I spent yesterday resting and taking care of some chores.

I UPSd back an Eggbeater pedal as the wing that holds the shoe cleat on is loose and I kept releasing when I did not want to. Swapped out w/ an older pedal.

Deep in Shenandoah Valley and Civil War history.

Visited Shenandoah Bicycle for ride info, Tim, the owner, supplied several ideas. Checked my wheels on their truing stand and wheels are right where they should be. Great. The rocks have not forced the wheels from true.

1 on the road problem is still and issue: depositing $ in my BECU account. On the BECU page I can search for deposit taking ATMs as there are no credit unions available. Yesterday I searched, found an ATM, puched in the address in the gps and followed directions. It lead me to a manufacturing company. Phoey. I asked the receptionist and she said I was not the first one and no it was not open to the public. I called BECU and learned that was life.

Beautiful day: warm & sunny, none of the snow forecast Spokane is receiving.

Left town following GPS instructions to Stokesville, from there I was going to follow another FS road into the George Washington NF. Between the gps and my ineptness I wandered around before going back to a country store where the woman clerk set me straight. Worked out ok as I got to a TH parking lot about sundown.

It is getting cold at night. The van has a residual heat feature that sends engine heat after the engine is shut off into the interior until the engine temp drops. Keeps free heat for about 30 mins, saves propane.

All the leaves are down, bare trees. Went for a walk just after sundown swishing thru the oak leaves which make the trail very slippery. Bright almost full moon.

No internet access where I camped which changes the nature of the evening: No research for future rides or learning what is happening beyond my van’s walls.

Turned off heater before going to bed. Temp dropped during the night. I responded by doubling over the light down blanket and pulling on my wool hat. Not completely toasty but tolerable. I bought an alarm clock and set the time for 6:30AM. I stuck my arm out of the covers and turner it off and burrowed down for some more estivation. I did not want to leave the warmth to start the heater. The thermometer showed 37 degrees. And I could see my breath. I tested the outside temp and it was 30. My body heat boosted the inside by 7 degrees.

Hunting season: black powder.

Drove to Braley pond TH for today’s ride. Bright blue sky & still cold. Headed out. Several of the smaller creek xings had ice on them.

Ride was part gravel road then onto US route 250 up to ST start. Tim said if I wanted a longer ride I could ride up to the mtn top at the Confederate Breastworks and pick up some more ST. The Breastworks were built in 1862 by the Confederate soldiers to protect the Shenandoah Valley from the Union soldiers attack. A piece of the works has been protected and is still intact. Imagine, trees were cut, put in place on the ground, and the down hill side was covered with dirt. 127 years later and the timber is still in place. Historical info did not say if they were actually used to defend. The Confederate did attack the Union a little ways to the West away from the valley.

The ST out was very narrow cut into the side hill, and covered w/ slippery oak leaves. That was the good part. The first extra piece was mostly downhill. I joined the trail at the shorter piece and the trail got more difficult in spite of all the riding it gets. Skinny trail, hidden loose rocks which appear to be VA’s answer to rocks, and covered w/ leaves preventing me from anticipating the devils lurking under the leaves. And it climbed. I never said that I was a great rider or strong; I just like to ride for the enjoyment of being outside and the health benefits. Walking is still a skill I keep sharp.

Pure reflexes: the trail cut into a dry stream crossing, I missed the exit and stuffed the front wheel into a rock on the high side which resulted in an immediate stall and downhill flight. The stream bottom was about 8 feet below trail. In mid fall I grabbed a small tree  much like a pole dancer does during an exotic move. Saved my bacon as my bike continued it’s downward plummet.

I questioned both the map and it’s trail names and my ability to comprehend the intent. The map is small scale making reading contour lines difficult. My expectation was the trail would drop all the way back to Braley’s Pond. Hell it did, there was considerable climbing to be ridden as in 1000′ in 2 miles on sketchy ST. I’m beat. 18.32 miles & 2800′ vert.

Packed up & drove to Staunton, VA for internet connection and writing this. I will head back up valley to camp and ride the IMBA epic tomorrow. Forecast is for rain on Thurs. Get it done before the wet. I wonder what wet leaves will be like?

Got to go.

This riding is stressful: Getting lost, potential for an injury fall, mechanical breakdown, whatever.

Makes sitting at a terminal appear to be saver.

Cold night. I misadjusted the heater and it turned off after going to bed. The temp dropped inside so I doubled over the down blanket and pulled on my wool hat and warded off the chill. I started the heater for bfast and became comfortable. Installing the big heater turned into a boon for me for even the 50 deg nights.

Standard time means the sun comes up about the time I wake up. This AM the sky was perfect blue and cloudless. Les, I am glad that I did not add a skylight in the back, the cave allows for sleeping longer and under street lights.

Today i am going to ride the trails that were part of the original 24hrs of Canaan that was the start of the 24 hour racing craze. All the leaves are down covering the trail. But the rock gardens remain leafless and excuseless to not be able to ride:

All ST trails made for bikes. Wandered around following colored blazes for trails. Rock gardens!!!.

Trail went over some slick rock:

I have quit counting falls. My hip hurts from yesterday. In these rocks I loose my balance and start to topple but can’t always clip out. Sideways falls.

Trail went thru a reclaimed strip mine.

So catch the stats: 7.69 miles in 1 hr 39 mins with 1122′ vert. And that was with some flat speedy sections. Lots of time for so few miles. Such is the riding.

