July 31, 2016
DAY 63: Damascus to Troutdale: "Creepin' along"
DAILY STATS
Mileage: 28 97
Average Speed: 9.9 mph
Maximum Speed: 26.7 mph
I had originally planned on taking an extra day in Damascus, but when I woke this morning, I was feeling stir-crazy. So, with the sunshine beaming through big, fluffy clouds, I packed up and headed for Troutdale, a mere ~20 miles away. I'd been told of a free hiker-biker hostel there, so today's short trip would also save me the cost of another night in Damascus.
I had breakfast at a cafe in town, and then headed out on the Virginia Creeper Trail. The crushed-limestone and dirt trail connects with the TransAm about 12 miles to the northeast, and was just stunning. Despite being a weekend, there was almost no one on it, so I enjoyed a peaceful stroll through woods, along creeks, and over bridges.
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I soon reconnected with the TransAm, and had a gorgeous climb over and down into Troutdale. The weather was perfect. I settled in to the hostel, tuned up my bike (I do that a lot when I've got nothing else to do), listened to a new audiobook ("A People's History of the United States"), showered, and wrote. There was no WiFi or cell service, so I felt blissfully relaxed and removed from the world.
Later in the day, two hikers came by to share the shelter. We exchanged stories and laughed a lot. But soon I was tired, so I got an early night's sleep. When I woke up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom (because I'm secretly an old man), the sky off to the west was alive with flashes of lightning. Glad I'm moving east!
Today's ride: 29 miles (47 km)
Total: 4,057 miles (6,529 km)
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