Now that I have had a couple days to rest and reflect I find myself formulating my next adventure. I think I would really like to try this ride again, self-supported. That does not necessarily mean solo but rather me carrying my gear and equipment with me on the bike. I would like to be able to accomplish this and camp along the way, but I will have credit/debit card in hand should an intermediate night in a hotel, or said another way, an actual mattress and bed, be needed.
If anyone is interested in coaching/guiding/riding with me, please let me know.
Jason
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Epic Trip
Boy did we have fun! I'm not even sure which was the best part of the trip. Riding a bike is a simple task that most of us learned as a child. Really not much to it many might say. Still covering great distances under your own power while taking in the sights and sounds of a rural road can be sublime. Doing this on mountain roads with glorious views in all directions can't be described. Still I'm going to try.
We did have a few bumps in the road. I think I planned too many miles early in the week. In my mind I had us ending the day at two or three each day with our feet up enjoying a beer before dinner. In actuality we rode until six and hurried to dinner. Our legs were heavy and overloaded. Luckily Jason has a limitless supply of enthusiasm and Rhonda is wonderful sag. We did become accustomed to the miles and by the last two days we were making better time and finishing earlier.
The highlights of the trip were many. As both Jason and I have said the views where glorious, the riding challenging and rewarding, but the people we spent time with made the trip. I have ridden with Jason many times and have enjoyed his company, but now I feel like a know him. He listened to my stories and rode back to meet me as I neared the top of the hills. He was even willing to climb a tree for apples. He is always positive, loves to meet new people and makes them feel special, and is loads of fun.
We also had many visits from family and friends. Tom, John, David, and Stephen all joined us at times for the ride. Stephen is the master cycling trip planner and it was great having him join us for our Queen stage. The Phemister's joined us for a meal and great conversation. Of course getting to visit with my family in Moneta started us off well and our night in Brevard was extra special with a get together with Mom, Dad and Matt. Thanks for dinner Matt.
Best of all was having a beautiful sag who always had a smile and something to eat around every hill. Have a cable break?-just call for a ride to the bike shop. Start to rain and ready to pack it in?-just say the word and the Subaru shows up. Need to back track to make up miles?-she is happy to take you in the wrong direction. Need a massive amount of home cooking to make the rest day work?-she can make it happen at the Cheese. All I can say is thanks Rhonda and I love you.
Well that is it for me. Jason I'll close by saying let's do it again!
Mike
We did have a few bumps in the road. I think I planned too many miles early in the week. In my mind I had us ending the day at two or three each day with our feet up enjoying a beer before dinner. In actuality we rode until six and hurried to dinner. Our legs were heavy and overloaded. Luckily Jason has a limitless supply of enthusiasm and Rhonda is wonderful sag. We did become accustomed to the miles and by the last two days we were making better time and finishing earlier.
The highlights of the trip were many. As both Jason and I have said the views where glorious, the riding challenging and rewarding, but the people we spent time with made the trip. I have ridden with Jason many times and have enjoyed his company, but now I feel like a know him. He listened to my stories and rode back to meet me as I neared the top of the hills. He was even willing to climb a tree for apples. He is always positive, loves to meet new people and makes them feel special, and is loads of fun.
We also had many visits from family and friends. Tom, John, David, and Stephen all joined us at times for the ride. Stephen is the master cycling trip planner and it was great having him join us for our Queen stage. The Phemister's joined us for a meal and great conversation. Of course getting to visit with my family in Moneta started us off well and our night in Brevard was extra special with a get together with Mom, Dad and Matt. Thanks for dinner Matt.
Best of all was having a beautiful sag who always had a smile and something to eat around every hill. Have a cable break?-just call for a ride to the bike shop. Start to rain and ready to pack it in?-just say the word and the Subaru shows up. Need to back track to make up miles?-she is happy to take you in the wrong direction. Need a massive amount of home cooking to make the rest day work?-she can make it happen at the Cheese. All I can say is thanks Rhonda and I love you.
Well that is it for me. Jason I'll close by saying let's do it again!
Mike
Sunday, October 12, 2014
The Morning After
"Always leave them wanting more." I have no idea where I first heard that quote. Basically it means, don't stay too long, don't over-do it, don't do something so excessively that the appeal wears off. Well, even as heavy as my legs feel this morning, I find myself wanting more. I wish I had one more section to ride today, one more mountain to summit, one more descent to bomb down.
