#150a Cumberland Gap

Fleeter Log #150a

Cumberland Gap

2009 October 1-2

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                                   Day 1: Fredericksburg, VA to Wythville,VA

Day 2: Wytheville, VA to Clinton, TN

Super 8 in Wytheville, VA

Day 1 - Thursday

October 1, 2009

258 miles

Later afternoon start gets me to Wytheville for the night.

Tomorrow the fun starts when I get off the freeway and into the Appalachian backroads.

Day 2 - Friday

October 2, 2009

312 miles

See three states in one stop at Cumberland Gap. Of course to see the point where these three states come together, one needs to take the high road up to Pinnacle Mountain for the view. As I ride into town about noon, the fog is only broken up by the heavy rain bursts.

After checking in at the visitor center, I decide to head out in search of something to eat and hope the fog clears.

Cumberland Gap National Historical Park

Downtown Cumberland isn't a very big place ... population: 204 people. But, it is big enough to have a great place to eat.

Webb's Country Kitchen in Cumberland Gap, Tennessee

Sue Webb, owner of Webb's Country Kitchen

Hoping the low fog would clear out by the afternoon, I headed up Pinnacle Rd into the unknown to see what I could find.

Pinnacle Road starts out easy enough as it heads up Pinnacle Mountain.

Twisting and turning up the Cumberland Mountains as I climb higher, I hope  to be rewarded with a view of three states --Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky-- from Pinnacle Overlook at the top.

The fog thickens into a fog soup the higher I climb. Not looking very hopeful for distant viewing from the top.

When I reach the parking lot at the top, the fog is so thick that I can't even see the top of the trees.

Knowing that my chances of a great distant view are shot, I walk the short hike to the overlook anyway. Rather than cry about the loss of a distant view, I turn my lens on the unique scenes the misty fog creates along the path. It's like I am walking into an intense dramatic scene of a movie. But there was no full orchestra setting the mood with a soundtrack. Instead it was eerie quiet. No birds chirping ... not even a a breeze to rustle the leaves.

The fog was even thicker at the top. I felt that if I stretched my arm out into the expanse, my hand would disappear into the ether.

No fog filter needed for effect today!

After wandering around in the fog, I eventually left Cumberland Gap and heading south where I found TN9(US25) in the Brush Mountain Gap area.

 I ended the day in Clinton,Tennessee at a nicely updated Red Roof with a Zaxby's next door. Even though much of the day was in and out of rain, it was not a bad day at all. Nope, not at all.

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