Damascus, VA

Sorry, I screwed up posting this blog. I did it in reverse order so that the 12th

day is last and the 7th day is first, but you'll figure it out.

To get a different perspective of the trip and more "people" photos you shouds visti Bryns Blog: http://brynonabike.livejournal.com/ There are other blog links on the left side of this page.

Tuesday 5-11 day 7, Charlottesville to Afton. Only 29 miles today 251 total trip miles.
A short but difficult day. We stopped at Wyant's Store in Whitehall for breakfast and Chile's Orchard for the best fresh strawberry shake.  From there we struggled over the hills in the rain to Afton and the "cookie lady" June Curry is a legend for hospitality on the TransAm route. We spent the night in her hostel which is a real TransAm bikers museum. Amber took lots of photos.

Wednesday 5-12 day 8, Afton to Mallard Duck campground. 43 miles today total trip 294.

This is billed as the toughest day of the trip, it is mostly on the Blue Ridge Parkway. This is my third time cycling the Blue Ridge, and it will be my last. It is always tough and I wind up walking some of the longet steeper hills. Finished the last 5 miles in a thunderstorm. This is becoming a theme of the trip. Camped next to a babbling brook and had a good nights sleep. 

Thursday 5-13, day 9, 46 miles today, 340 total miles. Mallard Duck to Camp Bethel.
The day started with a difficult climb, but then a dream ride next to pretty rivers and streems. The day was marred only by 2 different dog attacks. Stopped in Lexington (home of VMI) for coffee and a repair to my bike shoe cleats - one bolt $1.58. The photo above os of a waterfall on the Tye River. Rain in the morning, cloudy and cool all day.

Friday 5-14, day 10, 57 miles - 397 total miles. Camp Bethel to Christianburg.
The hardest day of the trip so far. Warm humid and very,very, very hilly. Pretty country, but I was not much interested in taking pictures. Tough day.

Saturday 5-15 day 11. 57 miles today 453 trip miles. Christianburg to Wytheville.

Breakfast at Famous Anthony's was better than cold cereal. We stopped for lunch at a small country store in Draper on the New River Bike Trail. Neat place. Still lots of hills. I don't know which day the above photo was taken, it could have been any day.

Sunday 5-16 day12. 59 miles 512 total miles. Wytheville to Damascus.

There was a steep 6 mile 1250 foot climb that we were about, but I had no trouble with it. I think I am getting stronger. After that there was a 15 mile downhill, the best coast ever. My favorite day of the trip so far despite the drenching we got. Mort for short in top photo and Olaf and Joe bottom photo on the dreaded 6 mile climb.

Damascus, a layover day, is a genuine outdoor town with the 'A' Trail , the TransAm route, a trout stream and a rafting river. Acomodations are in the city park and it's raining!

Charlottesville,VA

Monday, May 10 day 6 Greetings from Charlottesville, VA. This is a layover day and much welcome. Legs and butt both need a rest. There is also time to organize our gear, do the wash, and clean the bikes. This is really a college town: University of Virginia designed by Thomas Jefferson. It is also the home of President Jefferson - Montecello.

At Left: Mort for short, Lee, Joe and Olaf

Sunday 5-9 day 5. 51 miles - 5:50 rtm - 11.1mph avg - 222 total miles, Hale farm to Charlottesville. The hills are getting harder and the country is becoming much more rural. There are plenty of horse ranchs here and fewer Battlefields. Got our first view of the Appalachias today - Ther're out there! 

 

Top photo Camp at Hale Farm. Bottom photo nice sunset at Hale Farm.

Saturday 5-8 day 4. 62,75 miles, 5:24 rtm, 11.6 mph avg 171 total miles.

Ashland to Hales Farm. William Hale is a throwback to the 60's and so is his farm. Will grows organic rye, has solar powered hot water, and the place is down right funkie. Hale and farm are one. I'm not sure that this is the life for me, but the starry night sky was superb.

Campgrounds at KOA - Ashland.

Friday 5-7 day 3. 32 miles, 2:42 rtm, 12.0 mph, total miles 109. Glendale to Ashland. The campground was OK, but too close to a busy interstate. We are now in more central Virginia. It seems that every town, road and plantation has a battlefield attached to it. There has been much American blood lost in these fields.

