May 8, 2015
Day 3: "The Best Laid Plans" - Mineral to Greenwood
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(Note to readers regarding the elevation profiles; the profile is calculated from Point "A" on the map to Point "B" on the map. Since I am traveling east to west on the first half of this transcontinental journey, my route of travel is usually shown on the map as being from right to left. However, the elevation profile is shown from left to right, so it must be "reversed" in your head to understand it.)
Climbing Today; 3,353 ft -- Total So Far; 6,610 ft
I had planned to ride only to Charlottesville and stay there for the night. Charlottesville is a city of 44,000 people; there are lots of options for motels, B&Bs, hostels, and camping, so I hadn't made an advance reservation. But there was NOTHING available; this was graduation day at the University of Virginia, and every place had been booked for weeks; oops! As that reality set in, I had to make a choice; go short, or go long. There was no place to stay before Charlottesville, so going short was out. I was physically beat from 2 hard days of long cycling in the heat, but I would have to push on to find lodging. I had been riding in the foothills of the Appalachians, but had yet to experience any really significant climbs. As I approached Charlottesville I got my first view of the Blue Ridge; it's a bit intimidating to realize that you must climb it and many others yet to come.
Monticello is located outside of Charlottesville, and my route went right past the entrance. One approaches the entrance from the east by ascending a very steep hill, and the tourist traffic was heavy. Climbing the hill in the midday heat had me breathing like a freight train, so I stopped beneath an overhead pedestrian walkway and enjoyed the shade a bit. I was very tired by the time I reached Charlottesville and needed food to top off the tank before I continued. The route through town takes one past the university hangouts; I was in heavy slow-moving traffic making my way along the college strip when a group of college guys sitting on an overhead balcony all started shouting and cheering me on. Maybe one of them elbowed his friend and said, "Dude, some day we have got to do that!" - that would have been me many years ago.
Working my way through downtown, I passed a few eateries until I spotted Mel's Café and the home cooking sign. Sitting outside I enjoyed a BLT, rice, and the best greens I have had in many years. That powered me enough to head on down the road. I needed to get moving as I wanted to arrive at a private campground near Greenwood with enough daylight left to set up camp. I was pretty beat, my legs were shot, but I had to climb a couple of steep hills and a whole bunch of minor hills yet today. My layoff from cycling shortly before this trip was taking a toll on my body; not just my legs, but elsewhere in unmentionable locations as my arse toughened up to the punishment of 8-hours-a-day cycling. Finally approaching Greenwood, I was saddened by the magnificent 2-mile downhill ride to the campground. Why would a great downhill ride make a cyclist sad? Because I knew it meant that I had to climb back up it the next morn and regain that elevation. But I had made it, and I checked into camp with just enough daylight left to set up the tent and get a hot shower. Today was a hot one; my fluid consumption during the ride today was 164 ounces.
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I climbed into the tent and enjoyed the can of spaghetti and meatballs I had bought 2 days earlier. Served cold from the can, hunger made the food extremely tasty, and I looked forward to having it again along the way. I am apprehensive about the upcoming challenge of the Blue Ridge, but I happily admit that life is good for me right now. I slept soundly, and was glad that it got cold enough during the night that I needed to wear my fleece jersey inside the sleeping bag.
Today's ride: 79 miles (127 km)
Total: 229 miles (369 km)
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