GTD 2012 Day 24

No such luck re: the weather; it was raining harder than the day before and the wind was just as strong.  I was so close to the finish that I had to get suited up for the rain and head out.  Celeste did take my trailer and bag home for me so I was bike only for this last 28 mile stretch.

As bad as the conditions were the 28 miles seemed to pass by pretty quick.  Maybe it was covering the roads that I had ridden so much in training for GTD or for triathlons.  I did stop for a moment on 225 to duck out of the rain.  At that point I was so wet that I just started laughing; there was no way possible to get any wetter so I got back on my bike and began the final stretch of my 2012 GTD Fundraising Bike Ride.

I pulled into our neighborhood and then up to our house.  The rain continued to pour.  I put my bike in the Storage Room and got out of the rain; it was finished!

I want to first thank the Lord for providing all the I needed when I needed it along the way.  I want to thank my amazing wife Celeste for supporting my ongoing desire and determination to Go The Distance every other year; your support fuels me all along the way.  Finally I want to thank all my friends, family and CCH Gon4ths who hosted me along the way; you were a blessing and it was so awesome to see you, spend time with you and get caught up.

Now it's time to take a break before beginning to think about and plan for GTD 2014.  I will be riding down the Mississippi River starting at Itasca SP in Park Rapids, MN and finishing in New Orleans after going down to the Gulf of Mexico.  It should be exciting!

GTD 2012 Day 23

Well, the forecast was right.  We woke up to rain and wind; the Tropical Storm was here.  Crazy thing was that before I left to start my trip I had prayed that a Tropical Storm would come to FL and provide the much needed rain we were lacking; I just thought it would happen while I was up north riding.

The question now was; was it safe to ride or should I just stop here.  The conditions were actually no worse than I had ridden in before so we felt good about me pressing on to the finish.

Celeste was going to drive ahead of me and wait for me to catch up; it was comforting to know that she was close by in these conditions. 

Shortly after starting to ride the rain and wind picked up.  I got to the next small town and pulled into a Convenience Store.  At that point I was ready to pack it in and call it a Ride but when I talked to Celeste she had taken a different route and many miles ahead of me.  Therefore, I had to press on.  That turned out to be good; shortly after starting to ride the rain and wind let up.  I met Celeste at the next small city and we got something to eat at McDonalds.

 

I was now getting ready to enter FL and the rain and wind were picking back up.  I was also encountering some road construction so that made it extra fun.  Celeste was a bit worried due to the conditions and the traffic.  I assured her everything was fine but I was now wondering if I could make it all the way home.

That question was answered when I met her in Baldwin; it wasn't going to happen this day.  I told her to go ahead to Starke and we would stay there for the night and I would finish in the morning.  She went ahead and got us a hotel and I met her there that afternoon.  I was happy that my ride in Tropical Storm conditions was coming to a close for the day.  I got to the hotel and out of the rain.  I had to dry my bike, trailer and bag as much as possible before moving it into the room. 

I was excited to get this done because the sooner I was moved in and cleaned up the sooner Celeste and I would be eating at Laredo's Mexican Restaurant; our favorite! 

Laredo's was great and our night of rest was great; there was only 28 more miles to go to finish GTD 2012.  Of course my hope and prayers were that the next day the Tropical Storm would be gone that that the weather would be beautiful; we'll see.

GTD 2012 Day 22

Rest Day! 

We had a great morning of worship and afternoon of sightseeing even though the Tropical Storm was threatening.  It would rain off and on but it wasn't too bad.  The forecast for the next day was to be lots of rain and lots of wind.  The original plan was to ride all the way home from St. Marys; we'll see how that works out.

GTD 2012 Day 21

I was excited that this way would be a short 45 mile ride to St. Marys and that Celeste would be waiting on me.

After a great breakfast I packed up my trailer, said goodbye and made my way to Starbucks for another iced coffee.  I got back to the road I had been on the day before and turned south.  The ride was uneventful and since I felt good I covered the 45 miles in no time.  Once I got into St. Marys I put the hotel information in Google Maps and then made my way there.

It was easy to find the hotel, our car and our room.  It was great to see Celeste!  I got everything unloaded and unpacked and grabbed a shower.  After that we ran around some, checked out where the church was and got something to eat.

