MAY 23 (FRI)  61 MILES  8.9 MPH 7 HRS OF BIKE TIME!! (7:00-5:00 PM)

Left at 7:00-Whit stops for coffee-I pick up chocolate milk & muffin.  Get on BREENBRIER RIVER TRAIL.  Tree covered, beautiful yellow, purple & white wildflowers, butterflies galore-follows river w/1% grade-perfect temperature.  Whit is gone-we are too slow.  All is great for the 1st 10 miles-then paradise turns SOUR.  Still gorgeous but trail is crushed stone-can only go 7-10 mph-stop for lunch.  Go down to river-Have my own rock-do not want to share muffin-the other rock person is eating NUTS.  Trail is pristine-no litter-benches about every 5 m-clean outhouses are also along trail.  We see no one for 40 m-try to bike 5 m before making another stop.  Dream about being back on mt rd w/18 wheelers-much easier than this.  Finally get to Marlington around 5:00-exhausted-Whit got here 4 hrs ago-bet he doesn’t stop for pictures.  Staying at Old Clark Inn–big house turned into inn.  Walk to restaurant down the street-sit on balcony overlooking river & watch the ducks.  Have the biggest baked potato I have ever seen-loaded w/chili, mushrooms, cheese, onions, broccoli. Change plans-bike 25 m on trail to Cass, ride train & come back here.