Rusty Crank Coast to Coast Bicycle Tour across the USA on the ACA TransAM Route

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 go...

TransAm Day #4 May 29, 2018 Charlottesville, VA -  Love, VA 49 Miles Ride Time 4:50 Hours Tour Total 261 Miles details at: https://cyclemeter.com/4b2d99e24f1383f2/Cycle-20180529-0637-79403 I have been worried about this day for five months. Today I climbed Afton mountain, which most cyclists say is the most difficult climb heading west on the TransAm. Granted, the Rockies have higher elevations- but the grades are much more gentle. The only comparison I could make to today is Monte Grappa and the Alpini in Northern Italy where I toured in 2008. Today was tough. Serious climbing began 10 miles out of Charlottesville. Steve G had me worried about poison ivy along side the road and I was a little paranoid about it. Approaching White Hall I could start to see the mountains. The big ones were lurking behind the rising fog. It never rained last night and the humidity was near 100%. My jersey was soaked. The locals refer to this as air you can wear. My first stop was Wyant’s S...