Yesterday was the final day of the Parkway By Bike ride Mike and I began a mere 7 days ago. We decided to get an early start yesterday morning based on weather forecast. We hoped to beat the rain that was expected by early afternoon. Almost immediately out of the gate we began the repeated up-and-down riding that would predominate the day. Breath-taking vistas were book-ended by extended climbs and exhilarating downhills. Mike and I took it all in knowing that yesterday was the final day. We made several stops simply to take pictures and appreciate the views.
Sunrise over Brevard
We also made a stop at the highest point along the parkway for the obligatory picture and to put on warmer clothes and rain gear as our early morning start wasn't quite early enough. We were in and out of weather all day long. Normally, I might have bemoaned the weather and wished for cloudless skies and sun, but it seemed befitting of the territory and Mike and I both simply took it in stride. You can see the weather behind us in this picture.
Normally, descending is effortless and carefree. However, the descent from here was almost as taxing as the climb that followed. Wet roads covered with leaves, limited visibility and temps cool enough to cause your fingers to become stiff, all add up to a descent that leaves you exhausted. And then you bottom out to see one more climb for the day. One final climb but it was a daunting one. It did seem to just go on forever, back up into the clouds and rain.
The final several miles were all downhill. We easily reached speeds into the 40s on our final descent and, if roads were a little drier, would have allowed for even faster riding. Those speeds made the culmination of our efforts come to an end much too quickly. We rounded several curves at breakneck speeds and bottomed out at mile 469, the end of our journey. We circled back around and made one last picture of our trek.
Mentally I am fully aware of what Mike and I just completed. Riding the Blue Ridge Parkway by bike, if I may say so myself, is quite an accomplishment. 469 flat miles is a lot of ground to cover by bike in 7 days. Throw in the mix that our route required us to climb 50,900 total feet and you have for yourself an accomplishment you can hang your hat on. As I sit here typing this I catch myself thinking I should feel more satisfied with what we just accomplished...and yet...part of me is still desiring more. I don't think it is because I am a discontented person; I consider myself to be, overall, fulfilled. I think it has more to do with the fact that cycling is my passion. I don't just have fun doing it. I don't simply enjoy doing it. I feel alive on a bike and I yearn for ways to keep that feeling going. I am not sure what the next cycling goal will be, but hopefully I can set my sights on something else now to focus my energy and drive.
But, there is time for that decision later, after today. Today, right now, is the time to give ample consideration and appreciation for a goal completed. To quote William Blake, "Great things occur where men and mountains meet." And Mike and I met the mountain, both literally and metaphorically, and we won, and it was a great thing.
Yesterday was the final day of the Parkway By Bike ride Mike and I began a mere 7 days ago. We decided to get an early start yesterday morning based on weather forecast. We hoped to beat the rain that was expected by early afternoon. Almost immediately out of the gate we began the repeated up-and-down riding that would predominate the day. Breath-taking vistas were book-ended by extended climbs and exhilarating downhills. Mike and I took it all in knowing that yesterday was the final day. We made several stops simply to take pictures and appreciate the views.
Sunrise over Brevard
We also made a stop at the highest point along the parkway for the obligatory picture and to put on warmer clothes and rain gear as our early morning start wasn't quite early enough. We were in and out of weather all day long. Normally, I might have bemoaned the weather and wished for cloudless skies and sun, but it seemed befitting of the territory and Mike and I both simply took it in stride. You can see the weather behind us in this picture.
Normally, descending is effortless and carefree. However, the descent from here was almost as taxing as the climb that followed. Wet roads covered with leaves, limited visibility and temps cool enough to cause your fingers to become stiff, all add up to a descent that leaves you exhausted. And then you bottom out to see one more climb for the day. One final climb but it was a daunting one. It did seem to just go on forever, back up into the clouds and rain.
The final several miles were all downhill. We easily reached speeds into the 40s on our final descent and, if roads were a little drier, would have allowed for even faster riding. Those speeds made the culmination of our efforts come to an end much too quickly. We rounded several curves at breakneck speeds and bottomed out at mile 469, the end of our journey. We circled back around and made one last picture of our trek.