It was a good day and I was looking forward to a good night's rest and a day off.  The only thing looming was a Tropical Storm that was to hit Georgia and Florida the next day.  I wasn't going to lose any sleep over it so after watching some tv we fell asleep.

 

GTD 2012 Day 20

I forgot to mention that CCH Gon4ths Eric and Christa Nolan had joined Cam and I for dinner the previous night; it was so awesome to see them again.  They live in Midway and are members of SCC.

I wasn't too rushed this morning since the ride to Brunswick was flat and considerably shorter than the day before.  I set out and after a bit Cam came riding alongside me on his motorcycle; very cool.  He was on his way to the office. 

One thing I never know about is the "feel factor" i.e. how will feel on any given day when riding long distance.  Though I felt good the day before and had a good night of rest; I was not feeling it this day.  I passed through Midway and felt like I needed to rest so I turned back and found a diner.  It was about 45 minutes before their lunch buffet started so I settled in and did some computer work.  Glad I did; the buffet was amazing!  Fried pork chops and a Mac n Cheese that was out of this world.  There were other items on the buffet but those two highlighted it.  After getting my fill I knew I needed to get going; I would be meeting and staying with the Holders that night.  Jeff and Diane were friends of Celeste and her family; I looked forward to meeting them and their family.

The day was hot so I made several stops to cool off and get something to drink.  Since I wasn't feeling it that day I probably stopped more than usual; that happens sometimes.  I kept pressing on and was rewarded at the end of the day when I came across a Starbucks one mile from the Holder's house.  I was ecstatic!  The day before had been tough due to the obstacles and today had been tough due to the heat and tiredness; SB was a great way to finish off this day.  I rested a bit and chatted some; the Barista's were interested in my ride.  I drank my iced coffee and got a refill to take to the house.

I rode the mile to the Holder's and met Jeff, Diane, kids and pets; they all were great!  I got settled in and cleaned up.  Diane and the kids were running out so Jeff and I had a delicious dinner at the house.  I also got laundry done.  After dinner we got to visit and learn more about each other.  They were such fun.  I was a bit relaxed after two tough days because the next day was going to be short, easy ride to St. Marys.  I was meeting Celeste there and we were going to hang out for a day or two so we could catch up and go to church.

GTD 2012 Day 19

I did wake up extra early and felt great.  It was still dark as I began pedaling.  Today was to be long (125 miles), but no longer than my longest day on my GTD 2008 Ride from Westcliffe, CO to         La Junta, CO so I wasn't too concerned.

What I didn't know was the obstacles that lay ahead of me.  As I mentioned; I began pedaling in the dark.  Was making good time then I encountered some road construction; this slowed me a bit.  At one point when I stopped to talk to Celeste a dog was threatening to jump a temporary construction barrier and come after me; I told Celeste I had to go.

The next obstacle came in the form of a navigational problem.  Instead of continuing on straight at one point I decided to turn; both ways would get me to where I needed to be.  The only problem was that the road I chose went from paved to hard packed dirt to even mud puddles for a bit.  I was riding out by Hunt Clubs and at one point I even had to stop, unload and lift everything over a gate.  It was beautiful where I was but it was slower going than the asphalt road.  I rode for over 10 miles before I was back to pavement.

The short way was to cross over the paved road, lift everything over another gate and proceed on another dirt road; I declined to do that so I had to take a longer route to get back on track.  When I got to the place where I needed to turn there was a BP station; I was so happy!  I cleaned up my bike some; it got quite muddy and dirty during my off road adventure.  I refueled on food and fluids for the long afternoon ahead; I needed to make up some time.

The ride from that point on was long and uneventful.  I did come across a Cider place that had different types of Cider and Deep Fried Peanuts; I took time to enjoy some of both and pick up some for Cam and Sarah.  I rode through a beautiful Scenic Wildlife Refuge on the way to the Huxford's house.  I also rode for a bit on Bob Miller Rd.; this was a bit emotional because of my dear friend and Ministry Hero Bob Miller who had departed this earth to be with Jesus before my trip began. 

