Christianburg to York Town – The final run home

Thursday 6th and Friday 7th October 2011

So back to the 2 Super 8 Motels in Christiansburg.

I get to the one as per the Trans-Am Guide map by about 4.30p.m. and booked into a double and decide after a while to have good soak in the bath before Stu arrives. By 6.30 still no Stu until about 7p.m. (and I am getting worried by now as it is dark and I know he does not have lights and does not like riding in the dark) when he phones me to say he is at the other Super 8 on the other side of town apparently about 5 miles away. (I have no idea how he got over there – it was not on any of our maps.) He is really tired so we agree to stay in our separate Super 8′s with the plan that I will ride over to him by 7.30 the next morning.

I eat for the first time at a Denny’s and am pleasantly surprised with the quality of the food. I had assumed it was just another hamburger/hot-dog outlet but much better than that. Not quite up to the Italian Restaurant in Leitchfield but not far behind. Two good main courses and a desert again (I must remember to stop eating this much when the journey is over!

Well once again the best laid simple plans of men and mice come to nothing. I leave in time to travel the 5 miles with ‘clear ‘ directions from reception. Well not that clear- and then after 8 miles I am totally lost and on a Motorway heading back the way we had traveled yesterday. I phone Stuart to tell him to start without me, confident I will eventually find the right route and be able to catch up with him

Hmm. By the time I was back on route I had already ridden an unnecessary 20 miles (32 klms) including more hills and dangerous negotiating of motorway interchange exits/entrances. I stay calm and get focused on pedaling and catching up. I am convinced he out there ahead of me somewhere and so just get down to a good hard ride chasing him down. The route that the map is advising is along the normal back roads but the road surface is really dead and very uncomfortable. I am rapidly coming to the conclusion that I am over the Trans-Am route. Back in 1976 it may have been appropriate but then there was less traffic on these back roads.

I stop off at a roadside shop/cafe for food and speak to the locals who advise that Route 11 is more direct and has a decent shoulder area that should suit our needs. Note along these back roads this morning I had received another serious shock when a giant custard apple dropped out of it tree right onto my head. No damage (apart from a serious heart rate surge!) but luckily I am wearing my helmet – note to self that at the end of this trip I might treat myself to a new helmet as this one stinks!

By now I am convinced I must be ahead of Stu but have no idea where I may have passed him. I try to ring him several times but no network connection yet again. It is not until about 3p.m. that I eventually get a signal and there is a message from him timed at 10.30a.m that says he is at a bike shop just outside Christiansburg but off the route, getting his rear cassette changed (which should have been done at the time he got the chain done). I call and tell him I will see him at the next major town, Lexington, and will wait for him there as I plan to take the Saturday as a rest day before the final ‘sprint’ home. I also pass on the advise about Route 11 and tell him to avoid the official route. There is a distinct possibility that Stu will stop before Lexington and catch up with me the next day as his leg is still hurting him; that would be fine. The town of Buchanan has plenty of motels and looks pretty cool and is only 20 miles from Lexington. In the end that is what happens and it will be an easy ride for him to catch me the next day.

I check into the Best Western in Lexington and am really lucky to get a room. It is a long weekend and all sorts of events are going on in town. (Lexington is steeped in history surrounding the Civil War.) I have to laugh as I go into my room and find the package below in the bathroom. It reminds me of the Muddies Cricket Club “Duck Award’ for the most ‘ducks’ in the season amongst senior teams. Definitely keeping this!

After 170 klms for the day (including my wasted 32klm detour) I am really looking forward to the rest day. Special mention here of the young man by the name of Chris on reception duty at the hotel. His people and service skills are outstanding and he proves a good friend over the next two days. I feed at an Applebees restaurant and again good food. At last - I hope no more Gas station food.

All being well Stu should catch up by mid-day and be able to enjoy the rest day. I suspect that his Oct 10th finishing day is out of the window but I will be on time for my date 13th. Problem is there is a warning that the fine weather we have enjoyed for the last week may be about to come to an end by the 11th Oct!

Saturday 8th October – RESTDAY in LEXINGTON

Stu arrives on time and we do short tour around the town and then just chill – don’t even play cards!

