Wytheville to Damascus, VA

The remainder of the group split up today. Sara, Mike and Janelle will take an alternate, but parallel route and stay in Meadowview tonight. We will all join together again by tomorrow night, and maybe before then.
That left Bill and me to ride on to Damascus. Ted had sent an email to Mike and I, giving us helpful hints.


We started out of town and got breakfast. Then began the 59 mile trek. So beautiful. Hilly and long, but beautiful. We checked out the creek which ran along the Virginia Creeper bike trail. The big thing to do is to rent bikes, have them hauled to the top, the ride down. It is a rail trail, surfaced in cinders.


Although an alternate route, we did not take it.


The road was more fun anyways; top trip speed was established- 40 mph.
Found Ted at a hostel. He gave us the scoop. The whole town is very hippie. A convergence of the Appalacian trail, the AC bike trail and thrill seekers doing the Virginia Creeper Trail, the place is full of happy, if not dirty people.
"The Place" (hostel) is just a house with an honor system donation box, showers and bunks. So flop house, but pretty tidy, it is run by the local Methodist church.

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Wytheville x2 the rest of the story

Five of us decided to stay an extra day in Wytheville: free and relaxing. Ted decided that Damascus looked like a more interesting place for a rest day, so he moved on.
Bill and I scoped out the historical blgs, visited the library and then hung out with Janelle, read and slept. Mike and Sara spent a lot of time in the library and also slept. Notice that slept shows up a lot.

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Radford to Wytheville, VA 47.5

Bill and I left our wonderful hosts, Thad and Sara Lee,


and headed out for breakfast, while the others feasted at the Lee's. We were hoping to find another of those all you can eat breakfast buffets. No such luck. We ended up at BK, where Bill conned them into making him a veggieburger at 7 am. I ate a breakfast muffin and French toast sticks. It was something in my tummy. More strenuous hills, rain and then wind caused me to tire easily and I ended up drafting off Bill most of the time.
A driver almost took Bill (in the lead of course) out, by passing him and then turning right in front of him. I could not believe the manuever he executed to avoid her. He turned right with her on the tiniest slip of pavement left to him and braked. Amazing.



We are staying in Elizabeth Brown Park. There is an ampitheatre under which we hope to pitch our tents. The forecasters are calling for torrential rain, which explains the wind. Nearby is the Presbyterian church in the picture above. Notice the "skirts" on the chimneys.
We had to take sponge baths; though there were showers available, they required 3 miles of travel to a community center and cost $6 (you could use all the other facilities).
Math question of the day: if my fastest speed was 38 miles per hour and slowest was 3, what was my average? Why would this be a poor way to guage my rate of travel?
Mike's blog: http://Uncletravelingmike.blogspot.com/
Janelle's blog: janelle-c2cadventure.blogspot.com

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Troutville to Radford, VA 64 miles

We bolted pretty quickly this morning and headed to a Country Cookin restaurant, which is probably a local chain. They had an all you can eat buffet, which was welcome. French toast, salad, cheesy potatoes... I ate well.
Dropped my gloves and went .5 miles back to retrieve them. No biggie, really.
Took this picture of an abandoned silo with a tree growing out of the top. Lots of wild peas.




The goat farm was decidedly different. A few cattle and some wheat, but not too much else.


The road the route followed was obviously quite old and though the road has been widened, the bridges have not.


Several people commented that this would be the hardest day of the whole route, but that seems unlikely. The mileage and severe hills combined to make it arduous, but the group managed wonderfully. Bill absolutely shocked me. I had decided to catch up to Mike and Ted to give them directions to our accomodations. I was pretending I was a pony express pony, having a good time and riding really fast. Bill caught up with me. I still think he must have held onto someone's side view mirror or something. We probably killed ourselves, though, because after about 20 miles, we began to need long breaks. Eventually, Sara and Janelle caught up with us. We never caught Mike and Ted until the next major town's library.


Although already whipped, we took a shortcut recommended by our night hosts Thad and Sara Lee. Remember the name of the tour "an affirmation of human kindness".
They took two of us to a bike shop, helped us get pizzas and let us do our laundry.
At the pizza place, I discovered a bike brake used as a door stop.



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Lexington to Troutville, VA 44 miles

We ate at the Lexington restaurant, an unpretentious diner. They served me an omlette with fresh vegies; totally surprised me.
Lots of rolling terrain; some of the downhills brought us up the next incline.
We stumbled upon Ransone's fountain and pharmacy in Buchanan. Old fashioned and in beautiful shape, the jukebox seemed to have not been updated since 1955. Loads of Elvis, Dean Martin and such.




