Thursday, June 19 - 56 miles, 1,426 total. No cell phone service in Virginia City (pop. 130) but there is the historic library with modern computers! In my easy 56 miles today, I saw a deer and fawn this morning, as well as the regular ducks, geese, hawks, swallows, magpies, and other birds. I have set up camp 3/4 of a mile east of town at the VC RV, and the ride there tells me that the next three miles in the morning will be grueling climb of about a thousand feet.
Serendipity is a pleasant, unexpected event, that some may call trail magic, a God wink, or whatever. One such event occurred when I pulled over to a little, out of the way bakery near Alder, pop. ~116. Grandma Janette was out front painting a post, assisted by her three little grandchildren. It happened to be around lunch time and I couldn't pass up buying six of her delicious oatmeal cookies. She gave me two slices of fresh potato bread and some homemade jelly to go with my dwindling peanut butter supply. I also had a granny smith apple purchased yesterday to cap the meal. We sat under a shade tree in the yard and talked as I ate. It was a pleasant, unexpected time that I'll remember.
It turns out that she is a parishioner to the beautiful historic Saint Mary of the Assumption Church in Laurin, about a mile down the road away from Alder. I told her about the church we are building in Farragut and the similarities in style.
A few miles further down the road I had to stop and ask "Mary" if I could take a picture of her unique four story home. Her husband built the home out of a grain silo! It is beautifully decorated with planters and flowers. Remarkable. I promise a picture at a later time.
I'm heading back into this historic town to take pictures. Dinner was a buffalo burger and moose drool beer. I stopped at the VC Creamery for chocolate almond ice cream. Yummy. It's back to the camp site for a good sleep before the morning climb! Oh, yes, I learned that Eli Whitner from Knoxville (Day 20, Powell Junction) knows Debbie L. in Knoxville who I know. Small world again. That's it for now!
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3 comments:
Tom,
Every meal is accompanied by a beer it seems...
I do know that there have been a couple recorded cases of DUI's to cyclists..
As Papa Parker would say, you can never be too careful..
Hey Tom__
Great to follow your progress! We'll be pulling for you. May you have perpetual tail winds!
Grandma Jeanette's Bakery is by far the best and friendliest in the region. It should be a priority stop for anyone traveling through the area.
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