However we are concerned about the one last big mountain that we have to climb tomorrow. Stu’s leg is not up to it and he knows it. Back to young Chris- a bit of negotiation and he agrees to take us forward past the hill in his sports car for a fair fee. I am half expecting that Stu and his bike will fit but that me and the ‘coffin’ will have to do the climb. But I am pleasantly surprised to find that the coffin and all the other bags fit in the car (Stu is definitely going to be in the back seat!) and that the bike back will take both bikes! Problem solved. He does warn us however he is not an early morning person and that it will be around 9a.m. before he will pick us up.

Sunday 9th October

Hey Chris is as good as his word and is even early but needing his coffee fix big time. He takes us to a place called Rockfish Gap and we are on the road along Route 250 by 10.30. Suddenly the 10th Oct finishing date is back on the agenda again provided Stu’s leg holds up. We are off the Trans-Am taking a more direct and in my opinion a safer route. We agree to stay together as best we can until Charlottesville, which is a city we have to go through. (Stu is not comfortable in heavy traffic and we have been warned the signage is not that good.

Well the signage is not the problem but the traffic is and so finally I have my first (and hopefully only) accident and come an absolute cropper when this car, being driven by someone who has been god’s waiting room too long and clearly should not be driving any more sent me flying. Stu was right behind me when it happened and he says the car overtook me barely leaving any room and then just drifted to the right into me knocking over into the middle of the lane. Luckily damage to me was minimal apart from a few cuts and bruises and a jarred neck and no damage to the bike or coffin – indeed the weight of the coffin may have slowed my fall. More importantly the following drivers were alert to the situation and did not run me over. I was less than amused once I had picked myself up. I go to speak to the driver - he looked about 90 yrs old and was clearly shaken up and shaking like a leaf. I could not be bothered to rant and rave at him and just advised him to stay calm and wait till he had settled — yeah right – I turned to walk back to my bike and within five steps he was gone whoosho!

I knew if I stayed still I would soon stiffen up so I decided to ride on asap and aim for Richmond or nearby to leave a short ride for the last day (hopefully). The accident definitely upset Stu more than it did me and I realized it was important not to show if I was hurt of upset. I tried to convey the attitude that someone else’s incompetence was not going to spoil my day. I promised Stu I would stop at the 1st motel I came to in Richmond that was on our side of the rode. I was not keen to cross any more major roads! Rest of the journey was uneventful and Stu arrived about 1 hour behind me at the Marriott Hotel! Not cheap but manageable with shared costs.

A total of 131 klms for the day

Monday 10th October – The last day

As expected I wake up sore and stiff from the accident and very tired. The main issue is a bruised thigh and a stiff neck. On the other hand Stu wakes up like a kid on Christmas Day – all excited and hyped up. I began to wonder what was in his pain killers and muscle relaxants! He was keen or anxious to get out of the City traffic as soon as possible and several times I had to say ‘Slow down- stay focused’. I began to wonder if he had been foxing these past few days he was going that well, but it may have been partly because I was definitely hurting and could not give riding my full potential. Anyway I eventually got him to settle into a sensible and even pace and although it took a bit longer than expected to get out of Richmond and back onto the designated Trans-Am along Route 5 there were no further incidents of note.

At Williamsburg, the last town before the final destination of Yorktown, we asked a local cyclist directions through the town and he turned out to be another ‘angel’ who took us under his wing, detouring from his own morning ride to guide us through the city and onto the right path- but most importantly introduced us to his favourite snack bar and showing us Jefferson’s house, which now serves as the State Governor’s residence, (Virginia definitely seems much more affluent that most of the places we have come through)

Carl thanks a lot for you time and help. (Carl rides 45 miles everyday!)

And so the last 21 klms or 13 miles to York Towm - ‘Home and Hosed’ and relieved. It is almost an anti-climax. As we are taking out important photos Stu’s wife, Barbara, pulls up beside us with a huge banner for him.

One for us

One for Maison Chance

CIMG3771 and one for Club (WRCC) who have been behind me all the way (Thanks Guys and gals)

After this shoot we go down to the water front for the traditional dipping of the wheel – I am agreeably surprised as to how warm the water.

I am the skinny one on the right ha ha

It was also good that Stu’s original riding partner was on hand to join him in their own wheel dipping ceremony.

Then off to the local pub (next to my hotel for the next 2 nights) for some well earned beers and food.

Rest time at last. Very pleased with myself and I have enjoyed the journey but I also remember this was a mission to raise money for people very close to my heart. I hope I have succeeded.

Now time to reflect but before I forget. Thanks for the Journey Stu.