Day 6 – Richmond to Yorktown – 101.7 miles - Success!

I always set two alarms. One for the time I need to get up, and one for 30 minutes before that. I hate the snooze button. The 5 or 10 more minutes that comes with a snooze is just a tease, but I love thinking I have 30 more minutes! I set the alarms for 6:00 and 6:30 on day 6, but when the first alarm went off I jumped up and couldn’t pack things quick enough. I was so excited about the day ahead. It was all I could do to wait until daylight to leave.

I hit the road about 6:00 and headed to the McDonald’s across the street for breakfast. I also wanted to see if there was anyone there I could verify my route with. Sure enough there was. I ate breakfast and was on my way.

Sue had told me the night before to “stay present and focus on the moment”. Good point. It’s so easy to cross the finish line before the race begins. I don’t know about anyone else, but I often have a day scripted out before it begins. I was thinking about rolling into Yorktown when her words came back to me. Focus. Stay present. Enjoy the ride. My sister texted saying encouraging me to enjoy every moment of this last day. Good stuff.

Now…I’m not excited about telling you all this next part. In fact, it’s just plain embarrassing. When I checked the map the night before, I thought I had 2 sections left and that the 3rd section was a detail map of Williamsburg. Each of those sections are approximately 30 miles. Based on that, I had it figured that I was less than 50 miles from Yorktown. Those of you that have access to a map and the ability to read it (unlike myself) can probably tell just by looking at it, that it is more than 50 miles from Richmond to Yorktown. I still don’t know what I was thinking. Ugh.

I got to Glendale and hit Route 5. I was 40 miles into the day and it was noon. It was then that I flipped to the 2nd section of the map and also checked the 3rd section. My heart sank. The 3rd section wasn’t a detail at all, but instead another full section. My first thought was of Sue. She was an hour into the trip to get me and under the impression that I would be finished between 3 and 3:00. I was looking at another 50 miles and 5 hours at a minimum. I called her immediately and left her a voicemail telling her that I was sorry and I would bust my butt to get there. I got back on the bike and off I went. It wasn’t long before I got a text from Sue saying not to worry and just be careful.

At noon it was already almost 100 degrees. I headed into Charles City and that’s when my feet started to burn. There really isn’t anything you can do when that happens, but I did find that dousing them with water was a temporary fix. However, what you then have is wet shoes and socks. At that point it’s a pick your poison kind of situation. I saw a sign that said 34 miles to Williamsburg. The traffic was heavy on Route 5 and I was glad to see an 8 mile bike path that paralleled the road. It was a welcome sight as it was a bit flatter and shaded. After being on Route 5 headed to Williamsburg for what seemed like 20 miles, I saw another sign that had the miles to Williamsburg, but I couldn’t make out the number. As I approached the sign I had a multitude of thoughts.

Please be less than 20 miles.
It would be great if it was single digits.
No…it can’t be single digits.
Is that a 3 or and 8?
18 miles?!?! I can’t do this.

It was about 3:00. I stopped the bike and called Sue again. I asked her if she would start to head toward me from Yorktown at 5:00 and take my gear. That would lighten the load and maybe speed up my last few miles. She was happy to do so and this did a couple of things. First, just talking to her renewed my attitude, gave me a bit of a second wind, and reminded me that I was almost there. Second, it gave me something to look forward to. I can do this for a while longer and then I will be free of the bags. Ok…push on. Pedal, pedal, pedal… I can do this.

I had to cross the Chickahominy River which is a long and tall bridge. At the top I considered just chucking the bike over the edge. Who could blame me? I would just tell people it jumped. Who wouldn’t? :)

I came across another bike path and was thrilled to see a sign saying there was a place to refill my water bottles. They even had free Popsicles. I took the time to stop and refill, but didn’t rest too long. By this time I was about 10 miles from Williamsburg. My feet were still burning, my hands were numb and the sun was insanely hot.

