This was another nice camp site in another beautiful setting. Rough night for sleep though. Hips in complete agony from all the climbing. Woke up every hour or so with cramps or numbness.
Rolled out starting downhill for a couple miles then hit some hard but short climbs. After the first 5 miles or so it was rolling terrain. The stretch south of Wheatfield was amaaaaaazing! Smooth gravel and lots of easy descending. A very welcome reprieve.
At mile 30 started to really feel the heat and miles. Stopped for a break, snack, and tried to find some shade. Pushed on to mile 42, Shenandoah Mart. It was not nearly as nice as I had hoped, but I restocked water, had a coke, some chips, etc and took a long break in the shade.
I hit Harry Byrd Hwy at mile 55. Started with zero shoulder and rumble strips, but rode downhill to the river. Eventually a gravel shoulder emerged which I rode on for the long hard 7%+ grade. Hot. No shade. Stopped twice for breaks. Traffic flying by at 70. Turned right at the top and it got steeper on 601 for the 1/2 mile to Bear’s Den but I rode the whole stretch.
I took a long time to set up camp and recover. I had been looking forward to a cold beer and hot meal at Bear’s Chase Brewing at the end of this hard day and I was not disappointed. What a beautiful facility! It was good to walk the 3/4 mile or so from my campsite to the brewery to help stretch the legs.
I returned to camp and enjoyed my first campfire. Neighbors got in at 10:30 and kept me up till 3. It was not a great night for sleeping, and I was really starting to feel the miles and the heat.
Good riding day. Glad the hardest part is over.
60 miles
5:30 riding time
4000’
11 mph average
Roadmaestro 