Day 6 Shenandoah National Park to Lexington, Virginia, 100 miles... Tree

I can not believe we ride into Roanoke tomorrow! We are all excited to close a week of long, hard riding but it is sad because we have enjoyed the journey so much with each other and this huge accomplishment.

I have really understated my personal issues with hydrating, eating enough calories, and getting enough rest (the rest part is something EVERYONE is lacking). At the beginning of the week, when the alarm would go off at 5am, Susan and I would jump out of bed eager to start the day. As the weak progressed, the jump began to not be so spry. Today, we lay in bed unable to move until 5:40am. Which is very late considering we start meeting in the lobby of the hotels at 6am to get ready to ride at 7am. For those that know me, you know I am very stubborn. Put me on a bike and that characteristic just skyrockets. I dressed in my bike gear this morning and put on jeans and several fleeces (three to be exact) over my jersey. I knew that I was not going to make the ascent. I did 30mph downhill a couple of times yesterday and that is still too fast on a bike for me. At that speed, you begin to wobble and think of various party of your body that would be left behind on pavement in case your bike were not to stay vertical. My plan was to meet everybody at the 2nd rest stop at mile 35. Instead of getting on my bike today, I spent the day hydrating and eating. I also took a great nap on a the rider bus. I got to the hotel this afternoon and I was ready to ride!!! But, I'll hold my enthusiasm until tomorrow (we have 70 or so miles into Roanoke). I can not tell you how much I feel like a new person. It's not quite as painful to move, I'm using the bathroom again, and I don't feel like I'm going to fall asleep standing up. Yay!

The riders told me at mile 35, rest stop 2, that the ascent was not really an ascent. As I drove down in with Shane and Tommy from Tennessee, I said, "this doesn't really feel like we are going downhill much." Shane agreed. I'm not sure how this mountain has no downhill. If it does, the ride didn't find it. The day did start in the 30s with heavy winds. Sitting here in Lexington, the sun is out and it is beautiful!! I am so proud for everyone that made it through today!! A lot of people have sat out entire days and/or parts of days. Every single rider is suffering through some sort of physical ailment every mile. Some have ankle issues, some knee issues, some back issues, etc, etc. Sometimes you need to listen to your body and other times you just keep on going until you have to stop because you can't move. For a rider, listening to your body early in the week means you save yourself for the best part -- riding into the Memorial at Roanoke.

Thank you so much to Elkton EMS/FD. It was great meeting you this morning and thank you so much for opening your house to us. Elkton is mostly volunteer and when Shane, Tommy, and I arrived this morning, there were several people working very hard at putting together our rest stop including mopping and cleaning the station and bay as well as washing ALL of their response vehicles. Volunteer EMS/FD personnel are the heroes -- they serve their communities for little to no compensation professionally day and night, rain or shine. Thank you! You all are truly inspiring. On a personal note, the cheezits hit the spot!!

Steve, Woody, and Jeff, wish you guys could be here!!

Please be safe out there... The Blacksburg EMS vehicle got hit by a drunk driver the other night coming home from dinner (everyone is ok but the axle needed replacing among other fixes) and someone hit a bear in Dr. Ted's vehicle last night inside the park (everyone is ok, I'm not sure about the bear).

One more day! Hooooooooorrrrraaaaaaahhhhhhhh! (As I quote Tommy...)