June 4, 2001.
Layover in Elkhorn City, Kentucky. (4 mi.) Mile 626
At
the mercy of the weather in Elkhorn City
This
has been a discouraging day. We just made it over the Kentucky border this
morning when we were caught in a thunderstorm, the pounding rain creating
muddy rivulets down the street. We ducked out of the rain and into a haze of cigarette
smoke at the Rusty Fork cafe in Elkhorn City to study our options. Yesterday
this storm front dropped a very damaging tornado not too far away in eastern
Kentucky and a severe storm warning for this area was put into effect. Ahead
on the route we were expecting more winding mountain roads and coal trucks,
with about 58 miles to the next accommodations.
It didn't seem we had any safe options
but to wait out this storm front. Mike is also running without functional
front brakes at this time, as if brakes work well when wet anyway. He wore
through his brake pads earlier on some of the steep descents. Our son Colin is sending
brake pads ahead to General
Delivery, Berea, where we hope to pick them up in a few days. We are far
from any good bicycle shops.
We even tried hanging out in the
library to see if it would stop raining, but it was closed for recarpetting,
so we got a room in the only motel in town. It is our cheapest yet, and for
good reason. A hand lettered sign on the door reads, "In case of fire,
exit door." Got it.
We checked in and took very long naps. When we woke up, the rain
had stopped and it was hot and humid. Monster coal trucks have been rumbling
through town, and the trains running past the motel are loaded with coal. Some
of the coal trucks have names, like "Cindy Lou", and "Laura
Dean", but I do not feel the same affection for them that their owners
do.
An Elkhorn City
ordinance prohibits the sale of alcohol in the city. Smoking is another
matter. We are used to the ordinances in Washington that prohibit smoking in
public places. Here tobacco is an important part of the economy as well as a
wide spread habit.
View from the
Elkhorn City bridge
This wet cool weather has not been good for the crops, as
the corn and tobacco are "jest standin'", according to the locals we
overhear. It's keeping the insect pests down though, but one local figured his
garden was "so fur up the durn mountain that the bugs caint find
it."
We wonder at times if
we will make it to the west at this rate, but this afternoon, the severe storm
watch has been lifted for this area. Our calculations have us about 1-2 days
behind. Come rain or shine tomorrow, we will
start westward again, and deal with whatever comes.
