No shame in walking

DAY 11
Meadowview, VA to Breaks Interstate Park, VA

Some people claim "I can't" is not in their vocabulary. Well, I'm calling bullshit on them. Waking up this morning, I roll over in an attempt to extend my left knee. A volt of pain shoots through my entire body. "I can't" were the only two words in my vocabulary at this moment. I can't bend my knee, I can't get up out of this tent, and I sure as hell can't bicycle across this country.

On our bikes headed west. Our first climb of the day is a serious one. Three miles to the top, 8% grade. I'm off my bike walking. Isn't the first time, won't be the last. However, there is a little strategy behind this apparent weakness or lack of effort. I've thought this through. If I'm walking at 3.5 mph, then Becky must be riding at around 4 mph, because she is slowly getting away from me. With the way my knee has been hurting me, especially at the end of these long days, I figure it has only so many revolutions in any given day. I'm not going to waste those revolutions sweating, spinning my chain getting nowhere. No shame in walking.

"30% chance of showers today", I overhear a biker say to a friend. We're leaning against a ice cooler in front of a gas station, drinking a powerade. I look up at the brilliant blue sky. Not a cloud in sight. The sweltering humidity today does lend some credence to his statement. We continue on our way. I watch Becky swerve and nearly miss another pothole. Out of equal parts concern and curiosity, I ask her how far ahead down the road she looks. Her reply is, "usually really far ahead... But sometimes I don't at all". I have no response to this.

It's gonna rain!

The rain begins around 4 pm. Large intimidating drops that leave no doubt as to their intent on making your life a wet miserable hell. Should we pull over? Should we find shelter? Should we ride it out? The menacing dark cloud above us does appear to have an end, so we ride on. Tonight's destination is Breaks Interstate Park on the Virginia/Kentucky border. My one hope for the evening is that they have showers. Thinking of how uncomfortable our tent will be with two stinky sticky bodies surrounded with sweat soaked clothing makes me want to cry. We haven't showered in three days. Don't get me wrong, we've gone 10+ days without showering on overseas trips in the past and lived to tell about it. But I would have showered on those trips given the opportunity as well.

On a well deserved downhill after coming up and over Hayters Gap

Taking a break on someone's driveway, listening to the thunder all around... And being too tired to care

Our new friends Carson and Robert share a campsite with us. They're local boys from Virginia cycling across the states the same as us. The only difference between us and them, is they've been averaging 60+ miles a day, while we've only been averaging low 50's. If I keep telling myself it's not about the miles, maybe it will make having to get off the trail early that much easier. We shower for the evening and go to bed early with the intent of a 5:30 am wake up call.

Keith's homeless look

"The Grand Canyon of the East"

Stats:
Miles: 63.96
Average speed: 9.6 mph
Max speed: 36.7 mph