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www. FavoriteRidesAndDestinations. com | ridermagazine. com
FALL 2016 ISSUE 02 / VOL. 01
Left: Appalachian trails of the paved variety offer scenic diversions like the Humpback covered bridge, Virginia’ s oldest, along U. S. 60 near Covington. Above: Riders explore Route 250 near Monterey, Virginia. Top: Virginia State Route 160 offers all any rider can handle.
“ I think I’ m lost.”
Twenty miles had passed since departing the only hotel in Cumberland, Kentucky, that had a sign hanging in a broken window that read,“ Closed.” That’ s when the thought came to mind that I might be in trouble. I’ d been traveling lonely State Route 522 for a while now, searching for a new stopping point. Shadows lengthened across the pavement as the day drew to a close, so I dialed up a little more throttle. I’ d intended to lose myself a little on this ride, but not this much.
My plan for a three-day journey through the Appalachians had already slipped from Plan B to C. Now I was on D. Slabbing it down to Kentucky, the GPS conked out. Paper maps? Forgotten on the desk at home. The backup map I’ d bought at a gas stop wouldn’ t do me much good here in Kentucky. It was a Virginia map.