A Monologue with the Æther

I awaken; the drunken revellers have gone. I watch the sunrise over the silent, still mountain lake. Could anything be better? After breaking camp and loading the bicycle, I head back down to US 19. The road dow is so steep that I have to hold down the levers on both brakes to keep from rocketing down the mountain. By the time I hit the bottom, I can feel the heat from slowing my decent in the brake levers that I’m holding. The day is spent mostly going up hill. In the late afternoon, I cross from Virginia into Kentucky. I’ve done it, successfully ridden across Virginia into another state. I’ve covered almost 530 miles, only 3000 or so to go. I ride on until I reach Whitesburg, KY. I find a cheap, clean, seen-better-days motels and sleep. According to the one credit card statement that I’ve been able to locate, it was called the Suburban Motel. It appears to be gone now.