Sunday, May 27, 2007

Day 2: 127 miles total

I'm here at Susan Verbeeck's Country Store and she has been kind enough to let me use her dial-up internet to update y'all on my progress. All the libraries I've come across have been closed. Yesterday was our first day and we rode from Yorktown to Glendale, VA. It was a pretty nice ride; great weather and great scenery. Plenty of history in this first stretch- saw historic Yorktown (Cornwallis surrendered to Washington here), Williamsburg (amazingly restored colonial town, the largest of its type...took about 40 years and 40 million dollars, thanks to John Rockefeller), Jamestown and plenty of plantations. One of the cooler plantations was the home of John Tyler, 9th president of US (if i'm not mistaken). His plantation home was 300 feet long, the largest frame house in America, and had a huge ballrom designated for doing the Virginia Reel. We also saw a few battlefields from the civil war, mostly from a series of battles known as the Seven Days Battles. Our day ended at a wonderful "hostel" which was actually just in the back of a Willis United Methodist Church. A night in the A/C with a kitchen and not having to setup/break camp was sooooo awesome.
The second day (today) has been a bit more challenging, totalling only a few more miles (67 as opposed to 63) but many more challenging hills. I look at them as training for the beast known as the Blue Ridge Mountains, but that doesn't make them much easier! I have a feeling I'll be walking the bike up those switchbacks to get over the mountains. Not nearly as much to see today in terms of historic sites...mostly rolling farmland and lots of horses. I'm very fortunate that Mrs. Verbeeck has been so kind; she is letting us camp out back, we have access to her hose and there are plenty of cool beverages on hand. Tomorrow we push onward, perhaps as far as Charlottesville, although I haven't looked at the maps to be certain. I just want to get a good lead on the mileage since the mountains will take their toll on our progress.
Keep checking back, when I get some broadband access I will post pictures. Miss you all already!

7 comments:

Bishop Sensei said...

we miss you too! you're totally gonna beast those blue ridge mountains, i have no doubt.

Patrick R Chappell said...

Good showing lads! Careful for the Nefarious Gray Ferrets of the Shenandoah -- they are unforgiving!

Yours truly, Leda

Mom said...

i want to be Mrs. Verbeeck, have a country store and you handsome young lads camping in my backyard!
Love, Mom Clites

sellphone said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
sellphone said...

Way to go, Rob! Watch out for wild dogs in the mountains - Your Bro

Muellerweiss said...

Rob, good to hear that everything is going ok thusfar, it was good to speak with you the other day. I hope the trip through the mountians goes ok....watch out for hillbillys

Ben Freeman said...

Rob,
We are all so proud of you, keep those updates coming and keep cycling!
Mr. Freeman