July 18, 2024 – A Doppelganger and a McDonald's Prayer

    A lady--a career teacher here in Kentucky--prayed for me. She told me her nephew was a triathlon ironman. Unfortunately, he was hit by a car; t-boned to be exact. He wasn't killed, but now he is permanently crippled. I think she told me this to warn me and keep me aware of the dangers of riding a bicycle on the road. I pray to the Lord, that He will keep me safe on this journey. My life is in the drivers' hands, my own hands, but ultimately in God's hands. I pray that God delivers me with no serious or mortal injuries. I pray that I complete this journey with success and in good health/standing in both mind, body, and spirit.

    I digress. In Ashland, I was going to get on Kentucky State Road 23 and head to Portsmouth, Ohio, but the traffic on the road was too heavy with no bike lane. So, I cut across the Appalachian Mountains into Flatwoods, Kentucky. It started raining just as I made it down the other side of the mountain. I stopped at an Eagle Stores gas station. The C-Store is managed by a local young man named Justin. He told me about riding a bicycle as a little boy to Argillite and Greenbo State Park, which is just about five miles down the road from the gas station. He grew up in Argillite, and he has come back to take care of his grandmother in her old age. He was a very kind and friendly fellow, and he gave me accurate directions to the small village of Argillite.

    While I was at the gas station, waiting outside under the awning for the rain to pass, two fellows came up to fill up their work truck: J.D. And Brett. I told them I was riding my bicycle across the country, and Brett asked me if I was sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I told him that I was sharing the Gospel whenever the Lord gives me an opportunity. When I said that, he reached into his wallet and gave me a $20 bill. He said this world is terrible place, and he can't believe what the world is coming to. He said that more people need to share the Gospel. Brett and J.D. must be very strong and good Christian men. I pray that the Lord uses them to bring many people to the Lord Jesus Christ. Brett lives in Grayson, Kentucky. J.D. was picked up by his girlfriend, but I am unsure where he lives. J.D. Looks like the spitting image of Chris Drummond (a friend of mine in Pensacola, FL). They even have the same mannerisms and southern drawl. They look very similar in the face, and the same body type and height. Both Chris and J.D. Have very prominent similarities, indeed. Brett and J.D. both left; they got off work as HVAC technicians. The rain stopped. Justin called me 'bubby', and we both said farewell. Then, I rode over the rolling hilly road to Argillite.

    Argillite is a very small community. I almost wouldn't even call it a village. In the community there is a community worship center, a few houses, a general store, and another store that may be closed down. Also, there is an Argillite post office just down the road. I was looking for a place to sleep. I looked around. Then, I looked to the cloudy, dark-gray sky, and I realized more rain was coming. I walked down the street to the store to throw some stuff away in the trashcan, and when I was walking back to the community center the rain gradually starting falling from the sky. I took shelter under the small front porch awning of the community center, and then it started pouring. The rain let up off and on, and the next thing I heard was an ambulance siren. The ambulance drove around the block. Then, a policeman in a truck drove by with his siren and lights flashing. Could it be an escaped fugitive, or a criminal on the run? My educated guess is most definitely. I could hear the sirens in the distance, and they continued for quite some time. When the rain let up a little more, I decided to walk around the community center to see if there was a spigot to fill up my water bottles with water. I didn't find a spigot, but I found the fugitive's sweater and a bag of goody's (a Twinkie, a honeybun, a small pack of Chips-a-hoy chocolate chip cookies, and a small bag of Ritz cheddar cheese sandwich crackers). He discarded the aforementioned items around the back of the building. My lucky day. I took the fugitive's bag of goodies and ate them that night and as a breakfast snack in the morning. Maybe I should have left the bag there, but I took advantage of the delicious opportunity that lay before me. And besides, if the fugitive comes back for his goodies, I would be more than willing to pay him back or buy him more goodies from the general store.

    The rain drizzled throughout the night. And boy oh boy, Argillite is a bustling miniature village. I bet 30 or more cars drove by the community center and the general store from 9:00pm-11:00pm. I can't believe how busy Argillite was. Argillite is very popular place. It must be a popular drive-thru for the locals, or possibly have the nearest general store. The general store was just as busy as a convenient store in the heart of Atlanta. My mind was blown, and I couldn't get any sleep until all the traffic commotion subsided. I finally fell asleep laughing madly at the strange, ironic situation in the middle of nowhere, Argillite. I woke up off and on, half-worried by the prospects of a fugitive jumping me in the middle of the night, half-awake from the eerie Argillite traffic. I didn't get much rest.

    I mounted my bicycle in the morning after waking up. Someone woke me up by shining their headlights on me for at least 20 minutes, until I finally got up and started packing my gear. I got everything loaded up, ate the criminal's honeybun and started pedaling to Warnock, KY. I was dead tired, and I was about to fall asleep while pedaling. I was tempted to pull over and take a nap after riding just a few miles down the road. I forced myself to keep going, and I ended up at Webb's Country Store near Warnock, KY. I was greeted by a man named Boyd Wolf. He was an older fellow, in his golden years. He still has fun riding dirt bikes in the mountains. He messed up his knee a long time ago from a dirt bike accident, but he still loves to ride. He told me that both of his sons are very successful. One is a half-owner of a bridge construction company. The other is some kind of engineer making great sums of money at his job. His grandson is training to become a professional dirt bike racer or possibly even a trickster. I wished Mr. Wolf the best and said God bless. He drove off into the Kentucky mountain wilderness.

    Then, I went into Webb's Country Store. I was helloed by the manager of the store. Here name is Mrs. Winnie. I introduced myself to her and told her about the adventure. She was a very sweet lady, also in her beautiful golden years. She offered to cook me a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich, and I joyfully obliged and thanked her. I picked out some other goodies (Celsius energy drink, pack of Reeses Pieces, a Zero bar, and a caramel apple Cow Tail). The sandwich, the candy, and the drink were awesome! I bought another Celsius beverage and another pack of Reeses Pieces. I partook and then took a picture of Mrs. Winnie standing proudly in her store. Mrs. Winnie blessed me with her kindness and cooking. And like magic, I was no longer dead tired and ready to ride! I said farewell, and rode on down the road...I took Kentucky Road 1 west to Kentucky Road 7 through Warnock and Kehoe. Then, I got onto AA Kentucky Highway 9. I've taken KR-9 up to Vanceburg. I'm taking a break in a McDonald's that is connected to a Marathon gas station.

    While I was waiting on my order, a woman briefly spoke with me concerning her nephew and her career as a school teacher. When I began eating my food, she came over and asked to pray for and with me. I obliged her, and she prayed for my safety and strength to undertake this journey. She patted me on the back, wished me well, and disappeared from sight. God bless her, and everyone in this McDonald's/Marathon establishment. In Jesus' name, amen.