Day 2 Deep In The Mountains

Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.

Rob From Rob’s Garage again…

I left Ashland Kentucky at about 9:00 Am.

I headed down Rt 60 W because I was told the night before that Rt 23 S was a dirty road, covered with debris from the coal trucks. About 1/2 an hour into the ride I hit Grayson Ky. I stopped to review my notes and check my handy map of North America to find that I had severely overshot my target and rather than back track 20 miles I chose a different route.

Almost immediately the road got better the first stretch of route 1 S was a nice, shortly after that I turned on Route 32 W and had a spectacular ride over a series of small mountains. Lots of curves, climbing and descending mostly in peace. Only a few local drivers who knew the roads intimately wanted to pass.

One of the things about being on a motorcycle is that you are a part of whatever current weather condition exists. The day started off chilly so a extra layer was required but other than that it was a perfect day for a ride. I made it to Morehead Kentucky in time for lunch. Surveying the map I realized that I did not have a plan for the rest of the day. I really should be starting to head north again but wanted to get into the more mountainous areas first.

I decided to just go with the flow and chose a road that cut through the mountains. After gentle sweeping turns for hours I stopped for gas in Sayersville and consulted my map. It was time to choose a new road and destination. I headed towards Pikeville which is at the southeastern tip of Kentucky. All of the sudden I started seeing signs for Elkhorn City. What an awesome name for a city! I knew that it was to be my destination for the evening just by the name. Elkhorn City had to be a metropolis, It sounded like a place that people would flock to.

I was totally wrong, as I left Pikeville I turned on my GPS to look for lodging. The closer I got to Elkhorn City the further back the GPS needle pointed. There was no sign of lodging and by now I was worn down and had no interest in back tracking.

After a quick stop in Elkhorn City (podunk) a couple of good old boys steered me up the mountain to a place called the Breaks, the Breaks is a whitewater rafting area and the only lodging was a 1950′s motel. I felt as though I had traveled back in time. Opening the door to my room I felt that I must have stepped into a time warp. The only thing missing was a black and white TV.

Upon arrival the first thing I wanted to do besides for relax and enjoy a beer was to call my wife Barbie to talk with her about the last leg of my ride. Only to find that I had no cell phone service.

If I cannot connect by phone I certainly can connect with Facebook! I finally made it online using the password Gunsmoke8 to find service as clunky and  as slow as dial up. I did manage to leave Barbie a message and also asked a personal friend to call her and let her know that I was trying to reach her. Duane called and got her voicemail. Shortly thereafter much to my dismay my internet connection disappeared and I was never able to re-establish the connection.

The one thing that struck me is that we are only as technologically advanced as satellites and electricity allow us to be. Just when you think you have a fail safe you step into a southern time warp. What we take for granted is a modern convenience when it is functional. Otherwise these hill folk don’t expect much and they aren’t disappointed when shit doesn’t work!

Stuck in Podunk with no connection to the world was not what I had envisioned for myself on a Monday night.

After a dinner at the Bridge View restaurant directly across the road from my motel my final question for the evening was ” where’s the bridge” only to find that the bridge has been under construction for quite some time and is slated to be competed in 2015.

This concludes day 2…

Vision Quest 2013

P.S. Did Ya know that you can open non-twistoffs with a door latch?

Ingenuity is the mother of all invention!

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