My Warmshowers stay was excellent. Not only did I do laundry and take a nap, but I had a fabulous dinner. My hosts cooked a massive piece of salmon which I normally don't like. They pan seared it in oil and it might have been the tastiest fish I've ever eaten. The stir fry veggies were also quite yummy. Breakfast was pancakes, eggs, and bacon. Dang. Hats off to Dirk and Chrissie , my hosts.

I hit the road around 8:30. The first couple of miles contained an unexpected set of rollers into Lexington. I rode through the campuses of the Virginia Military Institute and Washington and Lee University.

After that the route turned into back country roads. There were streams and forests and deer and cows and calves and goats and sheep and a bunny. There were landed estates way off the road fronted by massive lawns and a row of hillbilly shacks that seemed impossible to live in (but of course they were). Most of the homes fell in between these extremes.

Off to my right were the Short Hills, a rather imposing ridge line. The route skirted them all day. I spent probably more than half the day along a stream, a rail line, I-81, or US 11, all of which run along the southern Shenandoah Valley.

Whenever the route left these features, I found myself grinding up a short, steep hill.

At 20 miles, near Natural Bridge, I stopped for a snack at a GSCS (Gas Station Convenience Store): a pint of Arnold Palmer, a bag of Cool Ranch Doritos, and a CPB ( cherry pie in a box).

I checked to see if the hostel had responded to my request for lodging. Not getting one (until just now at 6 p.m.) I booked a room in the Comfort Inn in Troutville.

My legs were pretty tired after the climbing of the last two days. The food brought them back to life for a while.

In the town of Buchanan, 33 miles into the day, I had lunch in a bar. (The town’s other two eateries are closed on Mondays.) The bartender/cook went about her business with a cig in her lips. I only eat at the finest establishments.

I ate a fried bologna sandwich with a side of fries, washed down with nearly a half gallon of iced tea and water.

At this point, temperatures had risen into the mid-80s. The AC in the bar did as much for me as the food.

Back on the road I headed for Troutville. I came to a barrier across the road. Eastbound Greg had warned me at the Cookie Lady’s house that there was a road closure. When he encountered it, there was no warning so he convinced the road crew that they should let him pass. I wasn’t going to take a chance when I could see on Google Maps an alternate route.

Blue Mountain Road had three steep climbs. When I hit the third one I stopped midway up to catch my breath. Two golden retrievers behind a fence came over to urge me to move on. They were harmless so we had a chat. Woof. Sit. Woof. Go home. Woof. Later.

I was 100 feet from the top so I decided to push my bike up, probably saving my knees in the process. I turned onto Lee Highway, US 11, and headed south.

There wasn’t much of a shoulder but there was even less traffic. After a few miles I reconnected with the route only to hit a steep hill just outside of Troutville. Again I rode most of the way and walked the rest. No hurries.

The ride into Troutville was a twisty 30 mph whee!

My hotel was a mile off route on Lee Highway. I checked in just before 3 and called it a day.

My wife texted me. I’ve been called for jury duty in mid-July. I figure I can finish this tour as planned by June 30, but jury duty would kill extending the tour. That may not be a bad thing. In any case I can reschedule.

For those of you wondering what the climbs I’ve been doing look like take a look at this elevation profile. The horizontal lines are increments of 1,000 feet. I think I started near "Maury River". The climbs weren't very big in elevation gain but they were steep.

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