Route:

Miles Today: 53 miles

TOTAL MILES: 3,284 miles

Top Speed on this trip: 54.1 mph

Weather: Rainy, Cold, Miserable

License Plates Collected: 5 Montana, 8 Wyoming (2 motorcycle) and 1 Idaho (found in WY), 2 Colorado, 1 Kansas (Gifted from David of Baldwin City), 1 Missouri (To be sent to Grammy’s by our new buddy, Kansas City firefighter Shawn), 1 Illinois, 4 Kentucky (2 Gifted from Beth and Garry Feltus, one gifted from cousin John, one from Hwy. 127)

Flats: 9

Broken Spokes: 3

Cracked Rim: 1

I'm almost at a loss for words when it comes to today. It was by far one of the more miserable and challenging days of the trip, yet we still had a couple of pretty great things happen to us today. I'll start on an upbeat note by saying that our friends Bill and Barb went out of their way to meet up with us on their travels from their home in Dillon, Colorado to visit their son in South Carolina. They connected with us in this tiny little diner in Deane, Kentucky out in the middle of nowhere in the heart of coal country. We'd been riding in the rain all morning with coal trucks blowing by us so it was a great pick me up to see some friendly familiar faces. Our visit didn't last too long as they knew we had many more miles to ride before reaching our destination. We weren't really looking forward to going back out into the rain but we were happy to be out of the "greasy spoon" smell. I couldn't get away from the smell all day though. It seemed to have permeated my clothing and stayed with me. Yuck. In all fairness, Evelyn at the diner, was very sweet and because she'd heard me say that I hadn't ever had deep fried dill pickles before, she brought out an order on the house. Not bad but not something I'd order again.

The entire day had kind of a film over it for me. Not because of the rain, or the coal trucks or the hills we had to climb but because of the miles and miles of trash that lined the roads and creeks, all of the empty falling down and unkempt homes and trailers and the many dogs that are chained up in trash-filled yards and left to sit in the rain and mud. Even Gregory said, "I think Kentucky is the saddest state I've seen." (Sorry cousins. We know you live in a nice part of Kentucky but we've seen a pretty sad state of affairs in the last few counties.)

Today we followed an alternate route that was recommended to Mike as being a little less hilly and though we didn't have any hills for about our first 24 miles we still saw several whoppers. We actually went into crisis mode on the last hill, that happened to be on a busy 4-lane highway, and let's just say it was as ugly as things have gotten on this trip. The rain was really coming down hard at this point and we were drenched. We'd stopped several times to check the tires, the brake pads, the spokes, etc. to try to figure out why we were working so hard and feeling like we were going nowhere. We've gotten to this point before and Mike always feels like Gregory isn't doing his fair share and then tries to get him to put forth more effort, Gregory gets upset because he feels like he is giving as much as he can and then there are tears and more frustration. I get upset because I feel like Mike should accept that Gregory is doing the best he can and maybe he should back off and realize that he is a 9-year old child in a very stressful situation that most adults wouldn't be able to handle! "This is a triple bike and requires a triple effort," says Mike. Granted, Mike may have a point that Gregory isn't giving as much as he might be capable of under more ideal circumstances but I think it is wrong to think that just because he hears Gregory humming that it means he isn't working hard enough. I think that it is great that he can hum and stay in a good mood when he is drenched and on the fiftieth+ mile of a miserable day. My first comment to Mike was that Gregory hums, sings and talks to himself all the time so if that is the case he hasn't been working this whole trip and we know that isn't true. Then I said, "Haven't you ever heard the term whistle while you work?" I really feel like Mike and I are at odds on this one and I'm not sure what the answer is, but when he had us standing on the side of a busy freeway in the rain and he wouldn't budge because he felt like he wasn't getting a team effort I wanted to throttle him. I hate to admit it but I got in his face and said, "You know this trip is over don't you?" Not a proud moment I must admit but I was not a happy camper. We walked the bike a few feet and stopped again. "Let's just get there!" I shouted. We rode a few feet and stopped again. Finally, Mike and I just put the hammer down and inched up Pound Mountain one grueling pedal stroke at a time. When we reached the top and saw the Virginia sign Mike stopped knowing I'd want a picture and I said, "Too bad we can't celebrate this." It made me so terribly sad because I knew there was no way to turn this situation around in a hurry. Gregory was so excited to see the 8 percent downhill signs and I was just baffled at his bliss amongst all of the angst. I was still seeing red but managed to pose with Gregory in front of the sign. Mike snapped the picture in the drizzling rain while Gregory held up ten fingers for our tenth state.

