May 31, 2001.
Draper to Atkins, Virginia. (50 mi.) Mile 522
Off
route for a "hot share".
Every morning the Bryson's open
their store at 7 am, and Karen Bryson starts fixing homemade breakfast biscuit
sandwiches with a choice of bacon, sausage, pork tenderloin, fried egg,
tomato, and/or cheese. For about an hour a steady stream of locals drop by to
start the day with one of these breakfast sandwiches, a bargain at about
$1.50.
Terry Bryson in
his store
We hung around the
store and had breakfast and coffee while waiting for the thick fog to burn
off. Early morning riding is the best, when temperatures are cool, and the
wind and traffic are light, but even though we know this and make better
mileage when we get an early start, we've only managed to get on the road
before 8 am twice.
We're always slow
to break camp,
especially when
things are wet.
The route parallels a
couple of major arterials, so we stopped for a break at a huge truck stop at
one of the intersections. It is some kind of joke if you ask for the
restaurant's "non-smoking section" at at one of these places.
We were able to plug
our laptop into one of the phones the truckers use in the booths and read our
email. We have limited opportunity to hook up to the Internet, much less
respond to everyone, but we'd like to say that the email is very much
appreciated and encouraging. There also seems to be a big interest in a
picture of Mike without his mustache. Now that he has had a chance to become
reacquainted with his upper lip, he thinks it's for the best if he covers it
back up, so he's growing his mustache back, even though that means carrying
that extra weight.
Ride through banking in Wytheville.
We had made reservations
at an Inn about 55 miles down the road, but in Wytheville, Mike had a screw
come lose (in his pedal). Wouldn't ya know it that the right size Allen wrench
was among the things we sent home a few days ago. We were delayed a few hours
solving the problem, and it was starting to rain when we left Wytheville. It
soon became apparent there was no way we would make it to our destination
before running out of light and energy. The few accommodations on our route
have been filling with Appalachian Trail hikers lately, since the
TransAmerican bike route intersects the Appalachian Trail multiple times
through here.
Thanks to the
directions of people like Becky Harrison, of Rural Retreat, and folks at the
Atkins Days Inn, who took a look at two wet, bedraggled bicycle tourists and
exclaimed, "Well bless your hearts, I think we can get you a special
deal!", we were finally able to take those long, hot showers about 7
miles off route on Hwy 11.
