Haysi, VA
August 29
The terrain changed dramatically after Berea, KY--less cultivated, wilder and much hillier, trees everywhere. The hills are very steep, I've had to walk some, grumbling and whining, of course, but at least they are short, no more than a mile or so.
It's so fascinating to see the different places that people live, and love where they are living. The eastern part of Kentucky is really in the Appalachians, and people seem to be poorer. Lots of old and rusting cars in front yards, some obviously have been in a wreck, but still lovingly given a home and mowed around. Everyone in KY seems obsessed with their lawns, which are green and velvety, and manicured to the extreme. Even the poorer homes have beautifully cut lawns, and sometimes one can see the home owner droning up and down on a power mower . Pretty flowers in yards--I saw a beautiful white house, two story, with hanging baskets of pink flowers at both levels.
Yesterday I climbed two horrible hills on narrow roads with no shoulders, not even a yellow line in the middle. Going up was awful but coming down was magical, because all of a sudden I was riding past houses just perched on the hillside, beside a tiny stream, all with these immaculate yards. I felt I was in Nepal, not that I've ever been there. (Which reminds me--in Missouri I pulled into a truck stop that made me feel for a second that I had entered Tibet--the owner had at least 6 sets of wind chimes, all making eerie tinny noises.)
Of course, tobacco is still grown but I'm told that people are turning back to raising cattle as the demand for tobacco is weakening. But people here do their best to maintain the demand--so many smokers! Haven't yet been in a restaurant with a non-smoking section, but mostly I use the smaller places. Like last night--I stayed in a "basic" motel--very clean, but towels real thin, one piece of soap, hand controls on the TV which was BLACK AND WHITE! and of course, no remote. But the color TV the night before had only one color, which was purple. But Michelle Pfeiffer still looked beautiful. So if I wanted to watch TV I had to squat on the floor to channel-surf.
The ten commandments are popular here and are displayed in many stores, also some homes.
Restaurants
The restaurant last night was right next to the motel, so after showering I
went there for dinner. It was "home cooking" and I had fried catfish,
fries and garden salad. They had apple pie and German chocolate cake for
dessert but unfortunately I was too full.
The waitress was sitting with two customers, and was chain smoking. The cook was bustling about, getting ready for the next day, then she found the time to sit and chat. It was a homey place, and they said that they have a lot of local people who are regulars, as well as travelers.
This morning at breakfast (scrambled egg and home-made biscuits) there were two men drinking coffee, and, of course, smoking, not talking but listening to other people. One man brought in something that looked like a dried root. I hesitated to ask what it might be in case it was something else, but it turned out it was indeed a root, that had taken some effort to dig out.
So now I will continue to Rosedale, my stop for tonight, all being well.
It's certainly pleasant to be riding through these beautiful, silent--except
for birds and insects--woods, and be able to peer down through the foliage to
houses maybe 100 feet below, built along a stream. The roads to these places
are so steep I cannot imagine driving up and down them. Often there are from
one to maybe five houses together. Social services must be awfully hard to
deliver when the population is so scattered.
Damascus, KY
August 30
Here I am, a jaded traveler, thinking that nothing could exceed what I have already done and seen, and then there was Kentucky, and now there is Virginia.
I climbed laboriously up a steep hill by the Big A mountain. Hill was short compared with 30 mile climbs in the west. I started in the thickly wooded hills and mountains typical of eastern Kentucky and the beginning of Virginia. Woods silent except for birds and insects, and often no traffic for long periods of time. Almost spooky, then these glimpses down through the trees at houses and yards 100 feet below, like secret dwellings. Then I began riding down the other side of Big A Mountain and it was like entering a new world. Much of the trees had been removed, possibly by the early settlers in the 1600s, I guess, so that the wonderful round shapes of the hills are plain. Some trees, peaceful cattle, some sheep, really idyllic. Yet I had to lament the cutting down of all those trees, whenever it happened.
I'm told that people here mostly work for the coal industry, either mining or driving the huge trucks. Yesterday I set out from Elkhorn City, and soon encountered the trucks. They just terrify me. They are huge and absolutely belt along. Sometimes they cannot see a mere cyclist on a curve and I'm ready to leap off--especially if I have somewhere to leap other than a 100 foot drop to the houses below. In Hasli I stopped to ponder over the map, and a man came up to help with directions. He said he used to teach, then turned to over the road truck driving (wonder why) and told me that the coal trucks would have CB radios and would be alerting each other that I was on the road, also other trucks too. He said that they were all used to having cyclists ride through their area anyway, and he seemed proud of this. That made me feel better, but I am still inclined to climb up the hillside rather than slow down one of these absolutely gargantuan monsters. He gave me good information on the route ahead--no hills for 20 miles, which was true--and said he had always lived in Hasli. Lumps of coal litter the side of the roads, another hazard to avoid.
People in VA are just as fussy about their lawns as in KY. They mow right down to the road, and even along the grass shoulders a way. If they have a meadow they mow that as well. It's a fetish.
During the ride yesterday I stopped at a gas station for drinks, etc. When I asked for the restroom key the clerk acted as if she were doing me favor. Then outside someone came up to ask where I was going, etc. He said his name was Marcus and that he was part of the construction crew just down the road. We shook hands and he wished me well. This more than made up for the clerk's rudeness.
Last night I stayed at the United Methodist Church in Rosedale, VA. They have put bikers up for years, either sleeping in the sanctuary or camping outside. It's a beautiful church and grounds. I had free use of the kitchen, bathroom and sanctuary. They have a visitor book for bikers. This kindness and trust is just awesome. The pastor's wife, Pattie, gave me a huge can of Dinty Moore stew and three bananas as I had absolutely no food. Other bikers had recently left eggs, etc. so I had a great breakfast.
Dogs
Lots of dogs in Kentucky, and many not tied up. They have come bounding across
the road at me, barking their silly heads off. One very aggressive black dog,
looking like a pit bull, actually grabbed hold of one of my
panniers. By that time I had drifted to the wrong side of the road. Then
its master called to it, thank goodness.