Day 81: October 1st, 2010 (Route: Afton, VA to Troutville, VA) *City Park Tonight

Day 81: October 1st, 2010 (Route: Afton, VA to Troutville, VA) *City Park Tonight

Technical Data

Distance, miles: 103.57
Ride Time: 8:36:31
Work, kJ: 4943
Average Power, watts: 158 (not important now that my legs bummed)
Normalized Power, watts: 208
Average speed, mph: 11.9

Forecast: Sunny, windy I think in the 80's

Having stayed at the Cookie Lady's cycling house for the last couple of days, has got me thinking that I'm not ready to finish! So many more miles I could possibly put into this journey, however its not the miles that matter, its what I'm finding out on this journey that matters the most. Today's going to be a test to see how the leg is holding up, with 2.5 days off, which was most needed I think the leg is ready to go, not ready to race but ready to get me back on the road!

Waking up, I look at the clock, its 6:10 and I'm not ready to get up. I made the mistake of staying up last night listening to all the songs and lectures I have on Itunes on my pc. I don't have many so when I say all I mean it! I didn't download my collection of music to my pc before I left, which I think was a good thing! It's good to get out of the same routine and listen to other things, so I'm listening to the samples over and over! lol Not really, I listened to the lectures my brother gave me before I left again. All about leadership and they are really good so I didn't mind staying up late last night listening to them again! I've been craving some human interaction over the last couple of days, the mind has been pretty quiet over the last couple of days too, very peaceful!

Waking up a few minutes later after looking at the clock I head the bathroom, I think if I didn't have to go I would have slept on that couch for another hour or so. Once up, I got some breakfast (Oatmeal), and packed up my things as its time to ride! After all this down time, which in reality isn't much I was ready to see how the legs going to hold up for the remainder of this trip and get over these series of small hills that I have, since I picked up the Adventure Cycling map at the church in Yorktown I know the topography, I really don't like knowing, however I thought I would give one map a run to see what its like. Loading up the Bob and hitching it to the bike, I run the keys back up to the Cookie Lady's place. It's early so I just leave the keys on the door and head back to my bike. Odds are she was up, however I wasn't really looking forward to a long conversation in the morning, even though I have been craving some human interaction. Back down the hill I notice the rear tire's side wall is starting to get pretty warn, I'm sure it doesn't have much life let, however since I like to run things till they blow on this trip I'll leave it and change it over the next couple of days.

Up the first climb I'm feeling pretty good, seated as not to really press the quad too soon I feel strong. The legs feel loose, not tight and I can tell its going to be a good ride. The clouds have not burnt off, and they are just racing across the sky at about 20-30 mph. The forecast called for a windy day and they were correct about that for sure! The storm front is just to my left, which is south since I'm heading West. The sun has not made it up and over the storm clouds, and to be honest I'm glad it hasn't. It's so beautiful this morning, series of storms clouds blanketing the sky, so picturesque! I sure do wish I had my good camera back that went out on Pikes last year. All in due time I'll be back to not only painting pictures with text, but I'll be able to share what I have seen with photos! One of the things I love is to take pictures, I really like black and white versus color, not sure why just my preference.

Now on Blue Ridge Parkway I'm cruising, I'm feeling strong and the leg has not twinged once! This is a good sign, however its early too. The climbing for today is all in the first 30-40 miles, which could be looked as good or bad depending on how you look at things. I figure the stronger I am when climbing the better off, as I'll be able to really cover some ground while fresh. Up on the Parkway the mind is really all over the place! Wanting to stop and write some poetry or just add some notes for the blog.

The clouds are racing across the sky in front of me, air temperature is cold, wind is causing me to have the chills, the roads are wet and covered in leaves. Its the 1st of October and its gorgeous out here! Riding into a wall of fog, riding on faith as I have no idea whats in front of me. Fog so think I can't see but 10 feet, riding on faith today as I'm in new territory and not sure what type of debris may be in the road, just continue to ride. Stiff wind blows me from side to side, cold wind pulls tears from my eyes as I descend. Fog lifts, clouds part, blue skies ahead...

