Day 6: Kingston, TN to Crossville, TN

Mon. 9/3/07
47.89 mi
2,993 ft cumulative climb
5:44 hrs ride time
8.3 mph avg
100/90/85 F

I stayed on Hwy 70E for all of today's ride.

It's been a strange day.

In my first hour of riding I experienced chills even though the temp hit 100 F. I actually felt more comfortable (temperature wise) than I had on previous days. Perhaps the humidity was a little lower. The temp dropped into the mid 80's for the last third of the ride. Nice light traffic.

This has been the most challenging day, so far. I made two navigational errors that cost me an extra 12 miles and a couple hundred feet in altitude. The first, was a missed turn where I road right by the road that was to take me up onto the plateau. The second, I neglected to check my GPS mapper for the hotel location as I approached town. I road too far into town and had to ride back a few miles toward the interstate. Lastly, I almost wiped out in a turn, about a half mile from the hotel. It started to rain and the tire was going flat. I pumped it up and rode the rest of the way to the hotel. Today's hotel, a Super8, is as nice or nicer than the last hotel, priced fair too. I walked next door for a Mexican dinner of fajitas and a shot of tequila. All was nice except for being overcharged. I'm glad I double checked the menu, that saved me a few bucks.

A park on my way out of Kingston

Just a bridge a not too far from the park

I've never noticed signs like this before. I saw lots of them on my trip.

100 degrees and I was experiencing chills.

Coming up on the Cumberland Plateau. That hill in the distance is it.

The worst of today's climb is behind me now. I just peaked a long steep run. I did run into a few good hills past this point but not like what I just came up.

Looking off a bridge

The sign here says I'm crossing into Central Time Zone