September 3, 2022
Did VDOT Run Out Of White Paint, Or…
Did VDOT run out of white paint and/or are shoulders for wusses (aka cyclists and we don’t care)? I’ve been writing about the great Virginia roads, but after today I may have to be more specific about the areas and exact roads. Riding from Charlottesville through Bumpass ( pronounced Bump-iss not Bump-ass) to Beaverdam I experienced some challenging roads and aggressive drivers. The issues with the roads were multi-layered. For example, I get that if there is no center line(s) painted then there wouldn’t be any white edge lines to define a shoulder. And then of course everyone is free to roam wherever they choose (hopefully in a safe and courteous manner). But if they choose to create some structure with a center line, then why no edge lines? Either they ran out of paint or shoulders are for wusses (cyclists). I rest my case. Also the roads were rolling hills with frequent blind twists and turns. Not a good combination for cyclists especially when there are no white lines and/or shoulders.
And then there were the drivers. First of all, pickup trucks outnumber cars and SUVs at least two to one. And trucks with trailers made up at least a third of the trucks. For some reason many (but not all) of the pickup drivers didn’t seem to think a cyclist should be on their roads. And finally, a strange phenomenon emerged, people seemed to think that accelerating to get past me, even if it meant going into the other lane with an oncoming car, was a much safer strategy than simply slowing down a little. Maybe the brake pedal in cars and trucks around here is actually a turbo pedal? Rant over!
Once again my math skills failed me. The ride was longer than I thought it would be and had more aggregate climbing. No big hills, I guess it all just added up.
Couple highlights for the day. Riding past the Rotunda and Pea Soup Green having its photo taken there. Riding over/ through a lake region and a series of bridges. Very pretty area and fun watching the water sports going on out there. And then finally…
Getting to meet Owen the Pastor at the Beaverdam United Methodist Church (where I am staying tonight) and his wife Tina. They are very cyclist friendly and have a nice set up for us. And really finally, eating dinner (barbecue and homemade desserts) at the local Catholic Church’s fundraiser and engaging with members of their congregation. Thanks for the recommendation Owen.
Wait, wait I forgot to mention breakfast at Bodos!!!
Very short ride tomorrow to see my cousins. Going to veer off the ACA route so wish me luck.
ian
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Today's ride: 85 miles (137 km)
Total: 350 miles (563 km)
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Be safe love
2 years ago
2 years ago