Mentally I am fully aware of what Mike and I just completed. Riding the Blue Ridge Parkway by bike, if I may say so myself, is quite an accomplishment. 469 flat miles is a lot of ground to cover by bike in 7 days. Throw in the mix that our route required us to climb 50,900 total feet and you have for yourself an accomplishment you can hang your hat on. As I sit here typing this I catch myself thinking I should feel more satisfied with what we just accomplished...and yet...part of me is still desiring more. I don't think it is because I am a discontented person; I consider myself to be, overall, fulfilled. I think it has more to do with the fact that cycling is my passion. I don't just have fun doing it. I don't simply enjoy doing it. I feel alive on a bike and I yearn for ways to keep that feeling going. I am not sure what the next cycling goal will be, but hopefully I can set my sights on something else now to focus my energy and drive.
But, there is time for that decision later, after today. Today, right now, is the time to give ample consideration and appreciation for a goal completed. To quote William Blake, "Great things occur where men and mountains meet." And Mike and I met the mountain, both literally and metaphorically, and we won, and it was a great thing.
Friday, October 10, 2014
Parental Guidance Advised
Disclaimer - Children may need to jump straight to paragraph #2.
Last night Mike and I decided all we wanted to do today was Kick @$$ and chew bubblegum and we woke up this morning and realized we were all out of bubblegum. So, that summarizes what kind of riding we had today. It was, well, "kick..."
Truly, today was a PHENOMENAL day of riding. We got an early start and finished before the rain came through. Stephen Janes joined us for the day's ride and it was a pleasure riding with him. Stephen is a strong rider and I am thankful he was riding his mountain bike that was weighted down by 60 lbs, we were able to stay up with him only because of the added weight he was lugging. The three of us:
On a side note, Stephen leads Trip for Kids out of Western North Carolina. It is a non-profit cycling organization that has a wonderful cause. Their mission is to use bicycles as a vehicle for lessons in confidence building, achievement, health, fitness and environmental awareness through the development of practical skills and the simple act of having fun.Please check out their website at: http://tripsforkidswnc.com/
Today's route had us leaving Little Switzerland for our biggest day of climbing yet. We covered 77.8 miles with 10,400 feet of total climbing today. We traversed mountainous terrain up to and past Mount Mitchell, through Craggy Gardens, had a maddening fun descent down into Asheville (speeds reached just under 50 mph today), and then another epic climb to the top of Mt Pisgah. Just prior to reaching the Craggy Gardens visitor center we were met by two other riders, John Paxoy and Tom (sorry buddy, I didn't catch your last name.) They both accompanied the three of us while we bombed down into Asheville. On the descent we all took turns pulling to the front and pacing a wide-open line down to the bottom of the mountain. The only negative from the day was that the GoPro battery died seconds into our maddening descent. I was hoping to post the descent but alas, we outlasted the GoPro today.
Close to the end of today's route Mike and I spent some time reflecting on this adventure. It has been an epic time. This trip has made a permanent mark on my soul. (Thanks Stephen for the eloquent word) For me, tomorrow is a melancholy event. I miss Halle Grace and cannot wait to see her, but as for the cycling, it has been tremendous, almost spiritual at times. To see and experience God's world in this way is fantastic and describing it, sufficiently, is beyond my ability. Even the pictures I have taken, and will be posting after the ride is totally over, don't do the vistas justice. It is something you simply have to experience. If I have to explain it to you, I probably can't explain it to you.
So, we now are down to one final day of riding. We finished today on top of Mt Pisgah at mile marker 408. We will complete our journey tomorrow at mile marker 469. Don't let the limited mileage fool you. The elevation profile tomorrow is probably our second toughest day, today being the penultimate day. So, it is time for bed and much needed rest. I plan to try and type up my thoughts and experiences, with pictures, once we finish the ride. As for now though, it is time to put my legs up and close my eyes and get some rest. One more day of riding and then plenty of time to post material.
Last night Mike and I decided all we wanted to do today was Kick @$$ and chew bubblegum and we woke up this morning and realized we were all out of bubblegum. So, that summarizes what kind of riding we had today. It was, well, "kick..."
