After goodbyes to the women of the house, I rolled out with the usual pretour jitters. They went away after about 3 miles.  

The Mule was tracking like it was on a monorail. We even climbed some early hills without crying. 

I followed my maps like a dummy and went down a long hill to the wrong side of the Occoquan River. So I climbed back out l, found the correct way and descended. Then I climbed the bitch of a hill out of the town of Occoquan. Southward. 

Dang.

I was expecting many more hills built my route through Prince William County around Quantico was surprisingly level.  A more direct route would have been to take US 1 straight past the Marine base. Route 1 is a hilly death trap so I took the long way, around the base to the west.

And the weather was superb.

This can’t be happening. I’m on a bike tour!

A brief visit to Fauquier (say it right!) County and I was in Stafford County. The rollers began. 

After exhausting my legs on the 50 States Ride (I hilly event in DC a few days ago), I decided to check my ego at the base of each hill and use my super low granny gear. Bueno!

I stopped to flip my map and was passed by three men of about my age on a bike tour of their own. I caught them soon because one of them had a flat. A few miles later at a general store I encountered two more south bound bike tourists. It turns out they are on an official Adventure Cycling tour from Bar Harbor to Key West. We are all using the same maps of the ACA Atlantic Coast Route. The three men I had just passed were part of their tour group. We chatted as we snarfed all the things. The woman on the group bought me ice cream. I love her.

I parted alone and cruised along the increasingly hilly roads into Fredericksburg. I stopped for more ice cream because it was RIGHT THERE! 

I skipped the Civil War battlefield since I had already been there. If you want to know about the high (or low point) of the battle, just watch the opening of the movie Cold Comfort. It wasn’t pretty. 

Hills and more hills led me to a KOA campground south of town. (I understand that the tour group camped at a church.) I rented a cabin because it is supposed to rain and because I wanted to. It has electric but no water. Roughing it!

With 88 miles behind me I face 60 miles of hills to Richmond tomorrow. 

Further.