Day 82: October 2nd, 2010 (Route: Troutville, VA to Draper, VA)

Day 82: October 2nd, 2010 (Route: Troutville, VA to Draper, VA)

Technical Data:

Distance, miles: 85.11
Ride Time 7:12:57
Work, kJ: 3484
Average Power, watts: 132
Normalized Power, watts: 187
Average Speed, mph: 11.64

Forecast: Bright and Sunny!

Sleeping in the Troutville, VA city park turned out to be the most restless sleep I have on this entire trip. The Park is located right next to a set of active railroad tracks, trains were blowing through town all night, feeling the vibrations from the train I woke almost everytime the trains rolled through. Sleeping on a picnic table under a pavillion last night was great, I like doing this when I want to get up in the morning and get going. It saves on setting up the tent, breaking down the tent, along with drying out the tent later in the day. Once up I was ready to ride, it was cold but I had everything set up for an early departure. Ate some oatmeal, filled up and downed a couple of bottles of water and headed out.

This morning was still, with blue skies, and the feeling of autumn! It was nice, so nice I just wanted to go back to the park and just sit and hang out at the farmers market that was setting up under the other pavillion, chat with the farmers and enjoy the day, however I had work to do. I've had the feeling of wanting to get off this leg the last couple of days so I'm doing my best to cover a god set of mileage every day so I can push closer and closer to Missouri where I started. A part of me doesn't want to be done, however another says its time.

Rolling out of Troutville, VA the leg feels great as it has been at the beginning of every ride, I wish all the miles coule be like the first 30-40 miles of the day, however I'm not that lucky! The terrain is hilly, lots of hilly terrain here which makes for some of the most scenic views of rolling hills full of farms, with it being autumn all all the crops in for the season, its time to celebrate the harvest and you can tell most of the farmers are getting into the season of fall/autumn. The pumpkins are out, the corn stalks, the cornecopians, and the fall leaves are on there way. The colors while riding are so beautiful, the reds, the yellows, the different shades of brown, the greens (though I wish they would fade, however they do provide the contrast to enjoy the views), and so many more. I've passed so many trees the last couple of days that I know will turn into hours of beauty, I sure do wish I had my camera to photograph the views I'm taking in.

Enjoying the day I'm just thinking about covering as many miles I can, I know this isn't what I should be doing, however I know the leg is going to wake up and I'm going in an out of thoughts of wanting to be wrapped up. The leg does wake up at about mile 30 today, with all the climbing it was just a matter of time before it hit me. I know that I'm not going to quit though, I'll fight this out and make it back if I'm going 5 mph and have to ride all day long! The sun is nice and bright today, just a few clouds in the sky, not hot just right! I continue to ride and see the beautiful scenery that Virginia has to offer and the East is starting to grow on me, the rolling terrain looking out over the tree tops to the valleys and small springs producing the fertile valleys I have been traveling alongside the last couple of days. Today is one of those days that one just wants to have 365 days a year!

Rolling into Elliot, I stop and have a small bite to eat, I've covered close to 48 miles and really looking forward to getting in 100 miles today, however the mind is starting to tire with the lack of sleep I got the night before. I take a 45 minute lunch break and just take in the moments. A couple of hunters showing off the buck that tagged this morning, its first day of bow season and boy did these boys start it off right, a 10 point that looked great. Cyclist passing, thinking this is a great place to train I have the feelings of jealously, watching them cruise past just enjoying the day and not towing anything! Don't get me wrong, I love BoB, but he's starting to do a toll on my body I think and its time to make it home and rest up! I had the thought the other day, over the last 80 days the United States Topography and I have been going at it and its starting to win the battle, however I know I will win the war and make it home!

Setting off after lunch I pass a couple of triathlets in Virginia Tech gear heading right for me and talk about bring up old times! I wonder what they are training for, are they Ironman athletes or training for short course tri's? One can only imagine as they roll passed. Having taking a little break I'm feeling pretty good, however this fades quickly as the body is just tired. Not sure if its nutrition (though I doubt it), or just fatigue, l'm thinking lack of sleep! I continue to battle with the rolling terrain and the 26/12 I'm riding. The thoughts continue to flood the mind with questions like: What will I do when I return? Will I race again? Will I get into the school I would like to get in? What are all my friends doing today as I ride? How fast will this leg heal once I get off the bike? What's my dog doing right now? So many thoughts, so little time I keep thinking, then the mind fills with what I would like to do over the course of my life and I'm thinking when am I going to get the chance to do all this. Thoughts continue like, I would like to obtain a D.P.T, a PhD, got to culinary school, massage therapy school, travel the world, sail the great blue oceans, ride my bike to very state to the highest point and climb the peaks, so many thoughts today! I can tell I'm coming to the end of the journey as my mind is flooding with thoughts of the next chapter in life.

Continuing riding I'm starting to get tired, I hit the 85 mile marker and pull into this little general store in Draper and ask the attendant where the nearest place to camp is. She mentioned I could camp out back so I took it, set up the tent, ate a little food and crashed! I'm writing this the following moring as I slept close to 13 hours, talk about being tired! More to come on this journey as I'm sure the mindset will adjust to enjoy the next couple of weeks...