Mood:  don't ask

My experience in Hazard, KY, so far, was not a particularly pleasurable one.  The town was tucked in a low area surrounded by high hills that I would have to climb over in order to get back onto my route.  The rain seemed to have stopped, although the cloud cover was low, and the threat of rain always present.

This morning I discovered that I had forgotten something.  I had left the "Our Daily Bread" devotion book back at the B&B in Booneville.  Maybe I could pick up another one, or something similar, in Hindman.  Morning devotions were a ritual that I did not want to stop, and the booklet gave the devotions some structure.

There was no place serving breakfast, but I had a danish from yesterday.  I waited a little for things to get little lighter.  The cloud cover was low, but not hindering visibility, so I took off.   The climbing started.  A convenience store on the right was an opportunity to eat a little more.  Then more climbing.

Maybe it is just my imagination, but it did not seem that it took near as long as I expected to get back onto the main highway.  The highway did have a nice wide shoulder of 6-8'.  The road was fairly straight, but up and down.  I would go as fast as I could safely go on the downhill, then start downshifting as I climbed the opposing hill.  Before long I would be creeping along at 3.5-4 mph, but a sustainable cadence, not one that would exhaust me.   The route called for me to exit onto a little used road about 14 miles out of Hindman.  It surprised me that this side road had no hills, but followed a stream that passed through Hindman.  It started to rain.  By 11 AM, I was at a drug store counter in Hindman, awaiting a cheeseburger.

This short day would also give me time to catch up with my journal. 

I have found the most interesting place to spend the night.  There is a B&B in downtown Hindman that is tucked back on the hillside behind the commercial district, and it specializes in bicyclers.  The house is under renovation so there is a two room tent that they rent out.  It comes with mattress and sleeping bags.  The owner of the B&B is the Knott County Historical Society.

Tomorrow will be interesting.  I expect it to be more exhausting than yesterday was, and about 10 miles longer.  David, the caretaker of the B&B, says the actual mileage is 71 miles.  He also says it will be grueling.  So I will start early, eat regularly, hydrate well, and rest often.  The weather is supposed to be in my favor, with high projected temperatures of 80 degrees.  I can't remember when high temperatures have been that low.

I may take a day of rest there.  It will likely be several days before I can update this journal again.

Will McMahan