MAY 21 (WED) Biked 69 m, average 10.2mph, (3 mph to 41 mph), 6:46 min biking time

Left @ 7:00-mile 4 already took wrong turn-again by m 10-did 5 extra m!  That’s w/2 map readers.  Long climb-up at 3mph down at 40mph.  Having difficult time & 2nd thoughts.  At 30 m-stop for fried apple pie & chocolate milk-feel better.  RR tracks, flowing river, trees–Oh-Oh.  Now start climb up on gravel rd.  Need to rest-Whit bikes off-Armand is stuck w/me.  Enter Jackson National Forest-almost no traffic-see white horse & 2 buffalo.  Another park rest stop w/wooden train.  Our 60 m day getting longer-beautiful scenery.  Arrive in Paint Bank-1 grocery store & a couple of buildings. Meet Carolyn & Joel sitting on rocking chairs in front.  So glad to get off bike-I join them-they’re retired teachers originally from LA.  Whit comes out & tells us restaurant closes at 5:00.  Restaurant in back of store-what a shock!  Most interesting, unique restaurant I’ve seen on any bike trip.  Meet Mikell-manager & chef-talks for 1 hr while we eat.  Tells us billionaire couple own this & 7,000 surrounding acres, including 350 buffalo farm.  Raise most of food on menu-recommends buffalo sandwich-delicious.  Staying in $210 airstream-cheapest thing they had-bike 3 miles & gravel trail to get there.  No hot water-call & we get key to $540 a night “cabin”–soak in tub & feel like new person.  Sit out on back porch until dark & walk back to our airstream.  Short day tomorrow-maybe.

MAY 20 (TUES)  Visited Morrow family in Bluefield, WVA (friends from Austin).  Took us to lunch-then concert by Cecil (sings & plays the fiddle).  Daughter Marie gave me another beautiful necklace that she made.  Drove to Red Carpet Inn in Blacksburg-Whitney (Armand’s brother) was waiting outside.  He joined us last summer for part of our West Coast trip w/Jean.  He’s been biking 50 m a day-Armand bikes in the morning before golf-I did 2 30m rides w/Mary Ruth & 2 rides w/Armand.  I’M NOT READY.  Just got told Whit wants to leave at 7:00-never get up that early.

Long day-700 miles-did drive some-made Armand nervous.  Listened to 4 CD’s most of the way (Kingston Trio, Johnny Cash, Dolly & Charlie Pride) Bought them yrs ago-never played them & will probably never play them again.  Arrived at Super 8 around 10:00-toilet not working-didn’t care.  Armand is never going to drive after dark again.

AUSTIN TO DALLAS (MAY 18 SUNDAY)