Though the next section was downhill, the struggle to end our day was not over. We'd been told to skip the first exit into Pound and continue on to the other side of town where we would find the Travelers Motel up on a hill. (Of course! Why do they always put motels up on a hill!!!) By now it was getting really dark and the fog had rolled in. The roads were getting scary and when we'd struggled up yet another hill and ended up in a construction zone where they had the highway partitioned off with concrete barriers (down to one lane) and were burning trees they had cleared from the side of the road it got really eerie. The cars were lined up behind us and we had to stop on a narrow bit of asphalt to let the vehicles go by. I could have touched them if I reached my left arm out. Right there, with trees burning off to my right and vehicles to my left and rain pouring down my cheeks I got on the cell phone and called the motel. Of course luck would have it that the manager has an accent and is hard to understand. Yes, we were headed in the right direction he told us. "Come about another mile to the flashing light and it is on the left," he says. Well, we get to the light and there is no motel!! Ughhhhhh! We pulled into a little video store were an older lady is doing her embroidery and she says, "Just a couple of hundred yards more and you'll be there." We got back out on the road and still couldn't see it and I let out a scream of exasperation, "Where is it!!!" Finally, we see it perched way up on the hill to our left but of course there is a highway divider in the way and we can't get across. The motel looks vacant. It is dark and there is one car in the lot and not a restaurant to be seen. Off in the distant fog we see a Marathon gas mart and know we have to go there for food and backtrack to the motel once we find a divide across the highway.

As Mike held up the bike, Gregory and I went in the mini mart just dripping wet. I threw six hot dogs into buns, grabbed two Gatorade, a chocolate milk and a Corona plus a couple of bags of chips and that was dinner. But, not until we got to the motel. We crammed all this into the panniers except the chips which dangled from my handlebars and acted as a visual for oncoming traffic. We jetted across the divide and pedaled like mad with our blink light flashing and our new headlight leading the way. Of course some trucker has to blare his horn right as he is passing us and sends our hearts racing as if they already weren't. The motel driveway was a 17 percent grade and we walked it. Well, we slipped up the hill is more like it.

I booked a room with Johann who couldn't believe we were on a bicycle and arriving in a rain storm at dark. We borrowed a rag for the bike and piled everything into the room. The room was freezing cold and smelled overly scented as if some freshener had been used to mask other smells but it was clean and adequate. Mike cranked up the heat and I was stripping Gregory down for a hot shower before he could say a word about being cold. I warned Gregory that if he complained about the room smell I just might bite his head off. Well, something like that. I couldn't get the hot water going without Mike's assistance and Gregory was huddling by the heater waiting for his shower. Once he was taken care of Mike and I had our turns. We passed in the bathroom and had a brief chat but didn't really get anywhere. We are both exasperated. After showers, we finally ate our dinner. Luckily we had a microwave to reheat our hot dogs. We ate in silence until I suggested a family meeting and tried to explain to Gregory how Daddy was feeling. Gregory did give input as to the fact that he was giving his best effort and it made him upset when Daddy asked for more power when he felt he was already doing his best. Mike was still beyond words and our meeting didn't go anywhere. Mike went to sleep and I went into crisis management mode. I needed to do something to turn this day around.

Another bright spot in our day was Alice Hayes, postmaster in Jackhorn, Kentucky. We'd pulled under her overhang to shed our wet pants and dawn our rain pants when she came out and said, "Of all the days to forget my camera." She helped us contact the motel in Pound and even gave us Kentucky postcards. She just knew the local paper would love to do a story on us but at this point we felt we needed to push on and get to our motel, still 10 miles out, before dark. Alice actually offered to call her husband to give us a ride in his truck but we decided we should press on. How hard could 10 more miles be? Little did we realize that we had two enormous climbs in those ten miles and that we'd fall apart. Anyhow, we exchanged numbers with Alice and she said she would check on us on her way home.

Back at the motel, I decided to call Alice and fill her in on our evening and try to take her up on her offer. She was already reading our blog and was glad to hear we'd made it safely to the motel. I asked her if we could take her and her husband up on that ride by getting a lift back to our TransAm route tomorrow. She said she'd talk it over with her husband and call me back. They agreed that they could at least get us 27 miles down the road in the morning (to Haysi) but have some appointments they have to keep. She is actually off tomorrow because of Veteran's Day and she is going to drive her car while he brings the truck which isn't a crew cab. I hope this strategy will put us back in a good frame of mind and that we can salvage what is left of our trip. I don't want to let the weather get the best of us and I don't want to quit but I came pretty close today. I was feeling pretty down about all of the animosity amongst our usually tight knit little team. Everything always looks better in the morning. Let's hope so.

Day 113 ~ Cafeteria Style

Our bike parked in the Hampton Inn & Suites Hallway

Well, at least this time they didn't remove the entire mountain top...

Smoke from a mountainside fire

I guess Mike can't read. That sign says "NO PARKING". Mike argued that he wasn't parking he was just stopping. If he was parking the bike would be there by itself.

I'd like to know who certified this county as clean. The last couple of days we have seen some of the most filthy roads in the nation. Below is just a small sample of what we see on a daily basis. The creeks are also lined with trash. It is so sad.

