We're back safe and sound after a very enjoyable, successful adventure along the Blue Ridge Parkway. We flew into Charlottesville, VA a week ago Saturday. We used Sunday to rest up before the guys began the big ride on Monday by going to see some of the local sights. We went to Monticello to visit Thomas Jefferson's beautiful hilltop plantation. You can visit it too by looking on the back of your nickels. We took a tour of his home and learned about what a brilliant, forward-thinking man he was for his day. He was the self-taught architect of his home and he incorporated many unique, almost quirky, details into it like having beds in closets and alcoves so they didn't take up space in the actual rooms. Then we had lunch at a circa 1784 tavern just down the road: Colonial fried chicken, hickory smoked pork barbecue, blackeye peas, stewed tomatoes, biscuits and cornbread. Those colonial people sure knew how to eat.
Monday morning was sunny and clear and almost a little too hot but Paul & his riding buddy, Craig, took off. Jill, Craig's wife, and I jumped into our rented mini van and we headed out to have our own adventure. This trip turned out to be quite unique because it was like even though we were on a trip with our husbands, we ended up having totally different experiences. While the guys biked along the beautiful and scenic parkway, we gals drove along quaint, rural backroads and visited tiny towns and saw how people live in this neck of the woods. Our biggest challenge everyday was to find something for lunch to buy along our way and then get it up to the guys by noon (ususally an hour or two late) to fuel them up for the afternoon. We found some very interesting quilt shops, country stores, visitor information centers, "junque" shops and wonderful, friendly people to go along with it all. We even came across a preview exhibit of an exhibition for a soon to be built "Tea Pot Museum"! It was a wonderful show... out in the middle of nowhere in a town called Sparta, NC.
The weather was a little frustrating but weather does what ever weather wants to do so when it rained the guys just had to put on rain jackets and keep on pedaling or just get in the van and call it a day. That philosophy worked until the last day when we woke up to totally fogged in conditions and continual downpour of rain. It was quite disappointing since that last section of the Parkway included Grandfather mountain, the mile-high swinging brigde and Mount Mitchell which is the highest peak east of the Mississippi. But this way the guys got to finally experience the flavor of these remote byways. We heard on the TV that night that Asheville (where we were) had gotten 3 1/2" of rain in 24 hours!
The Parkway was stunningly beautiful. It was one of the most idylic roads to ride that Paul has ever traveled for several reasons: 1) very little traffic -- not always but this week was perfect. We were told that in 2 more weeks when the fall foliage is putting on it's spectacular show, it will be jam-packed with tourists. 2) the speed limit is mostly 45 mph except when it is 35 mph!
3) the road gently curved and rose and declined with a perfect flow, though the elevation was kind of a surprise to them. Coming from the west here where we live at 4500 feet, the guys didn't think this was going to be tough at all but the accumulated daily totals were alot of uphill miles. 4) the scenery was beautiful and invigorating and the vistas were breath-taking 5) every person we met was friendly and very interested in their ride 6) our accommodations each night were rustic and authentic inns without TV's or phones but nice beds and running water.
So there you have it. Another successful bike ride in the books. Paul & Craig rode almost 300 miles. I know Paul's mind is starting to percolate about where to go next year. That's ok with me... I wonder if there's a good ride in China?