Janelle reminded me of a journal worthy story. Mike reported he thought he heard a turkey vulture call his name. Two funny things about this: Ted had actually called him from far off and there is a book called "I Heard an Owl Call My Name", which recounts an Indian legend which declares that hearing an owl call your name is a portent of death.
The route today crossed and recrossed the railroad today and tonight in Troutville we sleep beside it.


Troutville is a really cute small town. We are camped in the town park and there is a huge amount of activity for a Monday night. A large Ultimate game with a pretty stellar crew, basketball non-stop, many people walking the track and many families with small children.
The grocery store is small but offers a wide array of appetizing foods and the fire dept. offered up its showers.
The town parks supervisor went home and swapped his motorcycle for a car so he could take half our crew to a restaurant.
It doesn't get much better than this.

Vesuvious to Lexington, VA 23 miles

The scenery was beautiful on our way out of Vesuvious. Maybe some kind person (coughrachel), could zoom this picture in so we can actually see Bill.


Rolling hills and flat terrian were We came into Lexington really early and began looking for a place to stay. A policewoman suggested a town park and the athletic field at Washington Lee University and went so far as to call the campus police and secure permission for us. In the end, Ted opted for the park and the rest of us for the Red Carpet Inn. We did laundry and shopped in a large grocery store, then Bill and I did a half hearted walking/cyling tour.





We saw the Chapel at Washington Lee University, where General Robert E. Lee is buried. He was once president of the university. Stonewall Jackson's house is also here, and I got a brief history lesson from Bill about the Civil War. Not so civil.



There is a really nice looking health food store here, but I waited too long and it was closed. We were also joined briefly by Rick, a currently local cyclist, who did the BikeCentenial in 1976. He did go on a bit about the mountains in western Virginia. I wasn't worried about those before.
Janelle's husband showed up for a surprise visit. Very sweet.


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Afton to Vesuvius, VA 32 miles

We left the cookie lady's house as neat as we could at around 7 AM.



Uphill from the getgo, we had to climb to the top of the ridge to Skyline Dr. These climbs require my second lowest gear for extended periods of time and I thought I would not be able to do them without taking many breaks, but I do fine.







Just for you, Elliott, the terrain is downhills and long 5% grade uphills... 15 min thrills for 18 miles of pergatory.


Here is John, who outdid both Bill and I.


Sara and Janelle.


We came back down the other side of the ridge, a 3 mile steep descent. People unfamiliar with touring think this should be fun, but in fact you can't just fly down the hill, for their are wicked switchbacks and braking heats up the wheels to amazing temperatures, which can cause the innertubes to melt and pop, making you crash.
We lost John and his wife Lea. They had to return home. John was an asset to the group, so I thought it was funny when he thanked me for allowing him to tag along (not to mention "I" didn't allow him).
Janelle asked people how they were going to end this trip and Mike quipped, "I was thinking a revolver or maybe poison".
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Charlottesville to Afton (Cookie Lady) 30 miles

Massive thunderstorms rolled through charlottesville last night, but I stayed dry in my tent.
This morning Bill, Janelle and I rejoined John. Sara and Mike stayed at Chelly's house to discuss the route.
They caught up to us at a beautiful old grocery store in White Hall that opened its arms wide for cyclists. It has been in the family for (I think) 125 yrs.
Janelle joined Mike and Sara, while I continued on with John and Bill. Chiles fruit stand offered respite from the heat with fresh cherries and cold water.
Two darn good hills separated us from the famous Cookie Lady. I did manage much make it up both non-stop.























The Cookie Lady is pretty cool, through she does not hear much at all. The house is fully furnished with sofas and chairs, a kitchen and bathroom. The shower is a garden hose. First one in gets the hot shower, second a warm and third a cold.
The walls and tables are covered with memorabilia from '76 to the present. Peackocks roam freely.





Ted rejoined us and the rest arrived safely and justifiably proud.




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Mineral to Charlottesville, VA 38 miles for me

Everyone got up ultra-early to do the 59 hot miles. A shopkeeper told us he calls them the 90/90 days. 90% humidity, 90 degrees. I heard only 4 trains last night and they really didn't keep me awake.
Last night the group decided to take different routes to Charlottesville. John needs to make it to a bike shop with time to work on his bike, Mike needs a shorter day to recover a little and I decided to keep an eye on him. We took the 22 and 250. Busy with no shoulder. Whatever.
The other four went the AC route through Palmyra, which is much longer. They may visit Monticell, Thomas Jefferson's home.
In the morning, John and I asked two men at a Napa auto parts store about a breakfast place and they could think of nothing except McDonalds or Harveys. Two blocks later we found a coffee shop. John told a story about a woman who knew nothing about a town 2 miles down the road from the house she had lived in for 17 yrs.