Both the Refuge and the Road were good afternoon experiences before arriving at my destination.  I finally entered Huxford's neighborhood and worked my way to their house.  Cam was there to meet and it was still daylight!  It was great to have the long day behind me; now it was time for dinner at one of Cam's favorite Seafood Restaurants; it was awesome!  Sarah had a meeting so I wouldn't see her till after Cam introduced me to Low Country Boil; amazing!

 

On the way to the Restaurant Cam showed me the new additions to Savannah Christian Church; very cool to see what was needed at SCC to minister to, serve and equip the SCC faith family.  After dinner Sarah was home so we had good opportunity to visit before calling it a night.  Sarah even blessed me with some natural ointment that would relieve my knee pain; what a blessing!

GTD 2012 Day 18

The awesome pasta feast the night before seemed to help me sleep like a baby.  I woke up a bit early to change both tires.  The tire on my rear wheel moved to the front and then I put a new tire on the back.  I felt good about starting the last week of the journey with new rubber on the rear and a really good tire moved from back to front.

I got to see John and Susan a bit as we had some breakfast then I set out; today would be along ride from Lexington to Goose Creek.  I was on a bit of a schedule since I was to be speaking at the Sonrise CC Wednesday night service. 

John told me I would be riding some hills through Columbia but after that it would flatten out and it was a straight shot to Goose Creek.  He was right on.  I enjoyed the ups and downs through the outskirts of Columbia before settling in on the long flat stretch to Goose Creek.  The ride was scenic and uneventful.  I stopped for lunch at a Country Store and enjoyed a couple of Cheese Dogs and a cold Root Beer.  After that I kept a consistent pace all the way to the church; I would meet Jerry there.

Jerry was excited to see me as I was him.  He finished a few things at the church and then took me to the hotel.  I got checked in, settled in and cleaned up.  I was looking forward to church that night; several friends would be coming to visit.  Rich and Vicki would be coming from Mt. Pleasant and Doug, Amy, Rita and kids from St. Stephens and Moncks Corner. 

I got to church early and got to visit with dear friends from SCC.  Just before the Service was to start Rich, Vicki, Doug, Amy, Rita and kids arrived; it was great to see and visit with them.

I enjoyed sharing with SCC about UFCCH that night and fellowshipping everyone after Service; it was a great night.  After dinner I got right to sleep; I knew I would be waking up really early to begin a long, long ride to Savannah to meet up with Cam and Sarah Huxford; dear friends that we have known since college.

GTD 2012 Day 17

After a great breakfast and time of fellowship it was time to say goodbye to Randy, Cheryl, Brad and friends.  I pedaled off knowing that I would be in Spartanburg within a few hours.  It was a nice ride and the part of Spartanburg I passed through was nice.  There were some ups and downs and I got to see a school or two.  After Spartanburg it was countryside riding and I even spent quite a bit of the afternoon riding through the Sumter National Forest.

It was a really nice ride but rain threatened.  On top of the rain threat was discovering that my front tire had developed a slow leak.  Instead of changing it I was stopping every 20 minutes or so to fill it back up.  I figured I would be able to change out tires at John and Susan's house.  It was a bit taxing to have to stop so often; at one point I had to pull into a Subway for a snack and a large drink.  I cooled off a bit, filled the tire and set off to Lexington. 

The rest of the ride went well and I made good time.  It was a highlight to ride along the large Lake Murray that was to my right side.  After that I made a turn off the main road and made my way into their neighborhood.

They greeted me at the door and after greetings got my bike and trailer moved into their garage.  After getting cleaned up we had an awesome dinner then watched the final show of the season for American Idol.  I haven't seen any of the season so I didn't know who was who but when Phillip Phillips sang his song he rocked the house and I knew that he had won; he did.

We chatted a bit more about the past and the present then headed off to bed; it was a great night and it was so good to see John and Susan again and meet their kids.  I truly have been blessed all along the way.

GTD 2012 Day 16

After a great night of rest we woke up to a great breakfast prepared by Robin; he truly spoiled/blessed us.

We ate, got everything loaded up and set out first toward Hendersonville, NC.  After navigating our way out of Ashville we had a nice ride through Arden and Fletcher before arriving in Hendersonville several hours later.  Downtown Hendersonville was really cool; too bad we didn't have the time to stop.

