Wow guys, you only rode 35 miles today, isn't that kind of short? Yeah, well there was this little MOUNTAIN in the way.

July 20th - Day 7 - Afton to Vesuvius, VA - 35 miles - 1050' to 3290' IN ONE CLIMB!!
So this morning started on an upward slope at the door of the bike house and kept sloping up for another 2200 feet. Our map showed a steep downhill from Afton before the mountain began, so for a while I kept on thinking that I was still on a small climb before the mountain proper. The downhill never came. That turned out to be a wonderful map error, because I soon realized that I was on the mountain itself and further up than I had thought. Don't get me wrong, the climb was still the longest I've ever experienced and far from easy, but that was a nice trick that I was able to play on myself. The climb was up a long winding slope up Blue Ridge Parkway, with beautiful scenic overlooks (good excuses to take breaks). Cynthia stayed close today so that I wouldn't have to carry much weight beyond a water bottle, a camera, the map, and my fat butt.

At the top of the initial climb, we stopped at Humpback Rocks Visitor Center and walked around the little historic homestead that they had set up there, a welcome walk. After the rest, the route continued across the ridge of the mountains on the parkway. Yesterday, the Cookie Lady told us that I should be on the lookout for rattlesnakes up on the mountain and that she had heard of a cyclist that was found lying in the road with six bites on his legs. I didn't think much of it and actually thought of it as kind of a joke. But as I was climbing up the initial hill I sarcasticly thought "good thing it's overcast today so no snakes will be out on the road". Only a few hundred feet later, there was a pretty large black snake dead on the side of the road. Note to self: listen to advice.

Today was the first day of rain, so that made the height of the mountain extra cold, about 56F all day on the ridge. There was a very steep downhill off of the mountain that the Cookie Lady had told me to be careful on, this advice I heeded. With the slick wet roads and very sharp bends in the road, I rode the brakes most of the way down, only letting myself hit about 30 miles per hour before slowing back down. With Cynthia always nearby with food and making sure I eat every two hours, I ate a lot better today and ended the day with energy, instead of feeling really fatigued as I did yesterday.

We camped behind Gertie's Country Store and Deli in Vesuvius, another biker friendly place suggested by our maps. Vesuvius is a tiny little town and Gertie's seems to be the local hang out. One last note: apparently we have inate affinity for trains, especially when it comes to finding places to stay. In Mineral, the fire station is right next to train tracks and trains that run all night and sound the horn through town, in Afton, the bike house is just up the hill from train tracks that pass beneath a bridge, and here in Vesuvius Gertie's right in front of tracks. I hope our luck changes soon. I need to dig out the ear plugs.