Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Huntington, WV, to Richmond, VA (Sunday, August 1, 2010)
Day Nine - 366 miles
*** I have completed Leg One of my journey! ***
Today was a pretty uneventful but pleasant drive through West Virginia, and then Virginia.
The countryside here "feels" steeped in history. Names like Monticello, Appomattox, and Shenandoah all stir something deep inside, or perhaps it's just a remnant or ghost of another memory or maybe even a past life, if that doesn't sound too melodramatic. There's something very ancient about these forests here - old growth, deciduous trees, with deep green river canyons and the most lush undergrowth all along their banks, hiding who knows what.
The vistas here in the Blue Ridge/Appalachian Mountains are stunning and surreal.
The road almost all day long, and practically the entire way to Richmond is tree-lined. Really deep, dark forests.
As we got close to Richmond, and the east coast, I thought of my late friend Brian again. The forests and trees just had that wistful quality to them....it was hard not to let one's mind wander. I wondered if he had ever driven through here? Most people's first taste of America is somewhere along the eastern seaboard....I wondered where? I was listening to "Going Home (theme from Local Hero)" by Mark Knopfler as I pondered these things.
I was looking forward to seeing Mat and Kelly, too. After all, they were about to embark on the same journey I had just completed, only in reverse. They would be coming out to California in a few weeks. I would have to recommend Highway 50 to them, at least for part of their journey, time permitting.
I was also looking forward to not driving for a few days. It is hard going. Not any harder than I thought...I kind of knew it would be a little difficult. Nonetheless, it would be nice to stop for a day or two and "recharge" the auld body.
As the road suddenly widened and got busier, I was on the outskirts of Richmond, Virginia. My friend Becky's trusty GPS was doing a good job of guiding me along the right turns and exits. As I drove along the side streets, "Turn right here," and so on, things started to look vaguely familiar - I had been here once before.
Suddenly the GPS said, "Veer right ahead, and you have arrived at your destination." I did as it said, and had a recognition of where I was: this nice old historic street in Richmond. I looked at one house, then the next. Then I saw Mat opening the upstairs window with Kelly at his side. I had arrived!
Soon enough, I was sitting in the kitchen, with the two of them and their two young boys. Wyatt, age 6, "sort of" remembered me from two years ago, although over the next day or two he would recall it a bit better. I remember how two years at that age is such an incredibly long time.
I also got to meet Arlo (16 months), a really friendly and cute little fellow. They are such a sweet family - I love you guys! And I'm stoked you'll be living near me soon in San Francisco!
Mat and Kelly are extremely busy, readying themselves for departure, while at the same time trying to finish a major remodel and construction job on their home - which they are also selling. I'm probably arriving "just" at the wrong time for them, however, they couldn't be kinder and more hospitable. I really hope I'm not in the way!
Anyway, glad to have arrived.
Rest here for a while now, then....onwards!
O'Fallon, IL, to Huntington, WV
Day Eight (Saturday, July 31st) - 445 miles
After yesterday's (and night's) terrible weather, today driving through four states was a relative pleasure. The rain held off (almost) the entire time.
I'm glad I pushed on last evening, and got to the other side of St. Louis, even if I didn't get pictures of the "Arch" and the Mississippi.
Today started with a gas fill-up and more (slightly crap) food. I ate well last night (Friday) night though. I found a Chevys Fresh Mex (it actually isn't that bad). They had fresh salmon and lots of GREEN vegetables. It was almost like eating the elixir of life! Continually eating bad road food must be really bad for you if you kept doing it for a long time. I'm starting to think of stopping at supermarkets and making/bringing my own food.
Shortly after leaving O'Fallon, my beloved US-50 branched off again, at Scott Air Force Base. This time I had had to bid fond adieu to it, as I was heading further south for Richmond, Virginia, and Highway 50 would be too far out of the way. I resolved to join up with it again when I would head north out of Richmond in a few days. I am determined to see the Atlantic Ocean in Maryland at the other end of the road that served me so well, through so many open spaces and small towns, as well as bigger cities along the way.