Truly, today was a PHENOMENAL day of riding. We got an early start and finished before the rain came through. Stephen Janes joined us for the day's ride and it was a pleasure riding with him. Stephen is a strong rider and I am thankful he was riding his mountain bike that was weighted down by 60 lbs, we were able to stay up with him only because of the added weight he was lugging. The three of us:
On a side note, Stephen leads Trip for Kids out of Western North Carolina. It is a non-profit cycling organization that has a wonderful cause. Their mission is to use bicycles as a vehicle for lessons in confidence building, achievement, health, fitness and environmental awareness through the development of practical skills and the simple act of having fun.Please check out their website at: http://tripsforkidswnc.com/
Today's route had us leaving Little Switzerland for our biggest day of climbing yet. We covered 77.8 miles with 10,400 feet of total climbing today. We traversed mountainous terrain up to and past Mount Mitchell, through Craggy Gardens, had a maddening fun descent down into Asheville (speeds reached just under 50 mph today), and then another epic climb to the top of Mt Pisgah. Just prior to reaching the Craggy Gardens visitor center we were met by two other riders, John Paxoy and Tom (sorry buddy, I didn't catch your last name.) They both accompanied the three of us while we bombed down into Asheville. On the descent we all took turns pulling to the front and pacing a wide-open line down to the bottom of the mountain. The only negative from the day was that the GoPro battery died seconds into our maddening descent. I was hoping to post the descent but alas, we outlasted the GoPro today.
Close to the end of today's route Mike and I spent some time reflecting on this adventure. It has been an epic time. This trip has made a permanent mark on my soul. (Thanks Stephen for the eloquent word) For me, tomorrow is a melancholy event. I miss Halle Grace and cannot wait to see her, but as for the cycling, it has been tremendous, almost spiritual at times. To see and experience God's world in this way is fantastic and describing it, sufficiently, is beyond my ability. Even the pictures I have taken, and will be posting after the ride is totally over, don't do the vistas justice. It is something you simply have to experience. If I have to explain it to you, I probably can't explain it to you.
So, we now are down to one final day of riding. We finished today on top of Mt Pisgah at mile marker 408. We will complete our journey tomorrow at mile marker 469. Don't let the limited mileage fool you. The elevation profile tomorrow is probably our second toughest day, today being the penultimate day. So, it is time for bed and much needed rest. I plan to try and type up my thoughts and experiences, with pictures, once we finish the ride. As for now though, it is time to put my legs up and close my eyes and get some rest. One more day of riding and then plenty of time to post material.
Day 6 - Morning
We are now up and moving about. We're going to try and get an early start and finish today before the afternoon rain sets in. Today's agenda has us rolling out of Little Switzerland, climbing up to and past Mount Mitchell, past Craggy Gardens, through Asheville and finishing in Brevard.
We have two days left; roughly 130 miles to go. These last two days though will include some of the most significant climbing yet. I'm interested to see later today what our cumulative ascent will be.
For part/most of today's ride we will have company. Stephen Janes from Asheville will ride with us. He rode up from Asheville, on his bike, yesterday afternoon. He is an experienced and strong rider. I hope he takes it easy on us.
More to come later today after some immediate morning coffee and subsequent hours of pedaling. Resting in faith on today's Scripture as I pray for safe travels and a good day on the bike: "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we askor imagine, according to his powerthat is at work within us." Eph 3:20
We have two days left; roughly 130 miles to go. These last two days though will include some of the most significant climbing yet. I'm interested to see later today what our cumulative ascent will be.
For part/most of today's ride we will have company. Stephen Janes from Asheville will ride with us. He rode up from Asheville, on his bike, yesterday afternoon. He is an experienced and strong rider. I hope he takes it easy on us.
More to come later today after some immediate morning coffee and subsequent hours of pedaling. Resting in faith on today's Scripture as I pray for safe travels and a good day on the bike: "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we askor imagine, according to his powerthat is at work within us." Eph 3:20
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Waking Up
Ahhh, today is a relaxed day. Our itinerary for the day is roughly half of what we have been riding. Originally it was scheduled to be an all out rest day but Mike and I decided an easier-paced day would be better than a complete day off the bike.
Yesterday was an all-out picture-perfect post-card kind of day. I wish I could describe the absolute beauty and majesty of this trip but I cannot. I don't think my vocabulary is the limiting factor though; some things cannot be adequately described but rather must be experienced.