The Parkway is something, I really want to bring a group of riding partners back here some day and really push the pace. So many short climbs and all the beautiful lookouts! I wonder if I'll ever have the opportunity to make it here again? The trees are starting to turn, they are not fully ready yet as the temperatures have been so warm, however it won't be long now! Random thoughts running through my mind today! Thoughts as to why are leaves not black? I understand the chlorophyll provides the green pigment, however if sunlight is attracted to black more than any other color, why not pull as much in to utilize for photosynthesis as possible? I'm assuming this might be too much light, however I'm not botany expert, just a lonely biology wanna be since I took the Economics route, however I'm going back! And one other thought, are there any plants that their leaves turn white in the fall? Just some random thoughts. I'm sure its all about balance!

Another couple of thoughts that came to mind today was about the conversation I had with a friend of mine just yesterday on relationships and the balance of the male and female. I often thought that a relationship would be best if 50/50 in give and take since, however I have shifted to a ?/? ratio of relationships of give and take. Let me explain, in times of need the male may need more from the female and vice versa. I think the best example that comes to mind is if one spouse has an illness, the other spouse has to pick up the slack so the ratio can be 80/20 or 20/80. The point I was trying to make the other day is that its not about the ratio of give and take, however its about the fact that there is a ratio and that is what matters. All relationships have so many different ratios it would be tough to narrow down exactly the perfect one for any relationship and to be honest you can't because its always changing. I was thinking about this today on my ride becuase when I'm 100% I like to think the power distribution between my right and left legs are equal, however now that one is a little under the weather the left is having to pick up a lot more of the work and I can tell. Just made me think today...

Rolling into mile 30 the leg is starting to wake and I'm a little upset to be honest, I have been hoping and praying that this was just a short term muscle strain or something that would be gone in a couple days, however I'm close to a week now and its still there! I know this is going to be a challenge to make it home as it really bothers me! I ride through it for another 20 miles or so and just really taking it easy! The mind is taken to the thoughts of what is going on in there, I sure do wish I had the education to understand the anatomy to a deeper level then I do, all in due time I suppose! I pull in for lunch and have a peanute butter wrap and some raisens I had left over, refill the bottles with water and press on. I figure by now I have close to 45 miles to where I would like to camp. I plan on making it to Troutville, VA as they are supposed to have free camping there at a park and I'm certain I can make it!

After leaving the store I stoped at I cruise on to Lexington, VA and really just pass through, Stonewall Jacksons house is here, however I really don't want to stop as going the pace I am I'll need all the sunlight I can get. Rolling out of town the rear tire blows and I'm thinking, man is this the tire issue I had this morning that I thought would make it a couple more days or is it something else. Sure enough the side wall is starting to wear through, so I change tire and patch the tube and I'm on my way. Less than five miles down the road a small puncture forces me to patch the rear tire again, I'm thinking what's going to happen next? After patching the second one I stroll on through the farm lands of western Virginia and really just take in the sights! The weather is warm now with bright blue skies, the wind is still blowing out of the North. I manage to make it Buchanon with really no problem, the leg has been in and out with pain since the 45 mile marker. I'm not sure what to think of it, the pain is always there, its just the intensity that comes and goes. If I was on flats I really don't think I would have an issue, however with the topography I have to cover I do have sharp pain at times.

Rolling out of Buchanon I run into two cyclist heading to Yorktown. Stop and chat with them for almost 30 minutes I would imagine, finally my interaction with people close to my age out doing the same thing. Stacie and another guy, I don't like using that phrase for his name, however I can't seem to remember it at the moment, the only reason I remember hers is becuase she game me a handmade card with her blog information on it. It was good to catch up and chat with some folks on the TransAm today, it has been so long since I have seen another cyclist let alone got to talk to them. This brought the spirits back up for sure, making me think I should just keep riding once back to Missouri, that is if the leg will allow. Odds are I'll do the right thing and take the time needed to let this leg completely heal up, I have so much more life to live and doing it on a bum leg does not sound appealing!

19 miles to Troutsville go by without a hitch! I pull into the park and the park manager approaches me and ask if I can set up at the other patio area, I said not a problem. After chatting with him for a bit I head to the grocery pick up some dinner, then head to the fire station to grab a quick shower (Park manager mention it), I figured I haven't had a shower or a shave in close to 6 days so I might as well take advantage while its here. After cleaning up I head over to eat up some dinner and wind down for the evening, another long day ahead of me tomorrow as I would like to be back in Missouri by Oct. 15th, however weather and leg permitting...