The Journey - Day 10 (the Adventure)

Well today started like any other. Up early to get on the road by 8:30 so we could clock some miles and beat the late day heat and humidity. We took a quick run up the Interstate (no traffic) to Johnson City, Tennessee and then moved over to some of the bi-ways. The roads and scenery were beautiful as always.....we made a quick stop to a visitors bureau in West Virginia and then got off the highway on to a highly recommended West Virginia bi-way known as Hwy 91...destination Lewisburg, West Virginia for the night. Hwy 91turned out to be a sweet road with nice easy turns, some shade (29-31 degrees all afternoon).....like I said...easy ride until this conversation....

Cindy - "sign said gravel for 3 miles and suggests alternate route of 604"
Larry - "no I think that route is only for trucks...there's no gravel up ahead"
.....2 miles later...
Larry - " here's the gravel road...it doesn't look too bad"
.....as the gravel road starts to narrow and climb high up in the hills with switchback turns narrower than the road.....
Cindy - "next time will you listen to me?"
Larry, as he rounds a corner out of view -"oh my God, there are cows on the road!"...laughing
Cindy - "you got to be kidding!", as she rounds the same corner and catches sight of two cows, one standing, chewing on the grass on the side of the road staring at the two bikes slowly making their way towards him, the other running across the road on down over the hill....
Larry, as he is passing the staring steer....laughing.."I don't friggen believe it"..then toots his horn at the cow as he passes...
Cindy - "Don't piss him off, I still have to go by him!"

Trust me we weren't stopping to take pictures, not only was the road nothing but gravel with very little room for two vehicles and very steep cliffs (I did mention we were climbing a very steep hill with lots of turns), but what I didn't mention is that there were no houses, farms or seemingly inhabited areas anywhere. Have no idea where the cows came from, but pretty sure there was a gun totin' hillbilly in the woods somewhere...we did see one small log cabin off in the woods to which Larry suggested we knock on the door to see if they would invite us to tea, which I respectfully declined. I don't think they drink tea in these here parts lol....Halfway through the gravel road adventure I started laughing and when we reached the pavement finally, I did take a moment to thank Larry for the great adventure. Who knew that 45 minutes of terror could be so much fun...while we laughed our way through, we both confessed to having a "moment" up there on that hill....

Not sure how I will ever go back to ordinary living....a stop overnight in Lewisburg, West Virginia and off to the Luray Caverns tomorrow. Oh and we found out the deserted place has a name...it is called Aris Mountain, one of the highest peaks in Virginia and is apparently quite spectacular to see.....from the Interstate!