I drove on through Illinois today along Interstate 64, then southern Indiana, and crossed the Ohio river and entered Kentucky at Louisville. Kentucky was a welcome change, and the countryside was beautiful with rolling hills, white fences, and horses. It got even nicer as I headed east towards Lexington and "Bluegrass" country.
I did the "rain dance" again, just before Lexington. I was cursing and swearing (yes, I know...hard to believe!) as I hit a heavy thunderstorm. It looked really localized, but as I was getting wetter and wetter, I decided to stop and suit up into the raingear. Fortunately, the weather today was a lot cooler - low 80's - so it was uncomfortable, but not horribly so.
No sooner had I moved off again and driven a mile down the road, than the ground turned dry again, and the sun was bright and shining. AAARGH! ANNOYING!!! I was now sweltering, and knew I'd have to take it all off again. This is the cumbersome part of motorcycling, and gets tiresome.
I drove on in the heat until Lexington. I decided to drive through the downtown of Lexington, and take a few pictures - my old girlfriend Cynthia was from here, and it seemed appropriate. I gave her a quick call, and she was slightly astonished to hear where I was!
We had now changed time zones again, and I was finally on Eastern Daylight Time. Woo hoo! Exciting, except that the day was now a little further advanced. I really wanted to make some mileage today, and still had another couple of hours to go until West Virginia. Lexington and this part of Kentucky is a really nice part of the world. Again, I could think of worse places, if I had to live away from the coasts. I got talking to a few folks at the gas station on Main Street, and they were all nice and friendly. I'm also finding, the further east I get, the more taken aback people are, when they hear I've driven from California. "You've driven from where? On a bike?!!"
It was getting cooler as the evening wore on and I headed up into the Cumberland Plateau and the Appalachian Mountains. Rain looked like it "might" happen, so I stopped (again) and suited up. This gave me the added benefit of warmth, as well as coverage if it did rain (it didn't).
I arrived in West Virginia, and took the obligatory photos at the welcome area. The accents of people were really starting to change now! I pulled into the town of Huntington for the night. Normally, I would get accommodation first, but tonight I needed food. Trying to avoid the usual burger fare (and the risk of developing scurvy!) I opted for a Wendy's Pecan Salad with a baked potato. It's actually passable. I got talking to an older couple next to me. They were in their car, but were fellow motorcyclists as well, so we talked about being out on the roads. They warned me that there were a lot of deer on the roads in this area, something I'm very conscious of after the "deer miss" back in Nevada on the 2nd day. They were also not the first people who made disparaging reference to Nancy Pelosi when they heard I was from San Francisco. She is not my favorite person, but rather than agree or disagree, I kind of kicked that can down the road (not unlike a politician themselves would do!).
I then decided I'd better check into the Super 8 Motel up on the hill. It was at this point that I found out that there was some big convention/gathering going on down the road in Charleston, WV, and that everywhere was booked out! It was also a Saturday night. The guy at the Super 8 was very sympathetic, and said that if I'd got there an hour or so earlier, he would have had a room. I was sorry I stopped at "Chez Wendy's" first.
I tried another few places, and got offered the opportunity to sleep in a room with a dog - the lady working at a Days Inn about six miles further on in the town of Barbersville took a bit of a shine to me, and said I could sleep in this "spare room" if I didn't mind sharing with the dog. I considered it, but the whole thing was starting to look a bit weird, so I decided to look around a bit more first. It was also getting a bit late, like 1AM, so I was "almost" desperate. I was considering her offer, as well as considering pitching my tent in some trees by the side of the road somewhere.
I finally found a place, not part of a chain, that had ONE ROOM left. The room was still being remodeled, but at this stage I didn't give a rat's behind as long as there was a bed to lie on. I fell asleep to some christian rock music television station. It was all a bit surreal.
(There was no internet either, so I'm only getting this posted now - Tuesday, August 3, 2010)
Hopefully, get to Mat and Kelly's in Richmond tomorrow.
Onwards!
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