I was back on the bike in no time and it wasn’t long until I hit the Colonial Parkway, which begins 8 miles outside of Williamsburg. This road is not a bikers best friend. It isn’t exactly cobblestone, but it is very bumpy and difficult to make good time on. Five miles from Williamsburg Sue found me. I can’t even begin to express how good it was to see her. She had the biggest ‘Big Gulp’ cup full of ice that you have ever seen! I have never tasted anything so good. I dumped my gear off and talked to her for about 5 minutes. I gave her everything. My bags, map, phone…everything. She said, “You’re almost there!” We talked and she said that she would stay with me. We talked about it and when she asked if I wanted her to go 5 or 10 miles ahead, I said 5. When I pulled back out onto the road, I felt like I was on a new bike. That gear weighed every bit of 20 pounds and what a difference the ride was without it. It also helped tremendously that I knew she would be there in 5 miles. Quite frankly, it kept me going.

What I didn’t realize is that I had to go through Colonial Williamsburg to get to Yorktown and there was a small detailed section on the map for how to get through it. Did I mention that was in 2 miles and I had just sent Sue 5 miles ahead…with my map…and my phone? Ugh… I knew it was Colonial Parkway all the way to Yorktown and just didn’t think about having to make any turns. As I took the first turn to get through and I saw a woman crossing the street. I stopped her and asked for directions. She said that sometimes she carried a map in her purse and sure enough she had one. She was able to point to where I needed to go and I was off again. I didn’t see any street signs and had a little trouble, but I saw two people running and they also helped. I must not have looked so good because they offered to run with me and just show me where to go. This whole thing only took about 10 minutes, but it felt much longer. Once I was back on track, I found Sue again. We had a laugh about me giving her everything and she gave me more water. I sent her another 5 miles ahead.

At this point I was at 90 miles for the day. The pain was becoming worse with every passing mile. There were also biting flies to contend with. They kept finding the slots in my helmet and biting me on the head. At 95 miles I saw Sue and pulled over for more water and a dose of encouragement. She told me that I had done the last 5.5 miles in 20 minutes. My only reply was, “That means I only have 20 minutes left.” She asked if I wanted to rest, but I knew better. Later she told me that it was all she could do not to physically stand in front of me and tell me to get off the bike. She said that I was looked worse each time she saw me. With about 5 miles left in the trip I hit the road one more time. I remember watching the odometer and counting off each tenth of a mile. 4.9…4.8…4.7…4.6… At 4.5 I thought, ok…I ride 4 and a half miles to work. I can do this. It’s almost over. At 1.7 Sue had started back for me and when she saw me she yelled, “You are there! Go girl! Go! Go! Go!” Each crank of the pedal brought excruciating pain. Back when I had first seen Sue, I dumped the rest of the water in the Camelback on my head and it drenched my shirt. It was still so hot that my shirt had now dried. I just pedaled. I kept thinking, as bad as you hurt right now, as soon as you get there the pain will stop. I didn’t dare let myself think about how good it would feel to take off my shoes or the joy of the a/c in the car. I just pedaled. Don’t stop…no matter what…pedal.

With three tenths of a mile left, I came to an intersection with 4 options and no signs. I unclipped and stood there. I saw Sue coming up the hill where she had asked for directions. The man had told her to take a hard left. There were two of those. She handed me the map and left me to check one out. When she returned in a minute she said there was a sign and pointed me in the right direction. I rode to her, handed her the map and took off. She got in the car and pulled around me. When she got a little ahead of me I saw her hand go out the window and her fist pump the air. I knew then that she had seen the monument. In a few more cranks of the wheel, I too saw it…and I wept. I wish I had the writing skills and vocabulary to really express what that moment was like. The pain stopped. It a split second I realized that I had made it and what an accomplishment it really was. All the miles and doubts and fears and hope…it all came down to this one moment. This finish line. It was the most amazing moment of my life.

I started to go ride to the car when Sue said, “Get your ass up to that monument!” I gladly did so. I picked that bike up and held it over my head while she took the picture. It was a phenomenal moment and one that I will never forget. And what a gift to share that moment with one of my dearest friends. It was more amazing than I ever imagined.