As for experience, this trip is definitely a bucket-list item for me. How could it not be? The scenery is absolutely breath-taking. Each turn of the road offers up a new vista that both awes and inspires you. The company is wonderful. I am thoroughly enjoying getting to know Mike and Rhonda better. And oh by the way I am spending hours on my bike, which is one of my favorite things to do. What is there not to love!
As fantastic as this trip is, I am however having withdrawals from Halle Grace and I am VERY excited to see her in just a couple of days. One day honey, I would love to redo this event with you.
We will give it a few years yet though.
Jason
Yesterday was an all-out picture-perfect post-card kind of day. I wish I could describe the absolute beauty and majesty of this trip but I cannot. I don't think my vocabulary is the limiting factor though; some things cannot be adequately described but rather must be experienced.
As for experience, this trip is definitely a bucket-list item for me. How could it not be? The scenery is absolutely breath-taking. Each turn of the road offers up a new vista that both awes and inspires you. The company is wonderful. I am thoroughly enjoying getting to know Mike and Rhonda better. And oh by the way I am spending hours on my bike, which is one of my favorite things to do. What is there not to love!
As fantastic as this trip is, I am however having withdrawals from Halle Grace and I am VERY excited to see her in just a couple of days. One day honey, I would love to redo this event with you.
We will give it a few years yet though.
Jason
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
Day #4 What a Difference a Day makes
All I can say is Wow! I'm not going to tell you that my legs aren't heavy or that I'm not tired, but it was a fabulous day. One of my best days ever on a bike. After yesterday's rain and the broken shift cable, we were hoping for a better day-and we got it.
We woke to a few clouds but a much warmer day. After a big breakfast at Roadies, Rhonda drove us back North on the Parkway to the spot, mp234, where she picked us up in the rain yesterday. The sun was out and Jason and I both felt much better than yesterday. It was windy but after we warmed up it became clear that we were going to make great time and have a great day. Most of the wind was a tailwind or crosswind. Most importantly around every turn was another beautiful view. Almost no cars and smooth as silk asphalt. The Parkway was very pastoral yesterday with may farms and more rollers. Today it was becoming much steeper with fewer farms. The 25 miles back to Glendale Springs was so pretty I also didn't mind the hills. Rhonda kept leap frogging with us and I kept eating so we kept rolling. The climbs kept coming and we stopped for several great pictures. Jason was climbing much better today so for the most part I just tried to hold his wheel or would just let him go and he would drop back down to pick me up again before the next climb.
As the climbs increased the descents also became faster and longer. Screaming down the Parkway at 40mph is pretty fun. There are few technical turns and not many potholes. The only thing that made me nervous at all was the sun/shade chances on the road. We kept up the work and the miles rolled by. As we slowly gained elevation the views increased. It warmed up to the low 60s and the arm warmers came off. Jason noticed his cleats were about worn out so we pushed on with snacks (a large cinamon bun for me) and in stopped Blowing Rock for a late lunch and a trip to a bike shop. We made it there by 2pm and had 60 miles. Rhonda picked us up and we had lunch at a Subway in Blowing Rock. We then headed into Boone and made a quick stop at Magic Cycles. They had one set of the perfect cleats for Jason. This is turning out to be a Parkway tour of bike shops which is cool by me. Magic Cycles, like Main Street Cycles, is a great shop. After that we had a nice tour of App, which is getting pretty big and is impressive. Rhonda called Laura Lampley and after dropping us back at the Parkway, was able to visit with Elizabeth at Moses Cone. Elizabeth was very surprised when she showed up to chat.
Back on the road we had a few lesser climbs, but soon began the real climb of the day up to the Viaduct. The grade was not horible, but it seemed to go on forever. By now it was approaching 5 and the sun was getting low. Soon in the distance we could see Grandfather. He is one big dude so I was more respectful today. I think the Viaduct is one of the, if not the, prettiest roads in the country. Today was perfect with clear skies and views which seemed to go on forever. Only problem we had was sharing the views with more cars than we have seen all week. After reaching the apex Jason powered us down the other side of Grandfather and Rhonda picked us up where 221 crosses the Parkway.
We had a nice drive to the Cheese in the Subaru. Tomorrow she will take us back to the same spot, mp305, and we will ride an easy 30 miles back to the Cheese. Best of all we had a great meal of pizza, salad, beer, and dessert. It will be good to have 2 nights here and alittle extra rest before the high mountains. Still today will be hard to beat, 74.9 miles, 8400 feet of climbing, and all with good food, good company, and perfect weather on the most beautiful roads in the country.
