DAY 03
Ashland, VA to Mineral, VA
Saddle sore - A bruise or sore on a horse's back, caused by pressure or chafing of an ill-fitting saddle. -Wikipedia
To make this definition relevant, replace horse's with cyclist's, then replace back with naughty part between the other two naughty parts.
Of all the terrible things that could possibly go wrong on this adventure, outside of one of us taking a bad fall, the fear of saddle sores possesses me. I'm constantly thinking about them, worried they'll strike at any moment. I stand on my pedals every five minutes so as to air out the aforementioned parts, in hopes of creating a less nurturing environment. Also, and I've had no one verifying this, or even ever speak of it other than myself, but I am haunted with the idea that farting in my bike shorts will give me the dreaded sores.
Ashland, VA to Mineral, VA
Saddle sore - A bruise or sore on a horse's back, caused by pressure or chafing of an ill-fitting saddle. -Wikipedia
To make this definition relevant, replace horse's with cyclist's, then replace back with naughty part between the other two naughty parts.
Of all the terrible things that could possibly go wrong on this adventure, outside of one of us taking a bad fall, the fear of saddle sores possesses me. I'm constantly thinking about them, worried they'll strike at any moment. I stand on my pedals every five minutes so as to air out the aforementioned parts, in hopes of creating a less nurturing environment. Also, and I've had no one verifying this, or even ever speak of it other than myself, but I am haunted with the idea that farting in my bike shorts will give me the dreaded sores.
After the long day yesterday we set our sights on an easy 42 mile day. Allen remains with us despite his repeated pleas to tell him to go away if he is impeding or a burden in any way. The truth is he is good company. Claiming he is a lousy navigator and needs practice, he asks if he could lead the way today. Unlike the first two days, the roads are signed perfectly today. A triangular white sign with a 76 in the middle marks the way at every turn. The 76 represents the bicentennial of the United States, and was the first year the TransAmerica Bicycle Trail (then called the Bicentennial Bicycle Trail) was established.
We take a snack break midday along the side of the road. Allen leans his bike against one of these well marked signs, which is pointing towards the right. When we finish and continue on our way, he immediately pedals straight through the intersection. Becky and I look at each other and giggle before politely pointing him in the correct direction.
Coming to a stop in the town of Mineral, we pull up beside the volunteer fire station. This is home for the night. A friendly volunteer named Jimmy greets us and points us in the direction of both the bathroom and the lawn. We are able to shower, and being that it's only two in the afternoon we have plenty of time and sunshine to hand wash our soiled clothing. Two fellow cyclists join us for the evening. We mostly enjoy a Mexican dinner (Mexican food on the East Coast is terrible) and turn in early.
Coming to a stop in the town of Mineral, we pull up beside the volunteer fire station. This is home for the night. A friendly volunteer named Jimmy greets us and points us in the direction of both the bathroom and the lawn. We are able to shower, and being that it's only two in the afternoon we have plenty of time and sunshine to hand wash our soiled clothing. Two fellow cyclists join us for the evening. We mostly enjoy a Mexican dinner (Mexican food on the East Coast is terrible) and turn in early.
Stats:
Miles: 45.73
Average speed: 9.9 mph
Max speed: 27 mph
Miles: 45.73
Average speed: 9.9 mph
Max speed: 27 mph
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