11/18 Hindman

11/18, Partly Cloud, with a little rain, from Booneville to Hindman, 66miles

I woke up 4:00a.m. and prepared for start and ate breakfast: one bowl corn sirial with a cup of hot cocoa, 2breads with peanuts butter, a cup of coffee, I checked weather forecast on TV, showed me "a little rain at morning, partly cloudy at afternoon". We started at 6:30a.m., it was still dark, sometimes big truck lighted up by many lamps passed us, there were little cars, trucks on the road. We passed downtown in Booneville, passed a few mountains and dropped by gas station in Buckhorn at 8:30a.m. In front of a gas station many cars and trucks stopped, guys took rest and talked inside the shop. I enjoyed talking to them for some time. They were very friendly and showed me a restroom, a TV room, and said to me that I can use computer here. Thought I did not use laptop, I watched TV while eating 2cakes for some time. On TV, Lady Gaga was singing.
They got intrested in bamboo bike, I was happy, of course bamboo bike2 was also happy, bamboo bike2 turned red a little. And one of the guys adviced me about the route in detail and adivised to pay attention to "Coal truck". I studied that Perry/ Knott/ Floyd/  Pike county and some couties around here are "coal county", famous for coal harvesting industry. Many coals were harvested here and carried to Kentucky, Virginia by "Coal truck". Today on the road, long and wide "Coal trucks" passed us at slow speed many times. I saw coal, black diamond full-burdened in those trucks.

We were enjoying biking at the Appalachians, uphill and downhill, it was curvy, but a fun ride for us. 

Since Rocky Mt. we have not meet such long uphills/ downhills.  On the road, we saw lots of trees, rivers, rocks, fallen leaves, fog, deers, dogs, squirrels, ravens, and heard songs of birds. Today I wore a rain jacket which Deno presented me, with an orange luminant shirt which David Cuzy presented me. These were comfortable to keep warm, highlighten us. I love these items. 

On downhill unless I wore this rain jacket, I would felt a little cold. Thank you so mcuh, Deno, David.

We arrived at Hindman,KY at 1:00p.m. Though I dropped by a campsite and Bed and Breakfast in Hidman, there were no one, maybe already closed. My cell phone was out of network around here. That was a big problem for me, cell phone was an important staff! I lent phone in some places, cafe and gas station, but there were no replies from campsite and Bed and Breakfast, Furthermore I heard that any motels in Hindman also already closed... 

I felt a little trouble but I had a mouth. 

I dropped by "Hindman human service center" near the gas station, and asked whether there were any places to stay tonight. The officer showed me one name "Mike", who worked at "Hindman Settlement School". I visited him. I met Mike and Rebecca there. They were so kind that they provided us a great room, one of the rooms of school. Furthermore I and bamboo bike2 were invited "Thanksgiving celebration supper" which was held in Hindman Settlement School tonight. 

I felt happiness, and I felt sometihing big/ sacred again.  

Because I have some time till supper, I visited a local newspaper company in Hindman, "Troublesome Creek Times". I was interviewed by newsreported with bamboo bike2 there. Maybe on next publish, our article will be posted.  After that I went to a cafe in downtown, "The Appalachian Artisan Center Shop and Cafe". Inside shop it was artistic. I could use wi-fi there and checked e-mail and ate late lunch. 

I spend a couple of hours there and after that I went to "Hindman Settlement School" to meet Rebecca and Mike. This celebration supper was tyo great for me and bamboo bike2. We had a great time with them. I talked to many people who participated in this celebration about myself, trip, bamboo, bamboo bike, neglected bamboo forests problem in Japan and Japanese culture. And I showed them bamboo bike2, bamboo bike2 also enjoyed time with them. Great foods there were in supper, chicken, beef, sweet potato, vegetables, many, many, and dessert, soft drinks, thanksgiving traditional foods. I ate too much..stick to rib..

And in this celebration I heard about "Shiitake" from Robert, which is a kind of mushroom, we Japanese often eat, tasts soft, sweet, and sometimes put into "Sukiyaki", "Miso soup". "Sukiyaki" is special dinner for Japanese, "Miso soup is one of the most traditional Japanese breakfast.

This "Shiitake" is planted in Whitesburg,KY near Hindman. This is exchanging program between Whitesburg and Toyama city(maybe), Wow, small world. I was happy to hear that and be with them tonight who enjoyed talking about Japan and thier city. Furthermore I heard about "Banjo" local music instrument, used in "blue grass music" around the Appalachians. I saw "Banjo" at Kelly and Cheryl's home, too. After dinner Rebecca showed me historical antiques in Hindman, and gave me lots of apples and 2bottles of water. Today I could meet wonderful people in United States again. I have been studying hospitality from American people during this trip. And I could touched with culture, history of Hindman, I and bamboo bike2 like Hindman.

Well...I have one problem about physical. 

Since yesterday, I had dull pain of right achilles' tendon, got a little bit swollen and turned red, the condition was too bad. I could walk/ pedal but I felt hard and dull pain. I did not know why this pain occurred.  After biking in both yesterday and today I pasted analgesic and massaged well. I hope early recovery. Bamboo bike2 will help me to pedal, I will often use the third gear (most small one) to soften the load of achilles tendon. Samurai never give up.  

After back into the room, I took a nap for some time and took hot shower, and read some articles of local newspaper and about Hindman Settlement school. Though I wrote some sentences for blog, I felt sleepy. I stopped writing blog. Inside room, I could hear hot breathe of air conditioner.

I felt warm of my body and warm of their heart of Mike, Rebecca, Jim, Robert, and the people in Hindman. I was happy. I saw outside, it was dark, some electric lamps shed light on the road. It was quiet. Trucks passed.. quiet came again. Weather forecast on newspaper showed me a good condition of /weather/ temperature/ for next 5 days in the Appalachians. Good sleep.

2010/11/18 @Hindman