July 19, 2013 – Day 59 Today was the forty-eighth day of riding. We rode from North Bend State Park, WV to Fairmont, WV. I went 71.05 miles with a 2559 elevation gain. The average temperature was 86.8oF (without wind). Today was Rick Lott’s first day! We rode on the North Bend Trail again. We went through 6 tunnels. The longest tunnel was 2297 feet long. I do not like tunnels for future reference. The longest tunnel was beyond foggy, wet, and slick. We were nearing the end and the light at the end of the tunnel was so foggy that we were debating if it was the end. Rick is an animal on a bike. I was breathing hard up some hills and he was just talking away with no difficulties (and I have had all summer to prepare.) So far 3130.5 miles with 6 more days to go!!! We rode on Highway 50 for awhile. It was by far the best road for the day! We stopped and waited out a storm, that we saw coming under a gas station over hang. The storm passed in about 15 minutes so we continued riding on the wet slick roads. At mile 52, I fell down going over a railroad track. Then Rick fell trying to avoid me and my bike. We are both fine with a just few scratches, bruises, and strawberries. Rick got more scraps than me because I fell on the concrete between the tracks and he fell on the pavement right past the tracks. A dump truck passed right before the tracks so we couldn’t set up to cross the tracks perpendicular which is the safer way. I tried to get perpendicular on the second track and I realized that it was a mistake as I did it but I was committed. I think I would have fallen worse if I had stayed on the path I was on though. Rick fell trying not to hit me and then trying to avoid my bike. We both hopped right up, due to the fact that the traffic on that road was bad. After that, we continued on pedaling. I think we were both feeling the ruts and bumps a little more then. We got back on a trail which was gravel for four miles and pavement for ten miles. We enjoyed the pavement and didn’t enjoy the gravel. The bikes are VERY MUDDY. I had a stick stuck in my front gears, hub covered in brown mud, and brakes covered in guck. We took the bikes to a car wash to clean them. We are staying in a hotel due to no campgrounds in the area with a shower. Rick and I both need more than a shower in the TV. We are too covered in mud, dirt, and grim. Hence we are in a hotel. Well off to dinner …
Posted on: Tue, 23 Jul 2013 12:44:17 +0000
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