May 29, 2002
6 min. read
This post is part of the Trans-Am series.
I had gotten up and to on the rain fly, because the water in the stream and the trees blowing both sounded like rain at times. This gave me some comfort to sleep more soundly, but I still slept in a little. I started pedalling up and out of the Tye River Gap Campground just past 11 AM.
It took me quite a while to get down to Vesuvius. I had only filled two water bottles, because I figured that I wouldn’t need that much water on a long decent. I was wrong about that. With my braking on a 20” wheel, my rims got HOT. I used the rear as a drag brake until it started fading and then stopped with the front. A couple times, when I squirted water on the rear, I made a decent amount of steam.
I rolled into Vesuvius right at noon, timed perfect to pass the church as the noon bell songs started. The beautiful music played for a minute or two, echoing through the mountains. Along the trip there are many “Wow!” moments. This certainly is one of them.
At the bottom of the hill was the post office. I sent off a post card to my parents, with little on it. Most updates that needed to be sent were emailed. I just had to get a piece of mail with Vesuvius on it.
I left the route to the north, towards Steeles Tavern, for about half a mile to get a sandwich and stock up on my food. I found Gertie’s Country Store and ordered a cheese burger. I was in time to meet with the local lunch crew and we talked for a while. They surmised that I was crazy too. I’m starting to agree with these people. After I finished the sandwich, I lathered on sun screen and started back to Vesuvius to pick up the trail. The best part was the front license plate: “Welcome to the South, Now Go Home!”
About a mile out of town, I saw a yellow flag flapping ahead. I wondered if it was Adam, so I gradually poured on some steam and caught up with him. Sure enough. He got his wheel fixed Monday, about halfway down the Blue Ridge Parkway yesterday, and was shooting for Lexington today. He was glad to run into me for moral support. He wanted to have his wheel gone over at the bike shop in Lexington, and we discussed sharing a cheap hotel.
We climbed a little getting out of Vesuvius, then ran with the stream for about 10 miles. That was great. My legs took a beating on the Parkway, and it was nice to have a gentle rolling ride with beautiful vistas. We really started climbing into Lexington. I was hoping to stop at Natural Bridge or Buchanan by today, but like the idea of hooking up with Adam for a few days. We hit the bike shop in Lexington and dropped off his bike to get service. There was supposed to be a Thrifty Inn at the end of 11, going out of town. I rode up to where it should be and found a Lexington Lodge that will be re-opened in a couple months. Not good. I noticed a travel agency coming back, and I asked about local hotels. She was able to book us a room at Super 8 for $62 with tax. Not bad for $31 each.
Adam hadn’t seen the new Star Wars, so we decided to go to the 7 PM showing. There was a Golden Corral going back into town, but we didn’t have time to take showers, eat there, and ride back into town for the 7 o’clock showing. Burger King it was. This is the first time I have eaten at a fast food joint on the trip and I really enjoyed the fries and grilled chicken sandwich.
Since it was over a mile, with some decent hills back into town, we were going to ride our bikes instead of walking. We did however, unload them in the room before heading out. It is amazing to feel them with no baggage. You go from driving a Greyhound bus to a sports car. Very cool. We allowed ourselves 30 minutes to get back in town, and were able to do it in 15. Adam enjoyed the movie and I caught many things that I had not noticed the first time I viewed it before heading out on the trip. It is much better than Star Wars 1, but both still don’t compare to the originals.
After we got back to the hotel, we put the bikes in the room and walked over to Wal-Mart. It was like a kid in a candy store. We are stocked up for the next few days. We had tuna sandwiches with provolone and mustard, yogurt, and some granola bars when we got back to the room. We may have over done the milk products with cheese and 2-3 yogurts the we had each before we left in the morning.
We got to bed a little after midnight, after both of us went through our things and figured out what we were mailing home in Lexington. I’m sending home my big bike lock for two reasons. First, I picked up a slightly lighter and more compact lock at the bike shop. Second, and slightly more important, the tingling sound I heard on a downhill the other day was not a washer I ran over. The best I can figure it, the sound was the keys to my cable lock and my white LED flashlight bounching along the road. I had the spare green LED light, but I no longer have a key to open this heavy bike lock. Instead of being a trooper and carrying it to Kentucky, I’m relying on the whole no rain, no sleet, no dark of night, unstoppable organization to deliver it to Jeffersonville.
Lexington, VA
Hotel Site: 37 deg 48.196 min N, 79 deg 24.656 min W, elev 1112 ft.
Part 14 of 48 in the Trans-Am series.
Series Start | Day 9 - Afton almost to Vesuvius, VA | Day 11 - Lexington to Troutville, VA