We walked to the car and she helped me get my shoes off, and we put the bike on the car. My feet were so swollen I didn’t think I would get my sandals on. My hands were also swollen and almost completely numb, and I had never felt better.

We headed back to Roanoke and what took me 6 days to do on a bike, we did in 4 and a half hours. Afton Mountain was a breeze. We talked and laughed and each time we passed a sign with the number of miles to a town, I would tell her about what it was like there. I probably said, “I can’t believe I did it.” 100 times. But she was gracious, and kind, and just let me say it.

I want to thank you all. I could not have done this without the support of each and every one of you. What an adventure and experience this was! Thank you ALL for sharing in it with me! I look forward to our next adventure. Much love.

Day 5 – Lake Anna to Richmond – 61 miles

There was another beautiful sunrise this morning. I had passed a Subway about a mile up the road so I didn’t eat before I left the Inn. The pain in my legs was pretty intense as I pulled out of the driveway. I wasn’t sure how many miles I would be able to string together for the day. I stopped at a Subway where I ran into three men who helped with directions on how to get back onto my route. They saved me about 8 miles by knowing a shortcut. I was eternally grateful for that!

There was a good deal more civilization and places to stop throughout the day and that was a welcome site! I certainly learned a lesson from yesterday and stopped every time I had the opportunity. I stopped in a town called Pottiesville and took a nice break. They were kind enough to refill my water bottles and I sat on their porch for awhile. It was feeling pretty good in the shade and my sprits were high. I also stopped at a post office in Bumpass and shipped some unnecessary supplies home. Two pounds may not seem like a lot, but in this heat, every little bit helps.

I had just finished all of my water right outside of Ashland. There was a man getting his mail and I stopped to rest in the shade. We chit chatted a bit and talked about how hot it was. Only 102 today compared to yesterdays 105. I asked him how far to Ashland and he said about 4 miles. He asked if I had enough water and I told him that I had just run out, but 4 miles wasn’t far and I would get something there. He offered to refill my bottles and I didn’t argue. His name was Ben Hutchinson and he was a retired vet. He shared some of his experience from the war and told me that his wife had died a few years ago. He was so kind and I was eternally grateful for the water. That’s how this trip was…people just put in my path along the way right when I needed them. It was amazing really.

I was so glad that I had the water as the next 4 miles into Ashland was hilly and hot. Ashland was beautiful. I passed by the Randolph Macon College and it was a stunning campus. I stopped someone to ask where a good place to eat would be and he gave me the name of two but wasn’t sure if either would be open. It was 2:30 and apparently all the restaurants close at 2:00 and reopen at 5:00. I finally found a place called ‘Trackside Grill’. It was so perfect! My server was Brie and she not only brought me a giant glass of water, but a pitcher! I ordered a bacon cheeseburger and fries and they were amazing! Brie was super nice and it was a great experience. Brie…if you are reading this…Thank you!

I called Meredith from the restaurant and she hooked me up with hotel Reservations in Richmond. I still don’t know what I would have done without her. Thank you Meredith.

The hotel was about 12 miles away and the battery on my phone was super low. As I was packing up my gear to begin the trek to the hotel I spotted an office and decided to see if they could help me out. I walked in and met Vicky. I filled her in on the situation and told her the whole story. She was kind enough to print out the directions for the hotel and told me that the man they just hired there a couple of weeks ago was from Salem. Small world! Thank you Vicky! You were kind and helpful and I truly appreciate it!

I took off for the hotel. Ashland has a set of train tracks that run right through the town. I love to see train tracks because that means its going to be flat! The heat was still pretty intense and the tar in the road was sticky causing my tires to stick a bit. I was chased by a dog, but it wasn’t a scary dog. I was more afraid of the dog getting hit by a car than it hurting me. The directions were easy to follow and I was at the hotel in about an hour. I felt like I was on top of the world knowing that tomorrow was the last day! Looks like I’m going to make it after all!

I talked to my mom and she was glad to hear I was sounding better than yesterday. I also talked to Sue and we firmed up plans for pick up the next day. I don’t know who was more excited! It looked to me like I was less than 50 miles from Yorktown and I could hardly sleep I was so excited about the big day!

