I Am A Grouch

Today's mileage:34
Cumulative elevation gain: 1500 feet
Weather: 90 and sunny
Attitude: Piss poor

I woke up very tired and grouchy this morning. First, the hotel alarm clock did not go off, so I was late to breakfast. Then, I'm so tired of the same hotel breakfast everyday anyway.... bland scrambled eggs, small disk of sausage, bread with a butter-like substance, bad coffee (unusually, agressively bad this morning even for a hotel). I was planning a relaxed start to my day by riding in the van for 20 miles or so, but van had to make a Costco run so I had to ride in the SAG vehicle instead, which leaves at least a half hour earlier. So the unanticipated rush just made me grouchier, and even a stop at Starbucks didn't help all that much. To add to the joy my stomach was complaining, so I ended up riding in the SAG for 40 miles out of the 74 mile day.

Once I got on the bike, things improved, of course, as they always do. More pleasant winding hilly roads through woods and fields, and some real, Whidbey-esque hills. We are in horse country now. At one of our SAG stops, three young dark beauties came up to say hi, and then kicked up their heels running back across the pasture.

It was nice to have an easy, relaxing 34 mile afternoon ride. All but the last couple of miles anyway, when my grouchiness returned. Another VERY busy 4 lane highway with NO shoulder. I thought: I am NOT riding this. Seeing a sidewalk across the street, I managed to get over there without getting killed. But then of course the sidewalk ended just around the next curve, leaving me with about a foot wide strip of grass to walk on. But what do I see in the distance? (cue the Hallelujah Chorus here) Starbucks! A grande frappucino improved my mood enough to get me to the hotel.

Most of the hotels we've stayed at have had swimming pools, but very few have been open or even had water in them. But today, I pull in, and there is an inviting, clean, fresh, cool looking pool, it's 90 and sunny, I'm hot and sweaty. Is there a closed sign on it? No, there is not! I go to my room, take a shower, put on my bathing suit, go to the pool, can't get the gate open. I call the desk. The pool is NOT open. Grouchiness returns. I may have been a bit short with the clerk, suggesting that they put a sign up so their guests do not go to the trouble of changing into bathing suits only to have their hopes dashed.

Oh well, Got my laundry done, bleach-cleaned my water bottle and camelbak, and it's still an hour until dinner time. I believe I'll have a beer. Sorry for the rant. Tomorrow will be better.

Steamy and a Deluge

Today's mileage:67
Cumulative elevation gain: 1600 feet
Weather: 90's and steamy
Attitude: Tired, relaxed

Today's ride started out backtracking the 9 miles from Williamsburg to Jamestown on that same hellish road surface from two days ago. Did not seem quite as bad the first thing in the morning. The flies weren't out in force yet, and the temperature was still reasonable. And as soon as we turned off the hell road, we were on  a lovely, smooth bike trail for a full 27 miles. This trail looks like it will eventually go all the way into Richmond, but currently at the 27 mile point it turns to dirt and construction. It was sooo nice to not have to think about traffic and just enjoy the scenery for awhile. Hardwood forests and green fields, very pleasant.

Then it got hot. And humid. And we got back on a shoulderless road, with not an extreme amount of traffic, but enough. And the flies came back out. Biting flies, that swarm you immediately if you dare to stop. So I didn't even take a break until I got into the suburbs of Richmond, where I stopped at the first convenience store I found for air conditioning and a Starbucks beverage. And the next convenience store for more air conditioning and a slurpy.

About the time I got into Richmond proper, dark clouds were looming, and a couple of  miles from the finish line they opened up for a 10 minute deluge. It felt soooo good I was giggling as I rode. Did not even bother with the raincoat, although I did have to dig out my helmet cover to keep the water out of my eyes.

So tonight we are staying in Richmond, capitol of Virginia. We rode right past the capitol building, but I was too hot and sweaty and tired to even want to stop for a picture. I'm sure there's lots to be seen in this town but I won't be seeing it this trip.

Pretty bike trail

These doors were at the exit of the bike trail in Richmond. This is a "floodwall" completed in 1995, to keep out the James River. when it misbehaves.

Surface of the road from hell

Part of the bike trail in downtown Richmond

Your obligatory Willamsburg picture

Williamsburg Rest Day

Today is a rest day in Williamsburg, Virginia, "The Colonial City". We are in a huge hotel right next to the Williamsburg visitor's center, and it is packed. I went down for the complimentary breakfast this morning and could not even find a place to sit. I think this is graduation weekend for the College of Willam and Mary (right down the street) and in addition there must be busloads of school field trips here. I was not in the mood for crowds so took my breakfast back to my room, then took a nap until about noon.