Camp at Willis Church (Glendale) and curious tree smooth with seemingly no bark.

Thursday 5-6 day 2: 49 miles, 4:04 rtm, 12.0mph avg. Williamsburg to Glendale (Willis Church). This was a very enjoyable ride that was mostly on bike trails. Oh how I wish the rest of the ride would be like this!

Wheel Dipping - We're Off!

Wednesday 5-5 28 miles, 2:14 ride time 12.7mph avg. Rode to Yorktown and dipped wheeles into Cheseapeak Bay (Atlantic Ocean). We are oficially off.

After the wheel dipping we had lunch served to us by the wonderful people at Grace Episcopal Church in Yorktown. They were very generous and meeting people like that is the reason many of us are doing this trip.

I have been asked many times why we are doing this trip from east to west. Here is the official American Cycling Association reason. The ride began in 1976 as a celebration of America's Bicentennial. America was settled from east to west and this recreates that adventure. Sounds good to me.

There is some serious bike repair going on here.

A statue of Pocahontis and an archeological dig of the original Jamestown fort/settlement.

Williamsburg Inn - Williamsburg, VA - not where I am staying, and a shot of some beautiful flowers in front of the Inn.

Loaded Up - Ready To Go

Saturday I leave for Williamsburg, VA the ride begins Wednesday. I have packed and repacked, trained and trained some more and fretted over details way more than I should have. Finally the day is getting close. A little bit about training: I began on January 16, but January through March were dismal weather months. Finally April turned around and was very good for me.
Total number of training rides - 32.
Longest training ride - 60 fully loaded
Temperatures ranged from 28 degrees to 74 degrees.
Average training speed - 11.5 miles per hour.
Total training miles - 1250 miles - 700 of which were in April.

Everything that I will be living with for the next three months all on the family room floor. The panniers are empty and things that will be in them are aligned behind them. In the center is the handlebar bag that will have my camera and lenses then the items that ride on the back fender. You can view my complete packing list here.

Final version of the loadede touring bike. I'm ready to roll!

The next update will be from Virginia and the trip will have begun. I will be doing updates about twice per week depending on availability of internet connections.

Everyone has been very encouraging and supportive. The pressure is on, I feel I cannot fail.

Thanks,

Better Bill

Retirement Day!

It has finally arrived. The long awaited retirement day. Now maybe I'll have time for some serious training rides. The folks at work were very generous with their send off, or maybe glad to see me go? Cake at the office, dinner at Boudreaux’s  in St. Joseph, MO and post dinner gathering at the bosses house afterwards. It was much more than I expected. Big thanks to everyone. 

On my Saturday training ride I happened across some horses feeding on a bale of hay in the middle of a field. I stopped and took a couple of snaps, but they were a little too far away for a good picture. I packed up my camera and was about to leave when they stopped feeding and hurried over to the fence as if to say "hey you haven't gotten our good side". They lined up at the fence and posed while I took another picture. As I was riding away they galloped along the fence with me. It was pretty cool.

Tailwinds to ya,
BetterBill

Lily white legs!

Yehaw! finally a great day to ride. This is the first ride of the year that I did not need long pants and long sleeve shirt. Temps were in the upper 70's with mostly clear skies. There was a stiff breeze from the south, but the route I rode was east - west so it wasn't bad. Just had time for 22 miles, but there will be more good days ahead. Look past the lily white legs and arms and see the green grass and the nice daffodils blooming in the yard across the street.

The dream begins in 34 days.

Racks and Panniers

58 Days till the dream begins!

This is my bike as it is now with all the racks, panniers and handle bar bag installed. I will carry tent, sleeping bag and pad above the rear wheel, but for training rides this will do.

Since my last posting the weather has improved at least enough for me to get some quality rides in. My total mileage for February was only 131 miles. This, the first week of March, I have ridden 105 miles including 50 miles on Saturday with all of my racks and panniers on the bike. I'll now start adding weight in my panniers up to about 45 lbs. while keeping my longer rides between 50 and 60 miles till April. After I retire on April 2nd I will be able to ride most days and get in some longer rides.

An update on fenders: I'll keep them. I've gotten used to the occational rattle and they sure save the bike and me from some nasty spray.

Better Bill