Started the day in Greenfield, IN just east of Indianapolis headed west on I-70. Drove through Ohio and just west of Wheeling, OH found what I thought to be a most excellent shortcut via 250 South.

Got lost in the Bellaire, OH area and ended up on a small, narrow, twisty road called Highway 7. The great, twisty road with both decreasing radius, off camber corners and elevation changes made for a needed break for the Interstate. Unfortunately average speed was way down with numerous small towns on the way.

Shortcut took me over 2.5hrs to cover what shoulda taken less than 1 hour on the Interstate, but any motorcycle trip, heck, life in general is about the journey, not the destination.

Got back on the Interstate south of Morgantown, West Virginia and continued east. The highway climbs several peaks as it wends its way through WV and into Maryland and the weather conditions were cold and foggy, like thick, dense impenetrable fog.

The highway turns into 3 lanes during some of the steep ascents to give truckers who hafta gear down a lane to drive in with their flashers on. At one point visibility was maybe 100 feet, I was doing 40 MPH in the middle lane when out of the fog materialized the back of a semi trailer doing 15 MPH. I did a panic lane change to the left, hoping no one was there. Not 10 seconds later ANOTHER semi appeared in the fog in the left lane! 3 trucks at a crawl taking up all 3 lanes. Bastiges!!

I’ll need a factory reset on the sphincter it slammed shut so hard! I think I squeezed out a liter of handlebar juice too I gripped them so hard! There was some yelling, and a lot of profanity too!

The fog dissipated somewhat as the elevation decreased, but the sun was setting fast behind the hills. I make it a point not to drive after sundown if I can help it. Our highways during the day become critter roads at night when they flock to them because of the release of the heat stored during the day. There were numerous signs indicating deer and moose transit zones. No, they aren’t waiting for a bus, they are crossing the Interstate. Luckily I didn’t see any, but the shoulders were full of road kill.

Was shooting for Cumberland, MD but when I got there I missed the first lodging turn off. I took the second but ended up in a sleazy part of town with 2 ****** motels. Tried to get back on I-68 but was confounded by one-ways. Eventually ended up deep in a residential area. Stopped to ask some locals at a gas station how to get back to the Interstate. As luck would have it the guy I asked was headed that way. I followed him for 15 minutes through a complex series of twists and turns. If it wasn’t for him I’d still be in Cumberland. I’d never found it on my own!

Got back on I-68 eastbound and figured I go to the next town which was Hancock, MD. Took the lodging turn off and ended up in the parking lot of a tiny motel. Asked the innkeeper if they had WiFi in the rooms and got a blank open jawed stare. Left and tried to get to a Motel 8 sign I saw off the highway but ended up back on the Interstate, WESTBOUND fer Chrissakes!!

Had to drive about 10 miles before I could turn around and come back in to Hancock. Got to the Motel 8, a real dive, but they had a room, sadly no www, but I was done for the day. Soaking wet from the fog, and bone weary from the 850+km day. Got me some Hardees’s and went to bed.

Greenfield, IN to Hancock, MD (860 kms with ‘shortcut’) The bonus is that I am only 80ish miles from DC.

Talk soon!