South into Pennsylvania...

MikeO

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Dereham, Norfolk, today...
27th October

I spend most of the morning filling out the application form I got the other day, then faxing the 14 pages back to the UK, before posting the hard copy at the local Post Office. I then contacted the shipping agent at JFK who I’ve decided to use and arranged to have the Adv shipped home on the 4th November. Which means I’ve got a week’s riding left in the USA.

With this sobering thought in mind, I pack the bike and I’m on the road just after 1130. I’m following a route I planned last night – it generally heads south, but stays on back roads. I’ve no particular target for tonight – I’m just going to spend the day riding…

Managing to avoid the 24hr Tim Horton’s opposite my hotel…

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…by a supreme act of willpower, I head down the Zoar Valley Road, which turns out to be poorly surfaced and extremely twisty. It’s nice to spend some time concentrating wholly on the road ahead – it’s also good to concentrate on something other than my imminent return to unemployment in the UK.

The road eventually leads me alongside the Allegheny Reservoir, which, whether by drought or design, is very low at the moment…

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As I continue south into Pennsylvania, I find that some of the roads I’ve programmed into Bettie are unpaved – thankfully the last couple of days dry weather means they’re no drama to negotiate…

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…the sun, already low in the sky at mid afternoon, tiger-stripes the road surface with shadows.

In the sunlight, the slightly warmer weather has produced a plague of Ladybirds (called Ladybugs here) – they clatter against my visor and helmet as I ride through them. They seem to congregate mostly near water…

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As I come through Miola, I notice someone’s protest against the USA’s stance on abortion…

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…there are 4000 crosses planted on this lawn – the same number, according to the sign, of abortions daily in the USA. It’s an arresting display…

I’m feeling quite tired and decide to find somewhere to stop for the day – Bettie finds me a room in the Holiday Inn at Clarion. There’s no hi-speed internet connection, and only premium rate dial up, so I spend most of the evening eating, drinking & watching TV – and wasting the rest of the time…:D

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