Hoping for more of the same,
Mike
We woke to a few clouds but a much warmer day. After a big breakfast at Roadies, Rhonda drove us back North on the Parkway to the spot, mp234, where she picked us up in the rain yesterday. The sun was out and Jason and I both felt much better than yesterday. It was windy but after we warmed up it became clear that we were going to make great time and have a great day. Most of the wind was a tailwind or crosswind. Most importantly around every turn was another beautiful view. Almost no cars and smooth as silk asphalt. The Parkway was very pastoral yesterday with may farms and more rollers. Today it was becoming much steeper with fewer farms. The 25 miles back to Glendale Springs was so pretty I also didn't mind the hills. Rhonda kept leap frogging with us and I kept eating so we kept rolling. The climbs kept coming and we stopped for several great pictures. Jason was climbing much better today so for the most part I just tried to hold his wheel or would just let him go and he would drop back down to pick me up again before the next climb.
As the climbs increased the descents also became faster and longer. Screaming down the Parkway at 40mph is pretty fun. There are few technical turns and not many potholes. The only thing that made me nervous at all was the sun/shade chances on the road. We kept up the work and the miles rolled by. As we slowly gained elevation the views increased. It warmed up to the low 60s and the arm warmers came off. Jason noticed his cleats were about worn out so we pushed on with snacks (a large cinamon bun for me) and in stopped Blowing Rock for a late lunch and a trip to a bike shop. We made it there by 2pm and had 60 miles. Rhonda picked us up and we had lunch at a Subway in Blowing Rock. We then headed into Boone and made a quick stop at Magic Cycles. They had one set of the perfect cleats for Jason. This is turning out to be a Parkway tour of bike shops which is cool by me. Magic Cycles, like Main Street Cycles, is a great shop. After that we had a nice tour of App, which is getting pretty big and is impressive. Rhonda called Laura Lampley and after dropping us back at the Parkway, was able to visit with Elizabeth at Moses Cone. Elizabeth was very surprised when she showed up to chat.
Back on the road we had a few lesser climbs, but soon began the real climb of the day up to the Viaduct. The grade was not horible, but it seemed to go on forever. By now it was approaching 5 and the sun was getting low. Soon in the distance we could see Grandfather. He is one big dude so I was more respectful today. I think the Viaduct is one of the, if not the, prettiest roads in the country. Today was perfect with clear skies and views which seemed to go on forever. Only problem we had was sharing the views with more cars than we have seen all week. After reaching the apex Jason powered us down the other side of Grandfather and Rhonda picked us up where 221 crosses the Parkway.
We had a nice drive to the Cheese in the Subaru. Tomorrow she will take us back to the same spot, mp305, and we will ride an easy 30 miles back to the Cheese. Best of all we had a great meal of pizza, salad, beer, and dessert. It will be good to have 2 nights here and alittle extra rest before the high mountains. Still today will be hard to beat, 74.9 miles, 8400 feet of climbing, and all with good food, good company, and perfect weather on the most beautiful roads in the country.
Hoping for more of the same,
Mike
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Life Happens
"A bad day on the bike is still better than the best day at work." Unknown
Today was a test of wills. Less than pristine weather conditions (it was rainy), a detour for mechanical reasons (Mike's rear derailer malfunctioned) and physical limitations (I was tired and hit the wall) all made for a day where our forward progress was hard fought.
We left in the rain this morning from the Woodberry Inn in Dan of the Meadows Va. Our first two hours of riding was a mixture of misty overcast and steady light rain. Fortunately the bottom never fell out so Mike and I were able, for the most part, to stay relatively dry. That is, everything from the ankles up. Ankles down we were a different story. Spray from the road quickly covered our legs and then drained down into our shoes. Our feet got extremely wet and extremely cold. I am just now regaining feeling in my toes from the exposure.