Day 4 – Charlottesville to Lake Anna – 72.33

This was my first solo day. I was excited about hitting the road and started out about 7:00 am. The sunrise was beautiful and I enjoyed a good breakfast at the Cavalier Inn. They even had scrambled eggs! It’s the little things…

I took a wrong turn right away down a big hill and said a couple of choice words before climbing back up and getting back on track. As I was heading out of town and going through the Interstate 64 exchange I hit a giant pothole and lost my taillight. I was thankful that my taillight was all I lost and I didn’t blow a tire, or worse.

I took the left onto 53 East and was on my way! Palmyra 18 miles…nothing to it.

I pedaled along on some shady roads and went through Monticello. It really is beautiful through there and I even passed a gorgeous vineyard. The hills weren’t too bad at all and things were moving pretty smooth. I eventually got to a little store and, while they didn’t have any ice, they were nice enough to let me fill by bottles up with some cold water. I talked to some old men outside who asked about my trip and then I was off again. I had no idea what was ahead…

The heat was intense. Even going downhill and getting a little wind felt more like a hairdryer than a breeze. It was so hot it was hard to breath. 105 was the heat index. I had heard about bikers getting ‘hot feet’, but never had the pleasure. About 20 miles into the day it felt like my toes and half of my feet were on fire. I had had never felt anything like that before. As I kept riding the roads became more and more rural. No more lines on the road, only the occasional house, and there was just one hill after another, after another. I continued checking the map thinking that I must surely come across a store or something soon. The further I went, the more worried I became. I was hungry and not making good time at all in the heat. I did not prepare for a day of biking without the opportunity of food or water. That was my mistake. I kept going and going. I started to feel a little panicked. Then I started to feel a LOT panicked. I was worried that I was going to pass out from the heat and no food. It had already been 6 hours since I had eaten and that’s a long time when you are on a bike.

It was 1:00 or so when I flagged down a car. I was hot, and tired and afraid. I asked the woman how close it was to Mineral. She said, “Oh honey…it’s every bit of 30 miles.” I was devastated. She asked if she could bring me something and I said I would be fine. She asked if I was sure because she would be happy to and I finally agreed. Determined is a great quality…stubborn, not so much. She brought me back water, a can of peaches, a mason jar of ice, and a loaf of homemade banana bread. It was the best banana bread I had ever eaten. She was so very kind. I will forever be grateful for her. Kitty was her name. After eating, I was able to get back on the bike and begin to face the next 30 miles.

The heat does funny things to you after you spend that much time in it. I was in my 9th hour on the bike and in the heat and I just didn’t know if I could make it. I wanted so bad to quit and just lay down in the shade, but I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to keep going if I did. I began doubting whether I was even going the right way. Thankfully right before I began to completely panic there was a sign showing me I was headed the right direction. Finally, after 10 hours on the road, I came to a convenience store. I was sunburned, exhausted, beaten, and absolutely done. Everything on me hurt. I called my friend Meredith and between her, Stacy & Steve, they were able to book a room for me at the Lighthouse Inn at Lake Anna. That was the good news, the bad news was it was 11 miles away. My mom called and when I called her back I was crying and said, “I’m calling you back because I know you are worried, but talking to me isn’t going to alleviate your fears.” I told her about the day and where I was and that I would call her soon. The heat had completely wiped me out. After I ate a few chicken fingers I got back on the bike and headed to the Inn. I thought to myself, I can’t make it. I just can’t do it. And then I thought…I can’t go 12 miles, but I can go 1.2 miles until the next turn. I would make the turn and think, I can go the 1.2 miles to the next turn. I kept breaking it down until I got there. I actually passed it by almost a mile, but I have never been so relieved to find a place in my whole life.

I spent 11 and a half hours on the bike and traveled 72.33 miles. My fingers and toes were starting to feel numb. I took a cold shower and went through the normal routine of packing up the bike and getting ready for the next day. I talked to several of my friends a family and was feeling tons better by the time I went to bed.