Temp at departure: 62 degrees

Wow, what a day! The rhythm of the road is starting to set in. By the time we get to the end of the day, we have to sit down and remember all that has happened. Today was no exception.

We left our motel room in Columbia, TN around 8:00 A.M. headed in a general southwest direction. Selmer, TN was our destination.

The land continued a rolling hill pattern. Fifteen to twenty miles out of Columbia, we came upon a wagon carrying several Amish. We started passing their farms and continued to pass them for the next 30 minutes. In several areas the people were "bringing in the sheaves".

There were many instances where we wanted to stop and take pictures, but we felt like intruders, so our photography is limited! We began to feel like we were in the movie Witness.

Every house seem to have a sign advertising various items for sale, mostly jams, jellies, quilts, peanut brittle, and even wood planing.

Seeing them seem to raise more questions than anything. For instance, do they make their own clothes or does somebody supply them with the standard blue shirts and pants. If they don't make them on their own, we need to get into the Amish clothes business. I think we'd make a killing!

 

I assume they are Christian, but what brand? I think they are Protestant, but I'm not sure. If anybody knows, please email me and tell us!

In late morning, the hills began to deminish and the land started resembling land at home: pine trees, a little clay, and flat land in many places. Unlike home, rocks are still in abundance. Almost all creeks have pebble bottoms or solid rock bottom.

Gravel roads were becoming more prevelant. At one point, we had been traveling on a gravel road for several miles. The road followed a creek. Naturally, the road crossed the creek. When we came to the crossing, we saw that there was no bridge. Also, the bottom, at the crossing, was solid rock. From reading web sites from earlier rides, I knew that these solid rock creek crossings were very slick. I told Meredith to stop and let me cross first.

I'm not sure at what point the wheels on my bike stopped touching the ground. All I can really say is that one instant I was upright, and the next instant I was sitting flat on my butt in five inches of running water. I tried to stand, but the bottom was covered with algae. The first time I tried, I slipped and fell again.

By this time Meredith had waded out to help me. I knew that picking my bike up would be a challenge. On our first attempt we raised the bike maybe halfway and, all at once, all four feet were out from under us. So, there we were, both sitting butt down in the middle of the creek!

Several minutes later we realized we weren't getting the bike up without taking all the luggage off. So, all the luggage came off. On our next try we were able to get the bike up. Luckily, it fired off fairly quickly. I put the bike in gear and Meredith stayed on the opposite I was on. It was all we could do to keep our balance while we guided the bike out.

By lunch time, we were starving and came to the "town" of Olive Hill, TN. The town of Olive Hill consisted of a store that seemed to have been built before the Depression, and nothing had been improved upon it since. Upon entering, we saw they had one rack of chips and a two coolers of drinks and ice cream, oddly enough.

I thought we were out of luck, as far as lunch goes, when I noticed a sign over the cash register annoucning they made sandwiches. The lady at the counter asked what we kind we wanted. We both said turkey. She scurried into a room in the back and came back out holding all of the fixins for our sandwiches. She then proceeded to make the sandwiches on the counter right by the cash register in front of us!

 

In the corner of the store was a table where we could sit. After she had made us our lunch we sat down. I noticed a Star magazine and ash tray sitting at the table. Several minutes later, she came over and sat down and started reading the Star.

We had a nice conversation while we ate.

After leaving Olive Hill, we crossed the Tennessee River. It was much larger than I expected.

We arrived at Selmer, TN around 5 P.M., and are now in the Super 8 Motel.

We're bone tired, but loving every minute. Tomorrow we plan on visiting Shiloh National Battlefield, and enter Mississippi. I hope it's as eventful as today. Well.....maybe!

See you down the trail!

Money spent: $112.78

Daily Mileage: 198.46

Total Mileage: 571.16

June 7