WV 3 is a relentlessly curvey swoppy double yellow major road through the area bounded by dramatically steep mini mountains with countless cliff face rock outcroppings. Along it are dotted lots of small old depressed towns. There's a good amount of traffic.
Today is an experiment to see if I can do a longer day if I start much earlier. That section of my shoulder and back is already hurting so this may turn out ill advised.
I got up at 06:30, did some shoulder and back exercises, and got properly motivated to get going.
I've planned at 279 mostly back roads route through Red River Gorge and then on to a hotel in Winchester, KY. I get the impression Winchester may be a rough town based on some googling but the Holiday Inn Express I'm staying at should be fine.