6/5/2022

After Jim left in his truck and trailer, Ben, George and I had some miles to catch. We decided to skip our original plan to go to the Mothman Museum in Point Pleasant, WV and instead start heading north towards Buffalo, NY so we can catch up to our day three plan.

The three of us rode some 200 miles on route 220 thru the mountains and valleys of West Virginia. This states get a lot of stigma from their poverty and cultural issues but this is one of the most beautiful states on the east coast. We rode thru lush tree covered roads, gorgeous valleys where the roads run along creeks and streams with fly fishermen casting in the distance, and mountains always in view. After a couple fuel stops and a mix of twisty roads and gentle sweepers, we arrived in Cumberland, Maryland. We grabbed dinner at a decent Mexican restaurant where the waiter told us stories of him as a kid riding a motorcycle two hours to go fishing with his brothers at 6am in the morning. We checked into a hotel, changed into street clothes and walked to a local bar and had a well deserved beer.

Here's hoping all the gremlins are gone and we can continue this trip with some good views and miles. I'm super impressed that through these last two hellish days, we were all in good spirits and constantly made jokes. Everyone understood why we're out there and what can happen. When you're on a motorcycle trip, you have to have roll with it - literally and figuratively.