Tuesday 7/24/18

Melvin to Lookout

Had a good night's rest on the air mattress that Joyce and Ray provided me. Calvary’s Hope Baptist Church was very quiet. I woke a bit late at 0700. It was cloudy so not enough light to wake me. I had my usual oatmeal and coffee but made in the convenience of the church kitchen. I packed and before leaving, went to the parsonage to thank Ray and Joyce. I also passed along an Enlace brochure.

Again I went by the German Shepard who tries to chew the rear panniers off and started back up the hill where I had left off yesterday. Coming down I heard grating when trying to brake. The hills are steep and the road wraps around the hill so there is short line of sight. Loosing control at speed could mean shooting over and down a couple hundred feet of Boulder strewn hillside.

At the bottom was a church with a pavilion I could work under in shade. Looking closely at the cantilever brake shoes, I decided I could remove the brake pad holders and then swap pads between sides. This allowed me to use what little pad remained. With a hundred miles to the Damascus bike shop, I think this will work if I limit braking. So not only walking the bike up steep hills, but down also. The last big hill coming into Lookout I spent about 45 minutes walking the steepest up and down portion. I found pushing uphill is as hard as pedaling. About the same speed but needing a short break every few hundred feet.

I stopped at Virgie for groceries. The information for Lookout said convenience store. I wanted to eat better than gas station food. There was the weight penalty on the last hill but such are my priorities. I got 3 large baking potatos, a green pepper, a tomato, a cucumber, an onion, a box of granola bars, 8oz of extra sharp cheddar cheese and a ripe pineapple. I could not pass up the on sale 89 cent pineapple!

Getting to Lookout the hostel was right on the route. Not impressive on the outside but very nice inside. A lot of community outreach being accomplished with clothing distribution, a food pantry and hosting touring cyclist. A very functional kitchen, restrooms with showers and a very comfortable sleeping room. For my supper I used the stove top and microwave to make twice baked potatoes. Way better than gas station pizza! The pineapple I cleaned and shared with Alice, Greg and granddaughter Kelly who supervise the hostel. Since it seemed I would be the only cyclist tonight, fiber of one whole pineapple would be a bit much.

The new plan is to ride shorter days since the steep hills are considerable work. From trial and failure I have learned that 62 is not 22 when I last cycled thru the hills of Kentucky.  Tommorow the goal is 60 miles to the next hostel at Rosedale.

Days miles about 25 with time taken for brake repairs and walking the steepest portion of hills, up and down!