Roanoke to Christiansburg

Day 13 - Thursday 5/28
Roanoke (Troutville) to Catawba
23 Miles

Given my relatively long ride yesterday (and knowing that the old energy reserves would be depleted today) I planned for a short day. Got up and worked until noon, then checked out of the hotel and hit the road. Stopped a few miles up the road in Daleville for a quick lunch at Subway and a trip to the grocery store for sun block and grapes, and then pressed on up into the Catawba Valley.

About an hour after lunch dark rain clouds blew in from over the mountains and I took cover under a group of trees just as the skies opened up. I normally just ride in the rain, but today it just didn't feel right - the road was twisty and narrow, the rain very heavy and visibility was poor. After about 30 minutes it let up to a light sprinkle and I headed down the road. After an hour the sun was peeking through the clouds again.

I spent the afternoon slowly peddling up short steep hills and then quickly descending the other side. Up down up down up down. I felt like I was fighting hard for every mile (I can hear the in-shape veteran riders chuckling -- stop that!).

The payoff though was the beautiful landscapes and sounds and smells of the Catawba Valley.

I should have taken pictures, but I kind of get in this "mode" where I just want to keep my head down and pedal. So I did.

Finally I came up on the Catawba Valley General Store where for three bucks I was allowed to pitch a tent out back along with a few hikers who stopped for the night. I pulled up, parked the bike, got a cold drink and a package of Fig Newtons and sat in the on-and-off rain under the porch and read a book until it got too dark to read. There was a great restaurant across the street (famous among the hiker community, I'm told), but I had nothing left...didn't want to do anything but sit and read my book. A hopeless case! Finally crawled off to bed and was awoken a couple of times by thunder, lightning and heavy rain beating on my (thankfully very rain-proof and sturdy) tent.


Day 14 - Friday 5/29
Catawba to Christiansburg
33 Miles

Woke up about 7 am, crawled out of the tent about 7:30 and took an hour to pack up, drink a cup of coffee and eat breakfast on the porch of the store, this time in the sun!

The ride this morning was much like yesterday...up down up down. Had more energy today and of course the very, extremely, breathtakingly beautiful Catawba Valley for inspiration.

Today I had Christiansburg in my cross-hairs, specifically the Christiansburg post office where there awaited my first care package from Pattye. When I hit the town limits I pulled out the GPS, typed in the address of the post office and obediently folowed the route it gave me. Big mistake! The GPS took me on a big loop around the north side of town, about 6 additional miles of up down up down, and about half of that on a dusty gravel back road. I had a few extra miles in me, but that's not how I wanted to spend them.

Note to self: check Google maps the night before and write down your own directions!

Retrieved my care package without incident then raced for the nearest (second nearest actually) as the sky was clouding up and the wind blowing fiercely. Made it to the motel minutes before the rain started and was soon feasting on brownies and enjoying the other treats. What a morale booster!

Spent the remainder of the afternoon/early evening working and then called it a day.

I'm planning to spend the weekend slowly (picture me tapping my foot with look of extreme impatience on my face as I type "slowly") making my way up to Marion where I plan to spend Monday and Tuesday with George and Marie at their new home, working and relaxing.

Sorry, no pictures this leg.