Virginia. We're here. Saturday and Sunday 7/23 & 24/11

The last State

7/23/11
As we looking over the camp site choices in the Breaks Interstate Park in Virginia, the sky opened up dampening our enthusiasm for camping.  There is a lodge here so we checked in.  Nice room.

Note the US Flag on the porch.

This trailer is next door. Note the Rebel Flags outside and inside.  Tea Partyers??

The ride today ended 20 miles from here after 72 miles in the saddle.  These are the steepest hills we have encountered yet.  The down hill on one of them was on a 1.5 lane road with cars going both ways.  Pete had to do some fancy maneuvering to avoid one idiot.  After that incident they decided to give it up for the day, so we loaded the bikes on the car and drove the 20 miles to the park.  Tomorrow the riders will go back to the pickup point and ride back to Breaks Park where we will spend a second night.  This place has a lot of activities, so we are making it a quasi rest day.

The day started in Hazard in a rather heavy fog. The riders left later than usual to let it dissipate some what.. 
The road in and out of Hazard was heavily traveled, but it turned out alright. Much of the route today followed streams.  The valleys they passed through were beautiful.. There were many beautiful homes stream side.  There were many old junky places too.  We passed at least 2 coal mines that we could identify.

This is coal country and our bikes are covered in coal dust.

Sunday 7/24/11

The alarm went off at 6:00 AM.  Ten minutes later we heard a big boom and saw a flash out our window and the lights went out. Fifteen minutes later power trucks showed up. When I returned from delivering the guys, the power was back on.
The Bikes were loaded on the car at 7:00 AM.. The drive back 20 miles to Lookout KY took about an hour.
They rode back to Breaks by 10:15 AM.  So now we are looking to find a Church which starts at 11:00 AM. There are many, many Baptist Churches to chose from.

Lunch was in the restaurant in the park.  On the table we saw an ad for the play THE FOREIGNER at the Elkhorn City community theater.  The place held about 150 people.  The manager did a welcome and asked "where ya'll from.".  Dave mentioned Michigan.  She said where have ya'll  been in these last weeks - she had  been tipped off that we were bikers.  Dave told them to the OOHS from the mostly gray hair crowd. The play was very well done. The acting was as good as anything we've seen at the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre.

Homemade spaghetti, sweet corn, and lettuce salad for dinner.  To bed by 9:30 with plans to be up at 5:00AM.  The goal tomorrow (Monday) is Damascus VA.

Note the OPEN sign in the window. Can't tell OPEN for what?

Phil