Today I had big plans to get some mileage in. However those plans were quickly foiled. I wanted to get an early start but as I left my hotel room fog had settled in and I could not go far. Okay, since I can’t really go east why not get a good breakfast at Granny’s. Problem was, Granny’s was closed for the week. So I found a greasy spoon and had two eggs. When I was done the fog had lifted and I could get going. But as I started it hit me. I was not in a good place. My mind was not in it today. I struggled up hills that I should have crushed. The dogs were out chasing today. They chase and don’t try to bite and some are very fast. Faster than I can go.
Within the first 10 miles in the morning I was forced off the road by a truck. The roads are very narrow, there are no shoulders, and when going up a steep hill the cars behind must slowdown behind me or risk passing and causing a head on collision. There is usually no grass for me to step off onto either for the ditches are sharp and sudden. This particular time an utility truck was right on my tail. I could feel it and cars where coming over and down the hill I was climbing. When the land beside the road became flatter I drove off the road to avoid being rear ended by the driver of the utility truck. He was moving as fast as I was, which was not fast but he was right on my tail. Needless to say this is my first encounter with this kind of driver and the first time I rode off the road. Once at the top I pulled into the parking lot of Baptist Church to collect myself and think of what just happened. Ten minutes later two cyclists, going eastbound, pull over as well. They are a couple from Idaho riding e-assist bikes. I heard of them while in Kansas but since I have not seen many others since then I had no idea that they were behind me. After a quick chat they were off.
After 22 miles I came upon the place where I really wanted to camp the night before. The couple from Idaho were also there so we chatted more and they told me of all the cool things to do in Berea.
Okay, Berea is cool and artsy and the time went by fast visiting the various artisan villages. It was too late to get as far as I wanted to today so I called it quits and made it almost like a rest day.
Today’s stats: total mileage 51.1 miles; average speed 11.4 mph; max speed 33.7 mph; total elevation gain 3328 feet: total elevation loss 3090 feet.