A Pelting

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Let's begin with the charming. Our hosts Terry and Beth are delightful people and tempted us with all manner of food and drink and treats. I had a bowl of oatmeal heaped with fresh fruit and we talked over breakfast about different places we had lived and our families. As we put on our riding clothes for the day Beth and Terry donned their Sunday finest for a visit to their 10 AM church service. We had lots of stories to share and we could have stayed much longer. There was an ease and a peace at their home that was very inviting. Thank you to both for the hospitality.

But, the time came to head off for the day so we said our goodbyes, rolled down the road, and began heading toward Springfield. The next phase of the day was all about trucks. Pickup trucks. Big ones with big tires and big diesels. Throaty exhaust pipes pumping out virile American musk. Real men driving real slabs of muscular metal. Hot rubber and gleaming steel. And I could have done without all of them. We were riding windy country lanes through twisty woods and I thought it might be a quiet stretch given that today is Sunday, but no... While most drivers were fine some of them did not give us a warm Virginia welcome and I must say were quite rude. But their nasty personalities are their own punishments.

We took our lunch break next to a historical marker and the sky began to grow darker. Nothing alarming but our luck appeared to be running out. The early afternoon featured an hour or two with only drops but then the rain set in. Luckily it never reached a downpour but we did get a fairly good soaking.

Sometimes it's hard to know when to take a good break. We stopped at a Lidl grocery store and on the bright side got some fabulous baked goods for now and for later. I sat on a bucket for a chair next to the shopping carts while we sheltered from the rain underneath an overhang. Only a few miles later was a tremendous small town called Occoquan. Right next to a sweeping river with quaint old buildings and restaurants and tiny shops and a town dock and lively atmosphere. Oh well.

Lots of hills today. No mountains by any stretch but lots of up, down, up, down. This is the first test of our climbing muscles. I suppose we passed as we made it to the AirBnb house where we're staying and are finally warm and dry once more.

Today's ride: 68 miles

Chillaxing

Tucker the dog on the left. Thank you to Terry and Beth.

Ready to go

LUNCH

River and waterfalls

Just beyond Occoquan


Comments

  1. the Old GuyMay 27, 2018 at 10:01 PM

    So sorry for the bad weather. So glad for such gracious hosts. Maybe if you got an NRA sticker or other suitable "manly" monicker, the riff raff would give you some quarter? Got your package in the mail and put it up in your old room. Try to stay dry. Perhaps a few less miles tomorrow?

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousMay 27, 2018 at 11:21 PM

    Rain and cycling what a horrible combination. Glad you didn’t have to çamp out last night. Stormy here, very hot and torrential rain mainly at the same time. Don’t forget to have a rest day, then you can eat all day. Love Debxx

    ReplyDelete
  3. UnknownMay 28, 2018 at 6:31 AM

    So I have just managed to catch up, spending the last couple of hours reading your posts. Great adventures! You are blasting through those states, keep it up! Enjoy chums!

    ReplyDelete
  4. CheriMay 28, 2018 at 3:11 PM

    With your frequent rain storms I feel bad reporting that we are enjoying gorgeous weather in LA today. Ali showed Katie and I about town and your Dad and Kellie are checking on your boat at the marina.

    Ride safely. Cheri

    ReplyDelete

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