Va Va Voom

Day 66

Hazard, KY to Breaks, VA

Distance: 92 miles

Doggy Doolittle: failed!

Yes, I’ve crossed the border into Virginia, the final state of my trip. 

It’s a strange feeling, a milestone of sorts, although there is still a long way to go. And tonight, after the last few days (particularly yesterday and today) I am probably as tired as I have been at any time on this trip.

Waking this morning, my body felt properly fatigued. Dog-tired. And so I gave myself a break and woke up slowly, gently. But I had a few things to take care of, which I had failed to deal with before, and they took time, knowing that I had a long day again today to complete.

The Mirror Man has been wild and crazy since “the day of the head wind” where I had a stretch in Kansas that took me two and a half hours to complete seventeen miles. Any blast of headwind, or even a mild descent, would send the mirror way out of whack. It’s been bugging me for a while now but I kept failing to deal with it.

This morning, I enlisted the support of a tube of super-glue. This substance generates an unreasonable level of respect from me since, as soon as I pull off the cap, I have a phobia that my hand will either get stuck to a phone receiver, or a piece of air-fix model aircraft will get stuck to my left earlobe. Or something like that.

So today, I gingerly pressed the glue out of the tube and doused the broken joint on the mirror. Bingo! Problem solved. And I’m pleased to report that it stuck in place.

Having one less irritant was a great way to start the day. But it wasn’t the only irritant. Given that I had stayed just off the expressway last night, I decided to stay on that road for a short time at the start of the ride so as not to have to back-track on myself

The expressway had a LeBron James shoulder (of which more below) but one that was littered with as much rocky crap as the B-side of a Status Quo record from the 1980s. And when the road-works took it down to one lane, I decided to ride away from the big trucks, finding a charming little river-side, tree-lined road for the first part of my ride.

Indeed, I had not only a lovely route, but some perfect weather. A cool, bright, beautiful day, with a “light and variable” wind. Just what you want for the meandering path I took today.

I had a lot of ground to cover and so, once I was on the road, I pressed on without delay. A quick stop for a coffee and donut in the artsy town of Hindman, and it wasn’t long before I was able to justify a BLT at Fat Daddy’s Diner in Bevinsville.

And it was after then that the climbs started in earnest.

As I was on the second climb I was cursing the guy from yesterday who told me that I had climbed the hardest hill. The one into Lookout today was a killer, sapping every bit of energy had in me, and leaving me shaking all over.

I kept plodding on, expecting another climb after that, but the climb when it came appeared to be over before it had begun. And then I plodded and I plodded and I didn’t even realize that I had done it. I kept waiting for it to appear, and when it didn’t, I was as confused as can be.

But in between, I had the dog challenge to deal with instead. Patting myself of the back for having been able to deal with several dogs today by way of my dog whispering technique, I was irrationally upset to be caught napping.

It was on a fairly major road when it happened. I could hear two dogs yapping at the top of their voices and running along a garden which appeared to be the other side of a large ditch, and so although I acknowledged them, I felt they were contained. And I hadn’t even realized that an aggressive little Jack Russell from across the street would be running along the main highway at the same time… until it launched itself and stuck its teeth into Pan-y-A!! Poor Pan-y-A, but thank heavens it wasn’t my leg.

I decided not to slow and address the dog but to sprint away instead, and I was able to outrun it pretty quickly, but I was shaken. And after climbing and sweating, found myself out of the sun and in the shade, shivering and quivering.

I pulled over a little way further on to drink from the bottles and eat from the handlebar bag goodies, and eventually I got back on the road and pressed on.

It was just before dark when I crossed into Virginia, and arrived at my motel shortly afterwards. 

No restaurant in the area, but luckily a grocery store across the road. Dinner!!!

As for LeBron James, have you seen what the Palio diet has done for him. Eating all those Findus Crispy Pancakes just for a taste of Sienese Horsemeat, labelled as beef... Let's hope the pattern is not repeated on the shoulders I encounter in Virginia. 

Another tough day tomorrow, then a rest….

Me x