Elkhorn City, Kentucky, to Rosedale, Virginia -- 49 miles

We woke at 5:45 am and began biking at 7:00 am. We started the day with two steep climbs around Breaks Interstate Park. This park is called “the Grand Canyon of the South” – we stopped at a few scenic lookouts to see the river gorge below and take photos. 

In Haysi, at the service station at the bottom of the hill, we met Rich Jirsa again. He told us about a shortcut that would save us about 30 miles tomorrow, and much mountain climbing. The locals warned us about one more steep climb ahead called “Big A Mountain.” In Birchleaf, Lenny stopped to go to the post office, and in Davenport, we rested and ate our lunch. Past Council, we went over Big A Mountain – about 3 miles of steep climbing. From the top, there were beautiful views of the valley below. Past Honaker, the shoulder turned to gravel and traffic increased. 

We reached Rosedale and ate dinner at the Oaks Restaurant. Lenny and Lorraine both had pork chops. The portions were too small for our big appetites. Afterwards, we continued on to the Elk Garden United Methodist Church hostel, which was another 2 miles down the road. The shoulder narrowed to 6 inches and traffic was whizzing past at 70 mph – we walked our bikes on the grass for 1.5 miles. The church is always left unlocked – bikers can stay for free and use the kitchen as well. There is a log book, where bikers can write messages, tips, and shortcuts for other cross-country riders! We left a donation for the church. Rich Jirsa was also staying there. We chatted about our experiences and the people we had met on the trip. We slept on the plush carpet in the sanctuary.