From Hendersonville to the NC/SC State Line there was some great cycling and we had a fantastic lunch in Tryon, NC.  After lunch and some pictures it was on to Inman, SC. 

We crossed the SC State Line (more pictures) and continued on Highway 176 through Landrum and Campobello before drawing close to Inman.  After Campobello I started texting Randy to let him know our whereabouts.  He texted us the house code and said he would most likely arrive after us.

That was probably true despite the fact that Brad had been fighting cramps throughout the day.  He was feeling much better after our amazing lunch but now it was getting warm so we made sure we stopped to rehydrate from time to time.  We did arrive at the house before Randy so we moved into our respective rooms and got cleaned up for the evening.

Randy and Cheryl arrived shortly thereafter; it was great to see them and have the opportunity for some extended visitation.  They live on a golf course so it was great to sit out back and chill before dinner.  Dinner was amazing; exactly what we needed after a good day of riding.

The only downside to the whole visit had nothing to do with location or company but news that I discovered when on a UF website.  I saw a headline that said a UF student had been found dead; that caught my attention.  When I opened the article I was shocked to find out that it was a student that had been involved at CCH off and on his freshman year.  Stephen was a great kid who had a moving experience one night at our outdoor worship.  A song that Scott had played pierced his heart and he was moved to tears.  After the song he came to me and asked if he could have a hug.  We hugged then he shared what it was about the song that moved him.  I will never forget that night or Stephen.

We visited for awhile after dinner and then called it a night.  By this time Brad and his friends knew that this was the end of their GTD ride; they just didn't have the miles underneath them to continue on to Lexington and then on to Goose Creek and Savannah.  That was fine; I truly enjoyed their fellowship over the past two days. 

The next day would be a ride through Spartanburg on my way to Lexington to stay with John and Susan Wright; for youth group members from Boones Creek CC and Oakwood Forest CC; I was looking forward to time with them.

GTD 2012 Day 15

Brad's friend and I met up at Colonial Heights Christian Church early before church so we could get a jump start on the day and the ride over the mountain to Ashville. 

We set out through typical East TN countryside and made it down to Jonesborough in good time; this was encouraging.  After this the day began to take some twists and turns that turned the rest of the day into quite an adventure.  We found a small school out in the countryside to stop at for lunch.  As I began to cook up some pasta I realized that a bit of milk would be good.  I saw that there was a home for boys just up a side road so I rode there and asked for a bit of milk.  After some good natured ribbing re: borrowing some milk I was given a tour of the home and some milk to take back to our lunch spot.

Lunch turned out ok; the pasta burned on the bottom.  I was glad to get some carbs in before the ride over the mountain.  I also enjoyed a granola bar for dessert. 

We were nourished up so we set out for the climb over the mountain.  As we headed up the road that was to take us over the top; the road turned from asphalt to a rocky road that consisted of very large pieces of rock.  This did not look good.  I turned back down the road and chatted with a family for a minute re: how long the rocky road went before there was another paved road; they said 5 miles.  I immediately knew that I did not want to push my bike and trailer uphill on a rocky road for 5 miles so I went to Google Maps to reroute.  Fortunately we would not have to totally backtrack; only for a bit.  This reroute would wind us through the countryside before putting us on the Ashville Highway much sooner than anticipated. 

Right after turning onto the busy Ashville Highway we stopped at a store to refresh for what was ahead.  After a nice break we started up the Highway.  There were some good climbs but nothing too too bad.  What was bad was the traffic that had quite a few big ol country boy trucks mixed in. 

It was after the second or third climb that Brad, Josh and Wesley met up with us.  Brad had some church and after church obligations so he was jumping in late that day.  His friend had been struggling up the hills so he traded out with Brad.

Ever since the reroute I was out of sorts with where and when I was to be meeting up with a high school friend Robin Kortus.  I totally immersed myself in the end of the ride and trying to make up time; that caused me to make a significant navigational error that caused us to miss Robin and have him chase us down.  Once he figured out where we were he headed our way.  By this time we had surpassed the expected mileage for the day so we stopped and waited for Robin.  He showed up with some liquid refreshment and a truck equipped with a bike rack.  We loaded up and set out to Robin's house.