Shortly after the rain stopped Mike began experiencing problems shifting. He was limited in his gear range and unable to get to either extreme small or large cassette in the back. If you are riding down the Boardwalk in Atlantic City this wouldn't be so bad. In the mountains though, this is a deal breaker. We rode for about an hour with his trouble continually getting worse. Thankfully our ever-present and willing-to-help sag support, Rhonda, was there to help out. We took a slight detour from the Parkway and drove up to Galax Va and received assistance from Corbitt owner of Main Street Bike Shop. He worked us in while we went to lunch and had us up and running in no time. (Kudos to Corbitt who truly did a fantastic and thorough job on our bikes.) While we were there I also asked him to take a look at Bella since something just didn't feel right with my riding today. On several occasions I checked to see if my brakes were sticking and rubbing my tires. It sure felt that way for most of the day. Unfortunately Corbitt confirmed nothing was wrong with Bella other than the weariness of the rider. I kind of wish it would have been my brakes; Corbitt could have fixed that.
So, after having Rhonda take us back to our departure point on the parkway, Mike and I trudged out another two hours before finally calling it a day before the heavy steady rain did finally set in. Based on the time lost from the detour, the ever-worsening weather conditions and the fact that I was spent, we made the decision to call it a day finish with 60 miles.
All things not-with-standing we still had a great day, both on and off the bikes. We are now south of the boarder, NC and VA border that is, as we passed into North Carolina during today's leg of the ride.
One final note in closing. You certainly see, hear and experience things on a trip like this that you most likely would not encounter in your normal day-to-day activities. For instance, day one we learned motor-pacing on the parkway is a no no. Day two I learned that Mike sometimes is inclined to talk trash to cows that are innocently grazing in the fields as we pass by. And today I heard a man yell to Mike, as he was attempting to relieve himself on the roadside, "It sure is hard to piss with everyone a watchin ya!"
Words of wisdom from some unnamed philosopher in the countryside of Va.
Cheers.
Jason
Today was a test of wills. Less than pristine weather conditions (it was rainy), a detour for mechanical reasons (Mike's rear derailer malfunctioned) and physical limitations (I was tired and hit the wall) all made for a day where our forward progress was hard fought.
We left in the rain this morning from the Woodberry Inn in Dan of the Meadows Va. Our first two hours of riding was a mixture of misty overcast and steady light rain. Fortunately the bottom never fell out so Mike and I were able, for the most part, to stay relatively dry. That is, everything from the ankles up. Ankles down we were a different story. Spray from the road quickly covered our legs and then drained down into our shoes. Our feet got extremely wet and extremely cold. I am just now regaining feeling in my toes from the exposure.
Shortly after the rain stopped Mike began experiencing problems shifting. He was limited in his gear range and unable to get to either extreme small or large cassette in the back. If you are riding down the Boardwalk in Atlantic City this wouldn't be so bad. In the mountains though, this is a deal breaker. We rode for about an hour with his trouble continually getting worse. Thankfully our ever-present and willing-to-help sag support, Rhonda, was there to help out. We took a slight detour from the Parkway and drove up to Galax Va and received assistance from Corbitt owner of Main Street Bike Shop. He worked us in while we went to lunch and had us up and running in no time. (Kudos to Corbitt who truly did a fantastic and thorough job on our bikes.) While we were there I also asked him to take a look at Bella since something just didn't feel right with my riding today. On several occasions I checked to see if my brakes were sticking and rubbing my tires. It sure felt that way for most of the day. Unfortunately Corbitt confirmed nothing was wrong with Bella other than the weariness of the rider. I kind of wish it would have been my brakes; Corbitt could have fixed that.
So, after having Rhonda take us back to our departure point on the parkway, Mike and I trudged out another two hours before finally calling it a day before the heavy steady rain did finally set in. Based on the time lost from the detour, the ever-worsening weather conditions and the fact that I was spent, we made the decision to call it a day finish with 60 miles.
All things not-with-standing we still had a great day, both on and off the bikes. We are now south of the boarder, NC and VA border that is, as we passed into North Carolina during today's leg of the ride.
One final note in closing. You certainly see, hear and experience things on a trip like this that you most likely would not encounter in your normal day-to-day activities. For instance, day one we learned motor-pacing on the parkway is a no no. Day two I learned that Mike sometimes is inclined to talk trash to cows that are innocently grazing in the fields as we pass by. And today I heard a man yell to Mike, as he was attempting to relieve himself on the roadside, "It sure is hard to piss with everyone a watchin ya!"
Words of wisdom from some unnamed philosopher in the countryside of Va.
Cheers.
Jason
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