TransAm Day #3 Mineral VA to Charlottesville VA
TransAm Day #3
May 28, 2018
Mineral, VA to Charlottesville, VA - 55 Miles
Ride Time 4:06 Hours
Tour Total 204 Miles
details at: https://cyclemeter.com/4b2d99e24f1383f2/Cycle-20180528-0600
Last night I slept on a community room banquet table upstairs at the back of Mineral fire station. The large wood paneled room had about 20 large tables and metal folding chairs set up in rows. I was able to organize my gear and string up a laundry line. My extension cord once again came in handy, as I created an work area with a charging station and mobile office set up (this phone).
After the church, I couldn’t bear to sleep on another floor. I did a sit test in the table to make sure it wouldn’t collapse like the ones I used to have at Hunter College. It held me fine. Both Steve’s worried I’d roll off in the middle of the night. My Therm-a-rest did created a narrow rounded ridge down the center, but I never rolled off. A ceiling fan whirred above me all night. I didn’t sleep great.
I got up at 5am and without breakfast left by 6am, or so say my stats on Cyclemeter.
I was lucky. It had stormed all night and there was a lot of of commotion a the busy firehouse. Freight trains blasted through a block away. But the walls of my accommodations prevented me from hearing any of it.
My ride began as the sun was rising. Fog was still hanging in the fields. I stopped to turn on my bike lights. My helmet mirror and riding goggles got fogged up.
I shared two lane country roads with light car traffic, as I began to encounter rolling hills. I am still not used to my new gearing or my cleats. On one steep hill, my chain slipped off the front ring and I fell to the left side still clipped to the pedals. My panniers comforted the fall, but I received some road rash on my left elbow and knee. What aggravated me, is that I got grease all over my hand as I placed the chain back on the ring. My grease rags were buried deep in my panniers. So it’s day 3 of the tour and all my stuff is already covered in grease.
I encountered dozens of turtles warming themselves on the sunny pavement. The first one I saw had already been struck by a car. After that I tried to move as many as I could off to the side of the road. I still feel bad about the one I flew by on the downhill.
I passed a few groups of day cyclists doing circuits out of Charlottesville. A group of six heading east out of Tabscott gave me a rousing cheer. Later, I rode with Krista and Gary who were riding back into Charlottesville. I asked them about Afton mountain but they’d never been up it.
I rode for 30 miles before I found food. I found a grocery store that made me egg sandwiches. They had a cappuccino machine and a restroom where I could fill my water bottles. We all sat at a picnic table out back. Steve H was suffering from a stomach virus and not doing well.
I made it to Charlottesville by 12:30, having once again beat a rain storm. I'm staying at a B&B run by Raven and Flame. Their license plate reads Flaven. Steve H took a nap while Steve G gave me a tour of Charlottesville and the a University of Virginia, where he had done his undergraduate work. He showed me his senior room on the green, not far from Jefferson’s rotunda.
Afterwards I was able to locate the house where my mom lived in 1960 when she was in grad school here. I also went to Blue Wheel bike shop where I bought a new pair of gloves, and properly inflated my tires.
I washed all my clothes and then Steve G and I went out for dinner. I’m tired and tomorrow is a big day.
May 28, 2018
Mineral, VA to Charlottesville, VA - 55 Miles
Ride Time 4:06 Hours
Tour Total 204 Miles
details at: https://cyclemeter.com/4b2d99e24f1383f2/Cycle-20180528-0600
Last night I slept on a community room banquet table upstairs at the back of Mineral fire station. The large wood paneled room had about 20 large tables and metal folding chairs set up in rows. I was able to organize my gear and string up a laundry line. My extension cord once again came in handy, as I created an work area with a charging station and mobile office set up (this phone).
After the church, I couldn’t bear to sleep on another floor. I did a sit test in the table to make sure it wouldn’t collapse like the ones I used to have at Hunter College. It held me fine. Both Steve’s worried I’d roll off in the middle of the night. My Therm-a-rest did created a narrow rounded ridge down the center, but I never rolled off. A ceiling fan whirred above me all night. I didn’t sleep great.
I got up at 5am and without breakfast left by 6am, or so say my stats on Cyclemeter.
I was lucky. It had stormed all night and there was a lot of of commotion a the busy firehouse. Freight trains blasted through a block away. But the walls of my accommodations prevented me from hearing any of it.
My ride began as the sun was rising. Fog was still hanging in the fields. I stopped to turn on my bike lights. My helmet mirror and riding goggles got fogged up.
I shared two lane country roads with light car traffic, as I began to encounter rolling hills. I am still not used to my new gearing or my cleats. On one steep hill, my chain slipped off the front ring and I fell to the left side still clipped to the pedals. My panniers comforted the fall, but I received some road rash on my left elbow and knee. What aggravated me, is that I got grease all over my hand as I placed the chain back on the ring. My grease rags were buried deep in my panniers. So it’s day 3 of the tour and all my stuff is already covered in grease.
I encountered dozens of turtles warming themselves on the sunny pavement. The first one I saw had already been struck by a car. After that I tried to move as many as I could off to the side of the road. I still feel bad about the one I flew by on the downhill.
I passed a few groups of day cyclists doing circuits out of Charlottesville. A group of six heading east out of Tabscott gave me a rousing cheer. Later, I rode with Krista and Gary who were riding back into Charlottesville. I asked them about Afton mountain but they’d never been up it.
I rode for 30 miles before I found food. I found a grocery store that made me egg sandwiches. They had a cappuccino machine and a restroom where I could fill my water bottles. We all sat at a picnic table out back. Steve H was suffering from a stomach virus and not doing well.
I made it to Charlottesville by 12:30, having once again beat a rain storm. I'm staying at a B&B run by Raven and Flame. Their license plate reads Flaven. Steve H took a nap while Steve G gave me a tour of Charlottesville and the a University of Virginia, where he had done his undergraduate work. He showed me his senior room on the green, not far from Jefferson’s rotunda.
Afterwards I was able to locate the house where my mom lived in 1960 when she was in grad school here. I also went to Blue Wheel bike shop where I bought a new pair of gloves, and properly inflated my tires.
I washed all my clothes and then Steve G and I went out for dinner. I’m tired and tomorrow is a big day.
Hi Robert,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing information from your trip. I am following with great interest as my own trip starts from the west coast in 16 days! :)
Good luck and stay safe!
-Saemi