It felt so good to get to Robin's house and get a shower.  After we all showered we enjoyed a delicious dinner that Robin prepared for us.  We finished dinner, got laundry going and then set out for the Chocolate Lounge in downtown Ashville.

The Chocolate Lounge was really cool and very delicious as well.  We had a great time of relaxing and visiting.  After a little while the sleeps hit me so we headed home to get some rest; the next day we would be going into SC and staying with college friend Randy Richeson and his wife.

GTD 2012 Day 14

This was my second rest day of the trip; a bit more than normal for a short trip but there were cool locations along the way and great friends it was necessary.  It was a beautiful day for a picnic!

Mike Rigas came up from Knoxville; it was great to spend time with him before meeting up with everybody else.  Driving out to Bays Mtn. brought back so many great memories of bike rides and hiking trips.  The Eastman Shelters were hopping with people celebrating a great day for a picnic.  Parking was at a premium so it took a bit of work to get everyone parked.

It was so great to see so many great friends and enjoy time with family.  Everyone brought food so there was more than enough.  It was fun to remember back to great times of ministry and friendship; Celeste and I were/are so blessed with so many awesome God loving people in our lives.

Besides eating and fellowship there were all kinds of games the families were enjoying.  It was a great day of relaxing before resuming the rest of my ride.

The evening was a chill time at Steve and Gwen's; it's always nice to relax at their relaxing home.  As evening set in I began to contemplate the next day's ride and the route I would take.  I have two options: down Kingsport Highway to Johnson City then to Erwin and over the mountain to Ashville or heading southwest through Jonesborough toward Greeneville before taking the Ashville Highway to Ashville, NC.  I decided on the second option before closing my eyes.

GTD 2012 Day 13

I was excited to get up and get going to Kingsport; it was going to be great to see Steve, Gwen and Nevaeh again.  On my way out of Wytheville I saw a small group of cyclists ahead of me about a half mile.  I was catching up to them then as I passed a church I saw what would be a beautiful picture so I stopped, got my phone out of it's holder and snapped a couple of photos.  It turned out great; so I thought.

I started back and after a bit I got the group back in my vision.  As we approached a small town I saw the group turning left; there went my time of meeting up with some other cyclists; so I thought.  As I got to the bottom of the hill where the group turned I saw that there was one cyclist who continued on straight; I wondered why.  Fortunately I caught up with him in a bit and we got to chat.

He was from Australia and cycling solo across the country; he had just ridden with the other group for awhile.  We were able to ride together for several hours and even enjoy lunch together.  After lunch we parted ways; I was heading southwest and he was going northeast.  It was nice to ride with someone for the first time this trip.

The rest of the days ride into TN went smooth and then after Bristol it got a bit difficult as I ended up taking a route that I should not have taken.  Tight roads, hilly roads, traffic...all contributed to a stressful afternoon.  With that being said; I did end up on an amazing road in Kingsport that extremely tight and extremely scenic.  This stretch made the whole afternoon's frustrating ride worth it.  As I enjoyed that stretch I wondered how I never ended up on that road the whole time we lived in Kingsport. 

Just like two days before when I ended the day with a steep uphill into Eric's neighborhood; I did the say this day with a steep climb up into Steve & Gwen's neighborhood.  It was nice to get up the climb and then see a Gator flag flying in front of one of the houses in the neighborhood. 

I arrived at Steve Gwen's and was greeted by Gwen and Nevaeh.  Steve would be home from work shortly.  I moved my stuff in, got showered, started laundry and then enjoyed a great evening of feasting and fellowship. 

The next day would be an off day; there was going to be picnic at Bays Mtn. with friends from Boones Creek and Oakwood Forest.  Celeste's sister Lisa and her family would be joining us as well; how exciting.

GTD 2012 Day 12

Because of the upcoming mountain climbs I was excited to get up and get going.  I left Salem early and made my way toward my first mountain climb before Christiansburg.  Before the climb I was a bit hungry so I hit a Subway and had their breakfast sandwich.  I also had the opportunity to cross paths with an east bound cyclist who was riding to raise funds for the family of a fellow firefighter who had passed on.  We had a nice few minutes chat. 

