Backing up a bit to Friday, the 12th. We pulled into Paris KY after a good 74 mile ride from Vanceburg. Our first impression of Kentucky highways was a bit off the mark. We rode on routes 10, 9, US bicycle route 21 and US 68, with side routes on parallel local roads when that made sense. “Sense” meaning that the side roads didn’t unnecessarily take us up (a) steep climb(s) just to avoid the highway. Most of the highways had good shoulders – 8 ft with 18″ rumble strips. There was a section of 68 where the shoulders inexplicably narrowed into nothing BUT a rumble strip. After a close encounter, we pulled off and re-routed. Dana had a deja vu-back to her cross country trip through the southern KY mountains. Up-down-up-repeat ad infinitum. Even with the hills and the highway changes, the day’s weather was excellent, and the scenery amazing. I should be taking more pictures! It’s a bit hard to manage sometimes when there is a great scene, but you have the handlebars clenched tight, and the moment is gone except in your mind’s eye.

A quick one tonight because we had a late start, and were late finding a place to camp. That’s a very long story. Today we are at 77 miles and that’s before we get to our campground. Still have to get there and set up camp so it’s going to be a late night and probably another late morning.

Tomorrow we’re heading to Lexington and that’s going to be essentially a rest day for us of only 28 or 30 miles.

71.7 miles today through beautiful and mostly flat Southern Ohio, the weather was pleasant, winds low, and we made it to Kentucky!

What we miss about Ohio is the great road network, with wide shoulders everywhere, that don’t switch back to one foot to 2 ft to 5 ft; they’re all 5 ft and stay that way on the major roads.

Forgot to note our mileage today: 68.5. 

Our motel is just up the road from the Bob Evan’s farm and museum where we walked around the grounds and learned about Sorghum, Adamsville and the man himself. We also found the origin of the name Rio Grande, which we learned is pronounced “Rye’-O-Grande”. Not only do we get exercise, we get edjumacated, too! 

The weather looks dry and cooler tomorrow, so we’re going for 70 or more miles. 

So, the all-day rains never materialized, but it was cloudy and much cooler at the start today. I was glad we didn’t have to spend a day not riding. On the way out of Parkersburg, we ran into James, who had come to get his windshield replaced. Kind of freaking amazing, but we stopped at a McDonald’s parking lot and had a little reconnoiter with him, and marveled at the randomness of the universe.

We are holed up in Parkersburg West Virginia, because we dodged a bullet of, as the weather channel called it, “a torrential downpour”, by about 2 min. Wed looks like a total washout. We are currently at the Sixpence Bar & Grill. 

Getting the theme here? Ride hard, sweat a ton, then refresh and recharge.

We’re in Pennsboro at Maggie’s Bar. Another hot one, 63.2 miles, but 6 of those were backtracking trying to find a bike shop in Clarksburg West Virginia. The first place which had ads all over Google, was a house with no visible sign of life, and a worker there said they just emptied the house and the people moved next door but don’t count on it. Then we found Holy Moses bike shop, which was supposed to open at 11, but no sign of life at 11:15. And the mess on the floor of the shop didn’t inspire confidence. Papa Hobo has a shimmy in the front wheel that only becomes apparent at 20 mph, but going down some of these big hills it really becomes a shake fest. Hope to find a shop on the way tomorrow but I’ll just live with it till then.

We made it to Bridgeport WV, a bit of a shift from the original route. 48.4 miles. A ridiculously hard 1480 ft of climbing since ¾ of the mileage was on flat trails.The other quarter? Sheesh! Hot, too. BUT, this is what we love.  Popped a beer into ice at the hotel (yes, ice in beer which is already 95% water. You get used to it. It’s cold!). Had dinner at Outback as it saved a 8 mile ride to get anything else, and they had head-sized mugs! Had a great chat with the bartender, Aiana. Grew up in Germany, going to college and on to the air force. Very grounded and sharp 21 yr old. 

We are back at the hotel and crashing. Tomorrow’s ride plan will have to wait until morning.

After quite a hectic week, I’m on the road with Sarah and Matt, heading to meet Dana in Cumberland, then on to Morgantown for the cycling start. 

Thanks to Dana, Sarah, Aaron, Chris, Doris, Sally, Xavier, and Luka for their help getting my house ready to leave to my house sitters and getting all the gear ready.

Papa Hobo loaded is 73lbs, before water bottles and a few more odds and ends. That’s a bit under the 80lbs I expected, so I’m happy about that. 

More to come…