1,000 miles down, many more donuts, pie, and milkshakes to go

Naturally woke up this morning. Slept through the entire night. We went to bed around 8:30 PM, and slept until 6 AM. My body thanked me, and I was feeling pretty darn good about the day ahead. We took our time packing up seeing that rain was coming down. Our planned day was 70 miles to a church, but if weather persisted we would shave that down and figure something else out. Enthused with riding with these guys, I was ancy to get rolling. We snapped a few pictures before we the fire department building, and with clear skies were on our way.
The first ten miles were wonderful, these guys really know how to stop and smell the roses. We remained close by on the flats, and stopped for many a picture early on because of the beautiful land. I thought I got some nice ones of the guys.

When we hit the 10 mile mark, we all stopped at congratulated each other. We just hit 1000 miles, or just under 25% of the trail! We took a moment to document the accomplishment, and snapped some sweet pictures to remember it by. I couldn’t have been more excited with how the day was moving along, I really felt like I was taking in the moment.

We eventually found the usual Marathon gas station convenience store, and ordered the usual egg and cheese biscuit sandwich, but this time I tag teamed it with some cinnamon pop tarts. I’m becoming addicted to dunking them in my coffee, now all I need is a toaster to warm them up. This will be something worth considering bringing on my next tour.

In most of these convenience stores they allow patrons to smoke indoors. It’s pretty wild, only because I’m definitely not use to that, but I understand we’re in tobacco farm areas. One gentleman we encountered had a stick up his @ss, and questioned if any of us ever have had a honest day’s work. We reluctantly held back, and brushed it aside. It’s not worth feeding the fire on the away turf. He continued the conversation by complaining how ‘women’ he meets online keep asking him for iTunes gift cards. After suggesting those women he talks to online may be men, he said if they were, he would personally find and strangle them. Good luck buddy, all in an honest day’s work.

We pedaled on through the country side, often encountering Perdue contract farms with long, distinctly smelling barns. I can’t describe the smell, it’s not foul, but it’s interesting. The strangest part for me though was knowing there were likely thousands of chickens in each building, but you couldn’t hear one tiny sound from any. Extremely strange, and unsettling.

As we were approaching another small town, we cross paths with another cyclist! Peter, from the Netherlands, has broken up his Trans Am tour in three segments, and is completing his final segment. I shared that my dream is bike touring across the Netherlands, and he offered his contact information for any questions I may have. I’m SO excited to have met Peter, and I wish him luck through his last segment.

Rode through some beautiful countryside again, it helps to really take your mind off the mileage aspect of every day’s ride. Lunch was on our minds as well, so we stopped in a small town along the trail. For me, lunch was Dollar General. As I left I heard thunder, and saw deep, dark clouds rolling in fast. I biked back up to the group, and we scurried over to a bank drive-thru for the coming storm. And boy did it come fast. Extreme winds and torrential rain hit like a Muhammad Ali 1-2 combo. Had we been a mile away from town when it hit, we would have been screwed. We were so fortunate to have been under cover, dry, and protected. The better part of a half hour was spent eating peanut butter out of a jar, journaling, and sharing stories of our adventures over the years. I really love being with these guys, and plan on staying with them for as long as possible.

Once the storm passed, the sky opened up and looked as if it hadn’t even rained. We took the chance and moved on. The roads that Adventure Cycling Association chose for this specific region are spectacular. Very little traffic, and roads that basically divide huge farms, with minor rolling hills and smooth surfaces. Even the humidity died down a bit, making the ride a bit more enjoyable. We had heard about a restaurant in the next town that was a go to, and this was enough for us to be convinced. We pulled up to Jeri’s restaurant and knew we’d hit the jackpot. Ordered a pitcher of ice water, and finally got the milkshake I’ve been craving. Ordered mint chocolate chip, and received a cookies n’ cream, but who’s complaining. I slurped it down like water. I could feel the cells in my body open their portals for sugar to enter, and by the time we returned to the road I felt fantastic. We had 20 miles to our destination, and the weather reports informed us we had two hours before the skies released their fury. I took the lead, being I felt strong, put on some music, and lead the March. I felt incredibly strong, so after checking in with 10 miles to go, I rode my own ride into town, getting to talk with some friends from back home along the way. I’m loving the phone call period when I’m 10 miles out from any destination, it really helps cover some mileage while also catching up with family/friends.

I entered town first, and gave the church a call for access into the building. Tom, a church goer, had opened up for us and provided the grand tour. This place was AWESOME. Again, full kitchen access, showers, sofas, food for purchase, private rooms, and A/C. I can’t explain enough what staying in places like these means to a traveling cyclist. All you can do is offer gratitude repeatedly. They been hosting since the inauguration of the trail in 1976, and have kept track of ever cyclist that has resided here. Like a kid reading a children’s book, I read the entries of cyclists dating back to the 80’s. The dudes chose to head to McDonalds for dinner, but I chose to shower first. It was a true pleasure being able to shower again, until I realized I forgot my towel in the room down the hall. Yup, here we go, of course I forgot it. How do I remember to bring my shampoo, and no towel. I poked my head out into the hallway, and made a sprint towards our room like a gazelle at a safari watering hole, thinking to myself, why is this happening to me in a church. I better go down to confession after this fiasco. Later, I took advantage of the kitchen and used up some of my food. Instant rice, black beans, canned turkey, and a curry seasoning blend. Easily one of my favorite meals thus far, and definitely will be making it again. Jim came back with two pints of Ben and Jerrys, and generously shared his cherry garcia and peanut butter brownie chocolate chip extravaganza with me. Dee-lush-osh. It won’t be long until I take one of those down myself.

The pastor stopped by, took our pictures for their record, and shared stories about his own life and the trail. We then chose our couches, shut the lights, and passed out by 10 PM. I’m so grateful for places like these, they make the trip much more enjoyable.

Stats

1030ish miles

Donut tracker: 12

States completed: Virginia

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