After Subway came the climb.  It was several miles long and I covered it in a decent time according to my cousin Kevin; he keeps close tabs on me when I am riding.

I passed through Christiansburg and headed to Radford; a college town.  In Radford I came across a bike shop (not surprising for a college town) and I took time to use their floor pump to get my air pressure where it needed to be before arriving in Kingsport, TN the next afternoon.  I also purchased a couple of water bottle cages to change out the ones on my BOB Trailer.  It was a really nice shop and the staff was extremely helpful.

After Radford I headed to my second major mountain climb of the day.  It was a long, grinding ride up; this climb was in excess of 3 miles.  Along the way I was surprised by one of our English Corner students who Skyped me during the climb; it was great to see him.  Once I got to the top I was rewarded for my effort to get there; what a view!  I took a few minutes to soak it in and chat with a motorcycle couple who wanted to know more about my ride.

 

The ride down was beautiful and fast.  I actually missed the Service Road I was to turn on so after going under I-81 I had to turn back and get on the Service Road that tracked along 81.  That is where I was the rest of the day.  About an hour out of Wytheville I stopped at a Convenience Store to refuel.  Celeste and I chatted about the weather report for the evening; storms were going to be passing through Wytheville.  I had a camp site reserved at the KOA in Wytheville; I had Celeste call the KOA and change my reservation from a campsite to a small cabin.  Good thing I did; after I arrived, showered, ate dinner and got back to the cabin; the heavens opened up and it stormed hard. 

That helped me fall asleep early.  I tried to read a bit but could not keep my eyes open.  Even in my tired state I was a bit excited about the next day's ride to Kingsport.  I would be staying with Steve & Gwen Janulis and having time to visit and celebrate with friends, family and CCH Alum Mike Rigas.

GTD 2012 Day 11

I was excited that today's ride would take me to Salem, VA to stay with Celeste's brother (Eric) and his family.

I looked forward to riding through Lynchburg early in my ride; that was before I actually rode through Lynchburg.

I left Madison and hit a fast downhill to the river followed by a very steep, steep uphill into Lynchburg.  I actually had to stop a couple of times for a break.  After reaching the top of the hill I was in the midst of construction and the not so nice side of Lynchburg.  I never saw Liberty University but I finally did exit Lynchburg and set my sights toward Salem.

Before reaching Roanoke the ride was typical of what I had experienced thus far; very scenic.  Once I entered Roanoke everything changed; the traffic picked up and I was immersed in a very commercial area.

The roads and sights became familiar from previous visits to Roanoke.  I worked my way through the city and then entered the Salem city limits.  I knew exactly where I was so that was exciting.  The ride through Salem, past the church where Celeste's brother ministers, past the Salem Starbucks to Eric's neighborhood was nice.  The hill going up to his house was not so nice; very steep.  I started and finished the day with a steep hill.  Once again I had to take a short break.

I arrived at the house, settled in, showered and then went with Joy and the kids to church for dinner and worship.  It was a great night!  I was happy to get my laundry done before bed since I was unable to do laundry the night before.

As I laid down to sleep I thought about the next day's ride and the major climbs that were to come.  I actually enjoy the long climbs; I guess my first and second GTD rides through Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Nevada and the California Coast prepared me for such climbs.  We'll see how tomorrow goes.

GTD 2012 Day 10

The storm came last night and the sound of the rain and wind lulled me to sleep.  I awoke to beautiful weather so I was excited for the day ahead.  I showered, ate breakfast and packed up.  As I started to load the trailer I quickly discovered that I had a flat.  I moved everything to the side and took the wheel off.  A few minutes later the tube was changed and inflated so I was loaded everything up and set off south on 29.

After awhile I entered Ruckersville and spotted a drive through Coffee Shop; I needed a shot of caffeine so I stopped; it was good!  I passed through Charlottesville and the anticipated ride by the UVA Campus was disappointing.  29 goes by the edge of Campus; it was nothing like the ride by/through the University of Maryland.

The rest of the day's ride was like the days before; nice road, nice scenery and nice drivers.  The only difference in the day had to do with where to stay.  There wasn't any place to camp in this stretch so I planned to stop in Amhearst and find a cheap hotel.  I found one but it was full; a construction company had booked most of the rooms.  The only option was to pedal on to the next city; Monroe.  I arrived in Monroe and found a decent place to stay for a decent price.

