July 1, 2014
Good moring followers. Today has been one of the most interesting days of my trip so far. I started in Combs and went off on my own. I was going to shoot for Berea which is about a 95 mile day. The day started great and I got over the first three big climbs and on the way down I notice my chain was acting funny. I was at about 25 mile and my chain snapped in half. I was in the middle of nowhere and nobody to be found. I would see a car every 20 minutes and I was about 25 miles to the next town. I tried to fix the chain on the side of the road, but I could not get it back together and I decide to start walking for the next town. I walked for a couple hours and rode some of the down hills. It was extremely hot and I was frustrated. I was trying to hitch hike into town because it was a long walk, but I would only see a car about every 20 minutes. Eventually, a young guy stopped with his pick up truck and said hop in I am going to Boonesville. We had a great conversation into town and he was a logger with his father. He was going to look at a truck in town and said it was not a problem. I got into town and we parted ways. I went straight for the only cafe in town and had a late lunch. I tried calling the bike shop in Berea, but they could not find anybody to get me because I was still 50 miles away.
After lunch I went to the hardware store to find a new brad to put into the chain. I was trying to fix the bike out front and some younger guys pulled up and started to talk with me. They were loggers and the guy came over and gave it a quick fix because he uses chain saws all the time and he said he has to fix his all the time. He said it would only last about 25 to 50 mile, but it could get me into town to the bike shop. It was getting late, but I decided to go for it. Everything was great for the first 18 mile and then it snapped again. I started to walk and was trying to make it to Mckee which had a place to stay and was only 25 mile from Berea. I noticed a family hanging out on the farm and I walked up to them and asked how far it was to Mckee. The man said it was only about 7 miles, but it was really hilly. He notice my chain had broken and said he was leaving for work in 10 minutes and he was going right through Mckee. He offered me a ride and I gladly accepted.
I got to Mckee at about 6pm and I was trying to figure out what to do. I found a cab company just outside Berea in Richmond. I gave them a call and bardered a deal to get me the last 25 miles into town. It cost me $75, but that was better then wasting my time trying to get a ride the next day. The cab driver picked me up and said I should go to the Richmond bike shop because the Berea shop was not a shop. They did not have my chain, so I went to Richmond. I found a cheap hotel and I am calling it a night. Hopefully, I have a better day tomorrow.
Good moring followers. Today has been one of the most interesting days of my trip so far. I started in Combs and went off on my own. I was going to shoot for Berea which is about a 95 mile day. The day started great and I got over the first three big climbs and on the way down I notice my chain was acting funny. I was at about 25 mile and my chain snapped in half. I was in the middle of nowhere and nobody to be found. I would see a car every 20 minutes and I was about 25 miles to the next town. I tried to fix the chain on the side of the road, but I could not get it back together and I decide to start walking for the next town. I walked for a couple hours and rode some of the down hills. It was extremely hot and I was frustrated. I was trying to hitch hike into town because it was a long walk, but I would only see a car about every 20 minutes. Eventually, a young guy stopped with his pick up truck and said hop in I am going to Boonesville. We had a great conversation into town and he was a logger with his father. He was going to look at a truck in town and said it was not a problem. I got into town and we parted ways. I went straight for the only cafe in town and had a late lunch. I tried calling the bike shop in Berea, but they could not find anybody to get me because I was still 50 miles away.
After lunch I went to the hardware store to find a new brad to put into the chain. I was trying to fix the bike out front and some younger guys pulled up and started to talk with me. They were loggers and the guy came over and gave it a quick fix because he uses chain saws all the time and he said he has to fix his all the time. He said it would only last about 25 to 50 mile, but it could get me into town to the bike shop. It was getting late, but I decided to go for it. Everything was great for the first 18 mile and then it snapped again. I started to walk and was trying to make it to Mckee which had a place to stay and was only 25 mile from Berea. I noticed a family hanging out on the farm and I walked up to them and asked how far it was to Mckee. The man said it was only about 7 miles, but it was really hilly. He notice my chain had broken and said he was leaving for work in 10 minutes and he was going right through Mckee. He offered me a ride and I gladly accepted.
I got to Mckee at about 6pm and I was trying to figure out what to do. I found a cab company just outside Berea in Richmond. I gave them a call and bardered a deal to get me the last 25 miles into town. It cost me $75, but that was better then wasting my time trying to get a ride the next day. The cab driver picked me up and said I should go to the Richmond bike shop because the Berea shop was not a shop. They did not have my chain, so I went to Richmond. I found a cheap hotel and I am calling it a night. Hopefully, I have a better day tomorrow.