Yesterday I rode out and back the Plantation Trail an 8.5 mile 1 way. I thought I could do this within 2 hrs. I picked a nasty rocky trail. many feet of technical riding. Imagine doing 24 hours in this stuff?

back @ van and stayed outside enjoying a fine blue sky and about 65 deg. Putzed around.

Plan is to stop @ spring and drive on into Canaan SP to poach a shower. Success on both tasks.

Back into town. During my ride my cell phone rang. It was Roger from Blackwater bikes and he was calling me per my request from yesterday. I had put my card with a message on his door jam. Good excuse for a stop. I visited him and listened to his ride ideas for down the road. And I slipped in a few words of my own.

As I reflect on past conversations, nobody has asked about rides in areas I know about. They talk about theirs. Many people say they aren’t interested in rides elsewhere as they have the best riding out their front door. Years ago I said the same thing but once I started rambling I learned there was always something different over the next hill. To ask me what have I enjoyed the best so far causes my eyes to go blank and space. I have had several bust rides that drop off the active recall. But the good ones? I couldn’t go to that ride and forever stay there, but maybe Blue Mtn outside Peekskill, NY, or White Clay, MD. But then there is Bend, OR, or the Umpqua River TR. Or Rick’s trails on MT Coeur d’ Alene.

Back to same camp spot as last night. Overcast and not so cold.

Going to ride a part of the Dolly Sods area S. of here and then push down to Slatyfork deeper into the mtns. I called the Post Offive today and my license tabs are there. I need them on by the 9th. Seveal days riding here and then over to Virginia.

Weather forecast is still for mild & dry. Ridden for 9 straight days. Weather will change and I might have missed out. Left knee starts hurting about 90 mins into a ride.

Back when I was conceiving of this adventure seveal asked if I shouldn’t test out this lifestyle before completely casting off. i really have been developing these skills for 10 years starting with the VW bus. This issue of Backpacker has an article about the AT. I chuckled as I read it as it took me back to my early pratice days for this adventure.

Been 4 months of driving, riding, planning, chores, repeat. This computer is the biggest change from previous trips. i spend 2 3 hours on it, writing this and researching over the next hill. I don’t m ake the time to really keep up w/ individual emails or even read.

Quiet night in XG. Something to be said about sleeping in a legal place: No worry about a rap on the van and a badge. Warm night.

Punched in Davis, WV into GPS. And did I see some back roads. I selected shortest route instead of fastest. John Denver’s song, Take Me Home Country Roads was sung about these roads. Windy, twisty, no shoulder, Up & down but seeing a part of the countryside that is missed going the fastest way. Saw remnants of snow drifts along road side. All leaves are gone. Up at nose bleed elevation of 3230′.

Hit Davis, home of Blackwater bikes but they were closed. Walked down to Visitor’s Bureau. Was greeted by woman who fed me w/ info but not bike specific. Bought an Adventure map and drove out of town climbing to the Plantation trail that ran the ridge line. The ride would be an out & back.

Beautiful day, warm like in lower 60s for Nov 5, day after pivotal point in America’s future. Go  America! Maybe our future will be like after Reagan took office: restored pride in America. May the new era be for the peoples’ benefit and may America restore respect throughout the world.

Hit trail, noticed that there were no bike tracks in mud which got me to suspect that I picked a bogus ride. Trail was on top of a ridge, rhododendron thickets cut out for trail. Some boggy spots, lots of rocks & roots, the stuff I came to experience. Smaller rocks with lots of challenging moves. I decided that I would ride out for an hour and then turn around. Different challenges on return. Stalled front wheel against a small rock and I violently lost my balance and did the slam to the ground. I landed on my left elbow and hip. Just pain, no loss of use. Going to be sore.

On way up I noticed a guy alongside the road with h2o jugs: there was a spring pumped out. Never pass up good water so I stopped on my way back into town.

I had wash to do which slipped up on me. I know this because of the number of clean bike shorts I have. Today i had only 2 meaning a wash day.

Stopped at visitor bureau again and asked  questions about how they earn their existence. I learned a whole bunch about web data gathering of user info.

Did wash.

Davis is just a several block long Main street burg. Former bank is now a county gov office. I walked in  admired the original wood work. I noticed the finish on the wood was worn away at the 2 teller windows. With the present economic debacle I could imagine people going to the bank like in the 30’s and the cupboard was empty of our savings.

A small backpacking shop was opened attended by a mother rocking a young baby. I asked about rides and she said that was her husband’s purview and I should check back later. He still wasn’t back when I returned. I left my card and said that I was going into Thomas to a brew pub for a beer. When I entered the pub the bartender asked if I was the biker looking for ride info and she handed me the phone and a phone number. We had a laugh because she sorted out her definition of a biker from the caller. I lacked the tattoos etc of a biker biker.

I drank a jelly jar of their good beer. I saw a picture behind the bar of a guy with a snake. And a guy inn the bar looked like him. I asked if it was he and he said yes. What followed was an educational biology discussion about snakes and their hiberniculum, where a bunch of snakes gather to hibernate. Snakes are affected by hormones and fight other males during mating season but come snuggle time, all bad vibes are past.

Way past dinner time with 2 beers in my belly.

Called Ben, the shop owner with the ride info, and he provided me with info for me to stay another day.

Apparently the 24 hour race craze was born here in Canaan Valley and Ben sent me to the trail system. I found a legal campsite after dark.

Cold and clear night. Need heater and doubled blanket.

Ride here tomorrow then maybe moosey down to Seneca Rocks. I found Slatyfork where my license tabs await. I need to have them on plate by 11/9. Forecast has snow maybe Sat and I do not want to be driving these roads with any snow on them