* * * * * * * * * *
After a rather interesting evening - night - morning mingling with the crews of West Virginia Paving Company...where I was allowed to assist - by holding the flashlight for Eddie to run tests on his Paving Machine Heaters - and given food and drinks, including a huge breakfast...SAM and ME continued our walk and roll West on US 60.
Fog covered the surrounding farm lands until just before noon. The landscape was of continuous rolling hills...up - down...up - down...but none of the steep long hills waiting beyond the town of RAINELLE, West Virginia...our destination for today.
In some locations fog was extremely heavy and thick. All vehicles on US 60 used their headlights...as did SAM; yes, SAM is equipped with both head and tail lights...allowing us to obey the rules of the road.
Not to miss an opportunity, I, of course stopped to chat with the cows...this fellow bellowed as SAM and ME walked away...really feel he was enjoying our conversation.
SAM paid her respects to a local fogged-in church.
West Virginia has a large number of these "info-signs". Not all have been included here...just a tongue wetter to show the lay of this historic land.
There are no really big difficult hills during our walk and roll today. We did however, encounter a number of significant hills to remind us that we are in West Virginia...and toyed with our mettle to get prepared for the "big push(s)"
Together with dozens of logging trucks trundling back and forth over the narrow US 60, are a number of "dump trucks"...both single units and 18-wheeler Semi units. The above photograph is one of the destinations of these dump truck...a massive open pit gravel pit.
A number of ranches have eye-catching art leading to impressive homes atop the never-ending hill tops.
The hills are becoming taller...the roadway becoming more challenging for SAM and ME.
Appears the West Virginia Department Of Transportation - WVDOT - had some fun designing and building this stretch of roadway wiggles.
This is the namesake church SAM BLACK CHURCH. It is also the name of the small village where US 60 crosses over Interstate (I-64).
Destination of many of the dozens of logging trucks SAM and ME must constantly dodge...a VERY large Log Distribution operation.
On our way to Rainelle, SAM and ME pass through RUPERT, West Virginia.
Wish to say "thankyou" to a certain THERESA, with whom I had a somewhat short chat while downing a cold power drink...Theresa, I felt, had something important to say, but did not get it out. If you read this, Theresa, please accept my gratitude for the $20.00 you handed me as we hugged and said good bye.
After a lengthy day on the road, SAM and ME finally reach our destination, RAINELLE, West Virginia. Here, we have taken a room in the Rainelle Motel...a low budget - but serviceable - motel. There was, however, no Internet service to allow us to update our blog...i.e., this late posting.
Please say HELLO to Mayor "Andy"...Mayor Andrea J. Pendleton. Mayor Andy caught up with SAM and ME after we had already walked out of Rainelle the next morning...no one walks through my town, says Andy, that I don't chat with first.
From the town limit of Rainelle, our first long 8% hill rises...to be followed by another before reaching our next-day destination HAWK NEST STATE PARK.
This is the area I have been most concerned about...could I or could I not push SAM up miles and miles of 8% hills...only to fight to hold SAM from running away down the other side of the steep hills.
...but that is a tale for tomorrow...
1 comment:
Please try to cut down on the heavily iced drinks. I believe that was the cause of some of your trouble earlier. Very cold drinks on an over-heated and over-exerted body can create havoc. Also, try not to drink a large portion at once. Drinking smaller portions of non-iced water more often is more beneficial.
Post a Comment