When we got into the city, we talked to the people at the hostel, but it was too pricey for us. $200 for six of us and we would have to share beds. Instead the woman from the hostel referred us to her friend Chelly, who would host us in her yard. John arranged for free showers at a local gym (ACAC). It takes a city to support a cycling group.



We hung out on the mall until 3:30, when massive thunder storm came through. I had just started talking on the phone with the other half of the group and told them to seek shelter. So glad we didn't set up our tents.
We met two separate men (Jim and then Topher) who had Bike Fridays (Pocket Rockets, I think).


We met Chelly and her son Emerson at around 5 pm. Sweet, sweet woman; one of those people who walks the walk in a truer direction than I. We picked from her strawberry and raspberry patches, met her chickens and camped out in her yard.




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Ashville to Mineral, VA 50 miles

We lost a sojourner this morning. Our Florida compatriot decided not to continue. Many factors contributed to her decision. She had gotten seriously hurt a few months prior to departure and this made sleeping difficult and the lack of high quality foods was probably a factor. We were very sad to see her go. Probably, the ability to eat out of gas station mini-marts should be added to the list of requirements.
Breakfast was had at the Ashland Tea and Coffee Company; it was incredibly comforting. The campground host had recommended it, but John had beat him to the punch.






And here is a picture of someone who aimed the camera towards himself when trying to get a group shot. I post it in retribution for him blowing his dog whistle right behind me, which almost made me crash into Ted. See, Bill? I don't bother holding grudges.
We stopped to admire some horses and one came and leaned its head over the fence for a head scratch. I thought it was going to try to eat the banana out of my front pack, but it was very well behaved.



Dogs? Some pathetic efforts to chase were made, but one dog's efforts were defeated when he passed out of the shade while chasing, ran a couple circles and returned to the shade. When John passed him moments later, he didn't even bother. John easily dispatched another dog by spraying it with his water bottle. Wow, that dog tail quickly. Who knew?



First flat award goes to Ted. He gives new meaning to "10 minutes flat", because that was how fast he fixed it.
We made progress through the
day, but the heat and humidity took a toll on all. At Bumpass Brice Marden took photos with each of our cameras (he is second from left). He works with the USPS. So nice, and an affirmation of human goodness.



John had trouble with his derailer and as a result his max speed for the day was 29.6 but he said that was going uphill. He only thinks he's funny.
We are staying the night at the firehall in Mineral. They are extremely generous, especially since we were joined here by 25 cyclists doing the Ride Across the US for MS (fully supported - a van carries their stuff, but they do about 65 miles per day) and 2 solo riders doing the Trans Am.
Small town America, a train goes by about once every 2 hours 150 ft from our tents. At grade crossings require the engineer to sound his horn. Math question of the day: if we sleep for 8 hours, how many trains will wake us up.


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Glendale to Ashville

We left at around 7am. Other people ate oatmeal; I refused to stoop so low.






Sara and I got lost together. Math question of the day: Sara and I went 36 miles. Everyone else went 34. How many more miles did Sara and I go?
We were chased by our first dog today. It started chasing Sara, but then noticed me behind her. I must have looked tastier, because he shifted targets. I did manage to kick him in the face, not the outcome I predicted. I predicted I would fall off the bike. Michael says all the mean dogs live on uphills.
We set up our tents at around 1:30. Sara (from Thailand) says her tent is the third world style. No screen in the door, no vestibule and it cost 7 euros ($14). Everyone else had a mansion.

Yorktown to Glendale, VA 65miles

I thought it would be a simple matter to do 65 miles today, since we were all fresh, but it was not so simple. We got lost going through historic Williamsburg, which we passed through twice.
The weather was pretty nice though: about 85 and clear with only moderate humidity and light winds.
Sara talked to a guy from Kansas in a coffee shop. It turned out he and Bill have a common friend. The gentleman invited us to dinner when we get to Kansas, so of course we took down his contact info.
I did get a chance to ride with two people today and draft with them. I am not sure they got as much out of me, since I am a little shorter.

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In the beginning...

We are staying two nights in


Yorktown before heading out. Sara did some research on accomodations and found you can stay for free in a church owned house. I thought it would be bare bones, but that is not the case at all. Sheets on the beds and dishes in the cupboards. Amazingly kind.
I'm billing this trip as the affirmation of human kindness trip.
Four of us rode out to get groceries and we had a chance to compare equipment and styles. There is one recumbent (a bike which you sit on like a chair and pedal out in front of you), two Bike Fridays, one hybrid (like a mountain bike) and two traditional road bikes. Five people are carrying panniers (bike bags) and two have trailers.