Jeremiah Watt

My camp was well enough placed on a very desolate road, but that doesn’t stop the roaming of a way ward hound at night. It was while I sat by the fire that evening that I thought I had company from some sort of critter just out beyond the glow of my fire’s light. I could here the steady rustle of feet upon the leaves on the forest floor, never too far from where I sat, but no close enough to see.


And as it turned out, it was a dog, sounded by growl and foot fall to be a fair sized one. He haunted my camp and tent all night long, I would be woke by his sniffing of my tent, and when I rolled over it would surprise him and cause a deep menacing growl to come forth in his surprise. He was there till the time I unfurled the front flap of my tent in the morning, then he departed like a wraith as I came out of my cocoon.


The morning was a wet and foggy one, I head out more or less lost, my maps certainly had not been the best guide to the position I now found myself. So, there is not much that can be done except get to pedaling. I am headed off the ridge, and down deeper into another holler, the shroud of fog conceals the brilliant leaves that form a canopy over my head, I can hear before I can see, a swift running creek somewhere below me in the holler.


The road really gets bad in spots and I opt to walk down certain sections. All totaled I rode for about 10 miles before I came to a spot that would reveal any houses, I crossed 4 single track wooden bridges over swift cold creeks, complete with very pretty waterfalls in one case. Finally I had rode enough and made enough turns that I thought I would eventually just screw myself into the surface of the Virginia landscape and remain lost forever………………but as it turned out I came to a larger road with no marking, not paved mind you, just larger so I took a hard right.


For almost three hours, I roamed in this area of heavy forest and stream, the fog gave way to a sullen sky, and what little color the trees could muster in the given light. I finally met up with a road that was paved and headed in a direction that I could find on the map. I took the turn that would take me to Lynchburg, I was in need of finding a Church for service on this day. The road is fairly hilly and with good shoulder, so I was able to make up a little time from the slower going of the morning.


The time was passing for my ability to get into a Church Service, when I seen a sign that claimed a Church within 6 miles but I felt that was to far to make it and I kept riding, but just a couple hundred yards and I seen the white Steeple for a church and made a U-turn and headed in to the Brookhill Weslayan Church. I was made welcome, and the service was one of gratitude for the Pastors whom had served. When the service was over they had a great meal sort of a Pot Luck affair. I was about to leave feeling guilty about not being a giver to this occasion but before I could escape from the parking lot, a tall gal named Barbara came over and informed me that I would be very welcome to join in the meal with the congregation. So that is what I did, the visit was great, the meal was even greater with many southern style dishes having been prepared.

By about 1pm, I was back on the bike and headed on towards Lynchburg, which was only another 15 or so miles down the road. I stopped when I hit town, because I was in need of a cup of coffee, but I also wanted to see if my Cingular would finally connect and I could make some calls, then, there was the need of another CF card as mine was almost full and I had been on a photo ration program as of the last 3 days. I finally found the Staples so that I could get a CF, and it was right across the road from a Mall and from there I could call my local Pastors son and have a quick visit.


I had all of the deeds for the day done, and it was time to hit #460 to the south towards a real famous American historical town called Appamatox. But before I could see any of the sites I would need to find a place to call camp tonight. Now that is a nice camp I thought as I rode my bike up the grade towards a small church on my right and it even has a nice pavillion to the back of it. So it is that I set up camp, a nice meal of YES you guessed it, soup and noodles and two cups of Tea.

Good Night and God Bless