Back to Reality

First of all apologies for there being no entry for yesterday. If you look below this entry you will see that I have given you 'double do's' but when you read yesterday's you will guess that it was a long day and as I didn't get back until late, I had many other things to do. Hope you will still enjoy it.

Day 11
From Washington DC
To Fredericksburg Virginia
Mileage estimated 90
Mileage actual 92
Top speed 44.2 mph
Riding time 7hrs 3 mins

While we as a group had either been doing our own thing or doing things in smaller groups yesterday, the ride staff had not stopped working. As well as seeing the five people away from the tour who left us in Washington, they had to welcome and brief three new members, Walter, Arlene and Carol. None of them are connected but Arlene is a friend of Anne and Connie with whom I ride, so she has dropped in with our group today. Walter and Arlene are with us until our next Rest Day in North Myrtle Beach but Carol stays with us until the end in Jacksonville.

Today was a long day but there were two saving graces; firstly the tough climbing days are virtually all behind us - we don't have any more short, sharp, steep or long steady climbs ahead of us like the ones we have already had - and the overall altitude climbed reduce the further south we go and secondly, it was an English summer's day! Well, nearly. It was overcast all day and there were just one or to spits and spots of rain to keep you interested but never enough to make the coat come out.

I left Washington with a bit of sadness; I was leaving good friends behind in Bob and Cathy and Dave had also made his way home, and the city had made such a good impression on me that I wanted to stay longer and see more. One day, maybe.

We left Washington through, but against, the rush hour traffic and crossed the Arlington bridge, immediately entering the state of Virginia and getting onto the Mount Vernon bike trail that took us out through the suburbs, past Dulles International airport and 15 miles on our way before we went onto any roads. Unlike the trail going into the city, this was well paved and maintained and a joy to ride. Passing the airport was interesting as the planes were taking off above us and I felt like I could reach up and tuck the undercarriage away as they went over our heads. Occasionally the bike track crossed swamp and that meant there were wooden bridges; some went on for quite a way and I felt like I was waiting in a queue for a Disney ride.

Traffic was a bit busier than we were used to so we had to be aware and keep concentrating. We picked up a number of Bike Paths that ran alongside the road but were almost more dangerous than being on the road itself and for the first time over here, we actually travelled on roads with bike lanes painted for use, and not in the gutter like they normally have us.

We passed through an old town called Occoquan which had a lovely port / marina and then we turned off the main road and rode through the tiny streets. Leaving there and we had our only serious climb of the day but we are all stronger riders now and that gave us few problems.

We moved along at what we thought was quite a pace, even though we were hampered by Arlene getting a puncture just before the second SAG, but we eventually got in just before 4pm after over 7 hours in the saddle. There are a few shorter days coming up but we have still to do our only 100 mile day yet and the weather is forecast to get warmer.

Hmmm..... Could be a test!

As you can gather today was a bit of a 'get there' day with not a lot to see on the road. Dinner tonight however reunited me with that American delight, the all-you-can-eat buffet or (Pigs' Trough as it is also known) and there on the vegetable counter was the Victor 'I don't believe it!' Meldrew award winning dish, SWEET POTATOES AND MARSMALLOW!!! I though I would never see that again, but one should never say never! One look was enough to turn me away in horror.

Don't have nightmares thinking about it.