Day 67 – Savoring the End

By Mark Heggestad
Today’s bike ride was from a spot just north of Bumpass, VA to a point seven miles west of Jamestown, VA.  Total distance biked was 103.0 miles.  It’s not as hard as it sounds to bike that far; especially when there are limited hills, weather is good, no wind, good roads, limited traffic, and great support (thanks Jill).  I didn’t intend to bike that far, but the last thirty miles were on a bike path and there were limited spots to connect with Jill.  All felt good so I just kept going. Today’s ride started next to a beautiful lake (Lake Anna) and ended at the intersection of two beautiful rivers (Chickahominy River and James River).

After yesterday’s dousing I was concerned about weather, and Jill stuck close just in case.  Occasionally clouds were a little ominous, but overall, it was near perfect weather conditions and I stayed dry all day.

As this journey gets close to the end I am savoring every revolution of the pedal a little more.  The experience keeps getting better, and it doesn’t hurt that the people of Virginia are so accommodating to TransAmerica bikers.  In Virginia the bike route is consistently marked saving time and frustration.  Most states don’t mark the route at all, some sporadically.  Today’s ride ended on a beautiful designated bike trail – the longest and best maintained of the entire trip.  And I keep running into people who are friendly and helpful to TransAmerica bikers.  Along the way I frequently see signs of welcoming for bikers, including the occasional “bike statue”.  I don’t know what else to call it (maybe “bike art”).  Every once in a while along my route (usually in rural areas) there will be an old bike painted and decorated – sometimes as part of a landscape design and sometimes standalone.  See pictures below for examples.  It all just feels welcoming.

The history is amazing in this area.  It seems like I am constantly riding past historic sites.  One of the strangest sights I saw today were cannons from the Civil War in the middle of cornfields.  When one rides through all the historic battlefields on a bike, it is a completely different experience than riding in a car.

If all goes as planned, tomorrow I will finish this journey.  About thirty miles remain.  It is bittersweet to have this come to an end, but I am looking forward to seeing what the day will bring.


Today's bike ride started by the shores of Lake Anna

Road biked early afternoon.

Bike Art

More bike art.

History seemed to be everywhere on today's bike ride.
There were numerous cannons from the civil war in the middle of corn fields.

Bike path biked at the end of the day.
Usually it was surrounded by trees - in this spot a corn field bordered one side of the path.

Today's bike ride ended at the junction of The Chickahominy River and the James River.

Comments

  1. UnknownJuly 7, 2017 at 6:00 AM

    Wow, what a journey! So glad you shared it with us, I've enjoyed the pictures and the text each morning. I will miss your blog! Good luck on the last 30 miles.

    ReplyDelete

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