Enjoyed the mixed nuts that my mom sent in our Halloween package.

Gregory was enthralled watching this gentleman put coins into this pay phone. Then he overheard his conversation and said, "Mom, he said a bad word." The gentleman standing next to Gregory is Orbin Sloane and he was quite the interesting character. He said that when he went away in the service that he couldn't read the soda pop machine. He had to make his selection by color. He apologized for not having his teeth in... (His mother Verna May Sloane is an author.)

Our quarters in the basement of the "old church" in Pippa Passes

Date: November 9, 2009

From: Hazard, Kentucky

To: Pippa Passes, Kentucky ~ Home of Alice Lloyd College

Route: Hwy. 80 to Hwy. 169 to Hwy. 899

Miles Today: 30 miles

TOTAL MILES: 3,231 miles

Top Speed on this trip: 54.1 mph

Weather: 68-70 and Sunny ~ More Shorts Weather

License Plates Collected: 5 Montana, 8 Wyoming (2 motorcycle) and 1 Idaho (found in WY), 2 Colorado, 1 Kansas (Gifted from David of Baldwin City), 1 Missouri (To be sent to Grammy’s by our new buddy, Kansas City firefighter Shawn), 1 Illinois, 4 Kentucky (2 Gifted from Beth and Garry Feltus, one gifted from cousin John, one from Hwy. 127)

Flats: 9

Broken Spokes: 3

Cracked Rim: 1

We planned for a short day today and took some extra time at the Hampton Inn this morning to relax. I had a great nights sleep and Mike massaged my low back again which has helped considerably and with fewer miles today I feel like I haven't over done it. It is a good thing too because tomorrow we have to ride over 60 miles. After tomorrow we will be really close to crossing into Virginia.

We split the day in half and had a nice lunch in Hindman at an Appalachian Craft Studio with a cafe. I drank a delicious pumpkin latte and had some of the best potato soup I have ever eaten along with a really fresh salad. Poor Gregory was fighting an upset stomach after we'd stopped on the side of the road and eaten some peanut butter on wheat bread. So, he dined on saltines and Sprite. Not good for a biker boy who needs his energy but his tummy did settle down and after we left Hindman he was doing much better.

We arrived at our destination of Pippa Passes in no time and it must have been only 3:30 or 4:00 P.M. We stopped at Benny's Grocery thinking this was where we needed to pick up something for dinner but the selection was really limited and we were told there were no pots and pans available at the church where we were staying. We weren't hungry yet, and they had a grill, so we figured we'd ride the quarter mile up to the "old church" and see our accommodations first. We could ride back and get something from the grill before dark.

We were glad we did because Donna, who lives across from the church and opens up for cyclists, told us about the cafeteria at Alice Lloyd College just down the road. Mike lit the pilot light on the furnace for the first time this season, we said goodbye to Donna, and then we set up our mattresses and sleeping bags in one of the rooms in the basement of the church. Because this is the "old church" it hasn't been used for a while and is actually up for sale so there is really nothing here. We were just happy to have a nice warm place to sleep indoors. Right now Mike and Gregory are trying to figure out the last time we used our sleeping bags…They think it was our first day in Kentucky when we camped in the youth basement of the First Baptist Church in Sebree. That was Day 96, 18 days ago!!! Mike just said somewhat jokingly, "I miss my sleeping bag."

Without even changing out of our bike clothes we went down to the college. We found the cafeteria where the line was already forming a half hour before they opened for dinner at 5:15P.M. The manager assured us we were welcome to buy dinner and that it was lasagna night. We went upstairs to watch a little T.V. and met Maggie, a freshman education major and James, a biology major. They filled us in a little about this college of about 600 students where all students are required to do 10 hours of work study per week. This is similar to Berea College, however, later we found out after talking with the Chairman of Education, Parker, whom we met at dinner, that at Berea College they provide educational opportunities based on your ability to pay or your income bracket whereas here that is not a requirement. Alice Lloyd College is limited to 600 students however so it would be interesting to see how students qualify for entrance.

When we came through the line for dinner and the cashier rang us up for $12.oo for two adults and one child, we gave her a $20.00 bill but she couldn't open the cash register to give us change. We had to wait a while for the manager, James, to come to our aid and in the meantime a steady stream of college students was filling up the cafeteria. When James finally came up he too was having difficulty with the register and turned around and asked, "Where are you from?" "California," we replied in unison. "It's on me," he responded and that is how we came to have a nice hot healthy meal in Pippa Passes, Kentucky. We are actually going back for breakfast! Oh yes, and Gregory especially liked the ice cream bar where he had a chocolate cone and went back for seconds with a bowl. That is how college kids put on the "freshman forty." I know when I lived in the dorms at University of Delaware I had many a night where I ate only ice cream for dinner and I think I put on about 10 pounds that first semester!