July 31, 2021
Day 16 - last night on the road. Tomorrow I hope to meet my wife in Hot Springs
Today was book ended by meeting people I met on earlier versions of this tour. My day, after a Big Breakfast at McDs, started with riding to the hazardous cargo escort waiting place at Cumberland Gap. As usual, since it had been over two years since I'd been to the KY hazardous cargo escort waiting place of the tunnel, they had changed the setup and it was quite different from the current setup on the TN side
I expected to have to wait by a small building for a truck to be called to come get me. Instead, the trucks were already waiting and, as I rode towards them, one of them backed up to meet me. The driver and I recognized each other from multiple time when he had helped me get my bikes through the tunnel, so, after I helped him a little with getting the bike in the back of his pickup, we visited as we rode through the tunnel and then for at least half an hour before we actually unloaded the bike! That visit was a really nice opening to my day and reminder that, for me, bike touring is really about meeting people on tour and maintaining relationships with them over the years.
Today had a LOT of steep climbing in weather that folks, especially old folks like me, were not supposed to out exercising in. I knew that, and could handle it, but I really could tell I was pushing my limits on several of the hills today. The worst one, as I expected, was the ride up the back side of Thorn Hill, The heat index here today was over 100 degrees. It was brutally hot and humid. As on the climb up Thorn hill, I stopped about a mile from the top - there are signs for that on both climbs - and rested in the shade for 15 minutes or so to let my body cool down.
The ride down Thorn hill was even faster than I expected, going over 40 mph in several places. This was great for cooling down and a little scary since there were places with crap on shoulders or damaged shoulder pavement that meant I had to be very watchful. When I was at the top, I took advantage of the Scenic Overlook to take a picture or two of the Cinch River valley which were really reduced in quality by the high humidity. These Smoky Mountains really were 'smoky' today and I don't think it was real smoke from big wild fires out west.
At the bottom of Thorn Hill, US 11W and US 25E, merge for a bit at Bean Station. I had been at the Budget Inn regularly on earlier version of this ride and was very fond of the people who owned that motel, so, as the last overnight stop on this short tour, I very much wanted to visit them. There was a minor problem that the roads had changed since I last stayed there so I needed to ask locals how to get there. When I did that at a service station in Bean Station, I got two very different responses.
First I asked if the motel was still in business. The middle aged female clerk said she thought it was but she "wouldn't stay there!". A man behind me said he was pretty sure it was still open and gave me local instructions for how to get there. The local part reminded me of routing instruction in North Carolina - go on down US 25 until you see a church with a cross and turn by that church to get on the old main road. Follow that road till you see the Budget Inn on your right.
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Today's ride: 46 miles (74 km)
Total: 671 miles (1,080 km)
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