believe it or not, there are days while touring that you forget there's any weight on your bike at all.
today was one of those days.
tried to wait out the rains with a later start this morning, since we were only headed to Damascus for the night, an easy 45-50 miles east of Saint Paul. still got caught by a few scattered showers, however, and with the gusty winds, it stayed fairly cold all the way to Abingdon. it wasn't until then that the sun peeked out for a bit to take some of the chill out of the appalachian fall air.
our midday lunch break (Abingdon) happened to be where the Virginia Creeper Trail started, an old rail line cleared and then covered with fine stone for hikers and bikers. the trail went straight from Abingdon to - you guessed it - Damascus, our final stop for the day. what's more, we'd stopped at a park / outdoor market right near the trail's entrance. though somewhat reluctant to leave the smooth paved roads our bikes were designed for, we'd heard from multiple sources that the trail was worth taking if we wanted to see scenic appalachia.
so glad we did. probably made the mommas pretty jealous with our afternoon ride today: a 15 mile coast down into Damascus, over bridges and along rivers, never going uphill and never going more than 10-12 mph. leaves strewn about the trail, the smell of fresh earth and trees - and not a car in sight. it was an afternoon to remember.
will lay our heads to rest in "the place" tonight, a house filled with wooden bunks, old armchairs and piles of books on and around the common room's mantle. run by the local united methodist church, "the place" was designed specifically for hikers and bikers coming from a myriad of trails that, for reasons unbeknownst to myself, cross paths in Damascus. the area has a beautiful "small town" feel to it at this time of the year, but each May swells to more than 20,000 during their "trail days" festival.
"the place" has blessed us with a hot shower, a few kitchen appliances, a place to sleep, eat and relax with a roof over our heads. God is good.
until next time,
may the road rise up to meet you
josh & mark
the lifecycle team
