No Chainsaws in Rooms

The boys seem to be coping fine with cycling over 100 miles per day in the pouring rain. I, however, am starting to see side-effects from five days of no exercise, terrible food, terrible weather and depressing motels. My average day this week looks like this: Wake up, look outside to check it is still raining, eat breakfast, do 3 hours study/work, pack up car, drive 3 hours, try to find boys, get lost, find boys, drive on to next destination, realise it is still raining, locate nondescript motel by side of busy highway, discover there is still nowhere to go for a walk, do some more work, wait for boys, eat in a dodgy diner, go to sleep.

This evening's motel, in Campton, Kentucky, is particularly awful. The sign on the lobby door reads ' NO ChAINSAWS IN ROOM'S ' (incorrect punctuation seemingly obligatory in this part of the world). The 'non-smoking' rooms smell of stale cigarette smoke, guests are handed the remote control to the TV in their room upon arrival (why? do people really steal them?) and everyone else who is staying here arrived in a large truck. I am beginning to see why there are so many suicides in motels.

I'm also finding the rural poverty we are travelling through quite depressing (I think the rain makes it all seem more grey). It is not only the terrible state of some of the houses (very few of which are brick - most are wood and some are just trailers) that has shocked me, but the obvious lack of viable businesses and employment opportunities. The supermarkets are all called things like 'Dollar Discount Store', there are very few places to eat apart from fast food joints and, when looking for somewhere to grab a coffee this afternoon, I realised today I haven't seen a Starbucks since Washington. I guess $4 for a latte is just out of the question in this part of the world. It is parts of America such as these that suffer acutely from the lack of social safety nets. At one of the run-down small town 'grocery stores' I stopped at (it sold guns, cigarettes, alcohol and not much else), there was a plastic sweet jar on the counter with a handwritten label taped onto it: 'For Mike, who has cancer and no medical insurance'. There were a few dollar bills in the makeshift collection box - a paltry substitute for an equitable national healthcare system.

Here are some of the images from today's drive through western West Virginia and eastern Kentucky:

   

Several of the small towns I drove through were completely deserted. The only sign of life in this place just outside Kermit, on the West Virginia/Kentucky border, was at a dilapidated petrol station, which is now being used by a local farmer to sell fruit and vegetables. I bought some strawberries which were absolutely delicious but, at $3 a pound, I can't imagine this guy makes much money from plying his trade.

   

Today's summary as follows:

Weather today: Rain.

Driving time today: 4.5 hours

Radio station of the day: West Virginia Public Radio. The Writer's Almanac (Motto: 'Be Well, Do Good Work and Keep in Touch') was a bit of a discovery and really brightened my day. Well, at least until the daily poem which began "Death waits inside us for a door to open. Death is patient as a dead cat. Death is a doorknob made of flesh. Death is that angelic farm girl gored by the bull on her way home from school, crossing the pasture for a shortcut...".

Distinguishing features of local town: None

Local places of interest: The Natural Bridge State Park, Red River Gorge

Fine dining experience: El Cancun Authentic Mexican Restaurant in Campton (which actually was pretty good). I vetoed the only other place on offer: Arby's.

Luxury accommodation this evening: Campton Parkway Inn

Weather forecast for tomorrow: Rain

The good news is that Campton is within a short drive of the Daniel Boone National Forest so, weather permitting, I may actually be able to go for a walk tomorrow. And at least I haven't got a bruised bottom from being in the saddle for 13 hours today. And I just took a sneak preview at tomorrow's poem from The Writer's Almanac - it is entitled "On a Perfect Day" by Jane Gentry, from A Garden in Kentucky. Things are looking up.

Comments

[Bex]

Loving getting your side of the story too! When are you home? Let's try and speak this weekend if you are back. xxx

[Marion gough]

Hi, only just realised you also have a blog!! Keep up the good work, they will be nowhere without you! Crumbs I really didn't realise that there were places in the USA with such poverty! Have obviously seen places on films. Just makes you think how lucky we are. Well one thing, you won't forget all this in a hurry!Let's hope you have at least some sunshine to brighten up the day. Hope you have something good to listen to on the radio. Well done.
thinking of you, Marion

[Etienne]

Poor you! You're the one who really needs to be encouragée!

Thanks for that great report anyway - please continue!

Etienne
(Aymeric says thanks)

[Victoria]

Chin up mate the support crew role is one of the most underrated but toughest in an endurance event! Just look at all the money you guys have raised - nearly $20k is amazing and the boys couldn't do it without you. Onward and upward regardless of dodge motels, do hope it stops raining soon though, and here's a 'No Chainsaw' photo Oz style for you in the URL - these colonials eh?! xx

[stihl chain saws]

Hey, this is fantastic looking blog..and I love the way you write! I wish I could write that well, but hey...I try. That's what counts right! TY!