Between the Ranges

 Day 48

Today Started out at Rural Retreat Lake Park.  I was looking for a bike shop, my rear hub needs adjusting. Turns out there was one listed in Draper, through the route takes me.  I got slightly turned around in Wytheville,  but not much time lost.  

The weather was cooler, humid and partly cloudy with the possibility of afternoon showers.  As I got to Draper I found out that the "bike shop" was just a bike rental outfit for people to ride on the New River Trail. The people I spoke with told me that if I went down the trail to Pulaski, it would end at an old train station and there was a bike shop there that could help me out. So I got on this trail which was soft gravel and dirt.  After several miles and crossing a couple of roads on bridges, I saw a sign that I should take this branch of the trail and it was 2.5 more miles to the end of the trail and train station. At this point the sky  was getting darker and darker.  I managed to get out to a local road, and using my phone plotted how to get back on course.  

Wouldn't you know that I went right by the end of the trail and saw the train station. Didn't look like anything was going on.  There was one guy sitting there, and I asked if there was a bike shop there, his reply was "Used to be"  He gave me some directions to get back on track.  I headed off towards the darkest cloud in the sky.  The roads were wet and there was water running down the hills.  I had just missed a shower.  Made the whole day without putting my raincoat on.

We are making out way between the ranges of the Appalachians, with the Blue Ridge mountains to our east and the Allegany mountains to our west.  We will continue the north west direction through the weekend when we stop near Charlottesville.  Then to the Richmond area and the coast.


Morning Ride

  • Distance
    60.90 mi
  • Elev Gain
    3,912 ft
  • Time
    4h 56m

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