The possibility of good coffee got me out for a walk. I'm not much interested in colonial history to begin with, and I toured Williamsburg once, 40 years ago, so opted not to buy the ticket this time. You can still walk through most of the streets without a ticket, which look colonial-ish if you can ignore the crowds of tourists, the traffic noise, and the shuttle buses whizzing around the perimeters.  Anyway, I found my way through the 17th century, out the other side and back into the 21st, where there was a decent coffee shop (also very crowded) and a bookstore. I've been trying to read a John Irving book that I got out of the WomanTours trailer but just cannot get interested in it.

The skies were turning black on my walk back to the hotel, and not long after I got in the skies opened and we had a nice thunderstorm. The only restaurant close to the hotel is closed on Sundays so I have ordered pizza and will stay snuggled into my room with my three new books for the remainder of the evening.

Heaven and Hell

Today's Mileage: 63
Cumulative Elevation Gain: 1315 feet! Actual Hills!
Weather: 80-95, sunny
Attitude: Blissful to Awful

The first 50 miles today were heavenly. FINALLY some nice little rolling hills, more winding back roads through the pretty countryside. Then a short ferry ride across the James River.

 Once off the ferry, most chose to stop at the big Jamestown Museum. I instead opted to ride the extra 5 mile loop out to the island, where the original settlement was. I rode this loop once about 40 years ago and remember it being very pleasant, and I enjoyed seeing the ruins of the old settlement. Well, this time, not so much. I could not find any ruins, the road was very rough, and one could not stop at all or even slow down without being swarmed by biting flies. What we Michiganders call deer flies.

I cannot imagine why the settlers opted to settle in this awful, swampy, bug infested place. If I remember my history correctly, most of them died from malaria. Not surprising.

So back I went to the museum to meet up with Nancy for the final 10 mile stretch to Williamsburg. This was hellish. Possibly the worst road surface I've ever endured, something about halfway between very rough chipseal and cobblestones. 95 degrees, very litttle shade, and the damn deer files followed us the whole way. By the time we got there I could barely remember the blissful part of the ride. Glad I have these pictures to remind me.

Tiny little roads like this most of the day

Ferry over the James River

More of those little roads and pretty green fields

My riding buddies for the day: Nancy, Nancy, Dolly

On the ferry

Kathy Q demonstrating her impressive balance

A Blissful Ride

Today's Mileage: 46 (would've been 66 but I "bumped up" 20 miles in the van)

Cumulative elevation gain: 577 feet

Weather: 70's and sunshine, perfect!

Attitude: Blissful

Could not ask for a more perfect ride today. Sunshine, very little wind, smooth roads with virtually no traffic, and even some little hills near the end. Very rural, not even a gas station or convenience store. The only services we passed for the whole 46 miles was one liquor store. Pretty green fields of grain, pervasive scent of honeysuckle. We passed one freshly cut hay field, a few more of those tiny cemeteries, and a few dogs who barked but wagged their tails and did not give chase.  All in all I think the best day of the trip so far.

We entered Virginia today and tonight we are staying in the town of Suffolk. There are several lakes here and it’s a very pretty area, but no one got a chance to actually see the town as we are at a rather run-down Motel 6 (which apparently lost its Quality Inn certification recently) out on the outskirts. Pool is empty, internet doesn't work, there are holes in the drapes and the towels are frayed. At least it doesn't smell like an ashtray.

I went to look at a large monument in one of the little cemeteries today. Inscription said:

Sacred to the memory of Dr. Guy Osie Brinkley, son of L. Park and Sarah Rogers Brinkley, who was murdered by a maniac at Savannah GA June 16^th 1918 (or 1913?) A brilliant and useful life cut short.

I liked this red barn with the car rusted to a matching color

Another tiny cemetery in the middle of a corn field

Just a pretty green field

Much of the ride today was past fields like this

I wanted to get a closer picture of this house but I believe it was occupied. There were bikes on the porch.

Virginia!

A long, long bridge

Today's Mileage: 57
Cumulative Elevation Gain:426 feet
Weather: 60-70, mostly sunny, headwind

Another pleasant ride today through the Carolina countryside. Farms, verdant fields of grain, lots of fields that haven't been planted yet.  It was cool enough today that I left my long-sleeved layer on all day and even had to don my windbreaker on the 3.5 mile bridge across Albemarle Sound. I'm glad there was very little traffic on this bridge as I really wanted to stay inside the white line as much as possible..... that wall at the edge is only about 3 feet high and it's a long ways down.

Crossing Albemarle Sound

 We passed several fields of these beautiful purple flowers, obviously a crop being grown, which none of the locals could identify....not even the guy who lived in the house right at the edge of the field. Internet says it's most likely Clary Sage.

Field of Clary Sage

An appropriate name for a funeral home

Tonight we are in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. On to Virginia tomorrow, and we will pass the halfway point of our trip.

1012 Miles!

A bonus post: I passed the 1000 mile point today! 1012 miles so far since Fort Lauderdale!