I called Celeste and mom to let them know I had found lodging.  There was a store across the street so after showering I went to the store to find some dinner.  After dinner I touched base with my brother in law regarding my arrival in Salem the next day.  I did some reading then called it a night.

Besides arriving in Salem the next day I was looking forward to riding through Lynchburg; the home of Liberty University.

GTD 2012 Day 9

When it rains it becomes more difficult to navigate if you are not prepared for it; I wasn't.  I hadn't yet invested in a waterproof case for my Iphone.  Therefore, I had to stop, find cover and check my paper map.  This wasn't the best situation either since my Ziploc and map seemed to attract moisture.

Navigational difficulties cost me about 45 minutes trying to get out of Annandale.  It also took me down a bumpy hard packed Nature Trail; what an adventure!  I was happy to finally get back on my route; tonight I would be camping in Madison, VA at a KOA.

The ride was very scenic and wet.  The temperature was good so I felt comfortable all day despite being soaked head to toe.  Later in the day it did stop so I was excited about my first night of camping.  As I approached Madison dark clouds were filling the sky and the wind was picking up; Celeste checked the weather and told me a big storm would be passing through shortly.  I had her call the KOA and change my tent site to one of the small KOA cabins.

When I arrived they were ready for me so I filled out the Registration form and pushed my bike up the gravel road to the cabin.  I really like the small KOA cabins; quite comfy.  I unloaded my BOB bag and lock up my bike and trailer on the porch.

After a shower I hurried back up to my cabin because the storm was coming just as predicted.  I turned on the heat in the cabin and settled in.  I got some reading done and spent some time chatting with Celeste.  After chatting I fell asleep; very easy to do after a long ride, dinner, reading and chatting.

In 2 days I would be in Salem, VA with my brother in law and his family.  Before that visit though I had to pass through Charlottesville; I was looking forward to seeing the UVA campus.

GTD 2012 Day 8

I was anticipating this day with Casey and Cori in DC for quite some time.  We had breakfast at a local Coffee Shop; it was awesome!  After a Latte and a Breakfast Sandwich we set off for Annapolis for church; a friend of Casey and Cori had planted a church there.   It was a good time of friendship, worship and the Word.

After church we had an awesome seafood lunch on the Bay then went sightseeing in DC.  I felt so blessed to have Casey and Cori show me DC; it had been so long since I had visited our Nation's Capital.

After sightseeing they once again treated me to an awesome meal at one of their favorite restaurants. After dinner I had to get everything ready for my morning departure; I would be leaving MD and heading southwest through the Shenandoah Valley.

GTD 2012 Day 7

Upon leaving the farm I knew it would be just a matter of time before countryside gave way to the city.  The Maryland countryside was beautiful and hilly until I started to draw close to Baltimore. 

The route through Baltimore took me through the Projects before taking me into the city for lunch.  I found a Starbucks and enjoyed a sandwich, iced coffee and a dessert cake.  It was a nice break; now I was ready to ride through Baltimore, DC into Annandale to stay with Casey and Cori.

I checked my map and set off.  It wasn't too long before I was riding across from where the Ravens play; that was cool.  Of course I had to snap a photo.  Later I passed by the University of Maryland before entering into Georgetown.  There were tons of tourists checking out Georgetown; I followed a couple of local cyclists through the traffic to the bridge that would take me across the river into DC.  Crossing the bridge was cool.  Looking to my left I saw some of America's historic sites; very cool!

 

 

After DC I worked my way through Arlington then set my sights on Annandale.  I encountered one area of confusion in Annandale but quickly figured out the problem.  A short time later I was turning into Casey & Cori's neighborhood; I was excited to be finishing up this tiring day.  After several turns I turned onto their street and found their new house.  Cori was home; Casey would arrive a short time later.  I moved my bike and trailer inside, unpacked my BOB bag, settled into the Guest room and got a shower.  We went out to an amazing dinner then enjoyed hanging out, chatting and listening to some old albums.  It was a great night; I was really looking forward to a day off in DC.