Author: emkeane14

Today was not as good of a day as yesterday, not in the least. Hills on top of hills. Some were rollers (Sheena was a beast on them) and some were unforgiving tear jerkers. But the scenery is at least still a stunning distraction. The weather was hot and sunny which didn’t help. What also didn’t help was taking a wrong turn, unknown, and going up more hills. Luckily it only added a mile or two to the total mileage. We missed the turn because we were concentrating so hard on tackling a hill, no time for map reading! During our detour we came across a sign, “I believe in God and guns. Trespass and you’ll meet both”, a true sign you’re in the south!

Last night we shared camp with a cycling group, Bike Across the US for MS. We rode with them throughout the day, mostly they passed us throughout the day. The are a van supported group so their bikes are not loaded. When one passed us, Sheena offered him her pannier. He refused her kind offer.

When arriving into Christianburg, we noticed a bicycle at a pizza shop that stood out. I instantly recognized it as a bike used in the TransAm bike race, in which a bunch of crazies ride their bikes across the country as quickly as they can. I convinced Sheena and Catherine to go into the shop with me to talk to the racer. When we went in, he was paying and we were able to ask a few questions. He answered but politely excused himself, like he was in a rush or something (ha!). His name is Jason and he is currently in 2nd place going westward. He started Saturday and in those few short days he completed the same distance that took us 8 days. Makes us feel like complete slackers!

I was on dinner duty tonight with Catherine and Jake. We made rice and beans. Luckily the church we’re staying at has lots of room and we won’t be in close proximity with each other once the beans kick in.

Today we finished map one!! Only 11 left until we hit our destination!! Woooo!

Sheena’s corner: After a nice 40miles and an atrocious 10 miles, it’s awesome to catch up on game of thrones.

Shocker: Kentucky has a ton of steep hills.

Total miles: 52.45
Time on bike: 4:49
Avg MPH: 10.8
Max MPH: 36.0

Leading into today, I had a horrible gut feeling, much like I do before a big track race like the Penn Relays. But instead of it lasting only a minute or two, it’ll last over 5 hours. I always heard that cycling over the Appalachians is the hardest part of the trail. In fact, before starting the trip, I was already dreading the day I would see them. Steep climbs on top of relentless hills was always the number one comment about them. However, as we rolled into camp today, I thought, “wow, that actually wasn’t bad”. The feeling of accomplishment and pride between me and my fellow group members was palpable.

Sheena and I started out early, in attempt to beat the heat of the day. We also realized that we would need frequent rest breaks, so we left a little before 7am to prevent getting into camp too late. Rolling hills were abundant, as per usual, but we encountered breathtaking views of the upcoming mountains peeking through the fog. As we approached the climb to the town of Afton, we realized that the Appalachians were no joke. We encountered multiple mile plus hills with a steep climb that even the granny gear couldn’t handle. I wish I had my clipless pedals, however, sweet little Addie chewed them up and I saw it as a sign to keep them home because I would frequently fall with them. As we climbed them I could only imagine what the actual mountain would have in store for us. However, when we ended those climbs and came to the Blue Ridge Parkway, our leader, Whitney, informed us that the previous mentioned climbs were actually the steepest and most difficult we would encounter the whole trip. A feeling of relief overwhelmed me knowing that we conquered what I was fearing since before the start, and I didn’t even know it!

The Blue Ridge Parkway was incredible. Words cannot describe the overlooks onto the surrounding mountains. During the 14 mile ride through them, we encountered all kinds of weather. From sunny to downpour to foggy, watching the mountains change with the weather was magical. At one point we could see rain patches move through different towns. We even watched one cell move right to us. I thought about taking pictures to try to capture the moment, but between the rain and little to no shoulder to pull over safely over on, I figured I’ll just try to remember it. Views like that are hard to forget.

The day off yesterday was much needed, woke up refreshed, although my muscles didn’t feel so well. It was nice to walk around Charlottesville and see the culture of the town, dominated mainly by UVA. In preparation for today’s ride, a lot of us shipped non essential items back home to lessen the load.

I had my first fall today. I’m pretty proud I held out so long. During the rain my shoelace got caught in my pedal. My only option was falling so I did just that. No harm minus a few minor scrapes to the knee, but it was pretty scary because I fell in the middle of the road in a downpour with low visibility. But crisis averted!

We talked to a few interesting people today. Of note was an Englishman, Chris. He also was making his way cross country. He started on Wednesday so I have a feeling he’ll beat us to the destination by a week or two… or more. We also ran into Greg, a local who does a lot of cycling. He said he was jealous of our trip. Sheena offered him her bike, but he graciously declined her generous offer.

Tonight we’re staying just west of Love, VA. We rented a house and it is comparable to the Taj Mahal, complete with a hot tub. It was a nice surprise after a very hard day. The only downfall is no cell service, which is probably why I’m going to post this a day late.

Tomorrow we’re continuing on the Blue Ridge Parkway and descending Mt. Vesuvius (no not the Italian one). It is a 4 mile stretch of steep downhill, which I am extremely nervous for. A wipe out on that would be not be pretty. But after tomorrow we will have successfully crossed over a mountain! A good night’s rest is most definitely needed. Sheena and her cooking crew made a delicious dinner of pasta, complete with wine. Fancy!

Sheena’s corner:
I am extremely proud of myself and everyone else on today’s ride. It was not easy but we did it!
What would my mother think seeing me sitting on the side of a highway eating a sandwich and sleeping on the gravel?

I fixed my bike computer! The engineer engrained in my blood made an appearance yesterday!
Miles: 48.6 miles
Hours on bike: 5 hours 13 min
Avg MPH: 9.3 (hills were killers)
Max MPH: 35.3 MPH

After yesterday’s ride, I opted to forgo writing an entry and instead chose to go to a bar with the group. The traumatization of the day was still too fresh and I did not want to relive the ride by writing about it. But now that it’s a new morning, I finally feel comfortable talking about it. Okay, it wasn’t that bad, but boy was it a doozy. It started out with a breakfast made by yours truly and the other Keane of the trip, Katherine (pancakes, eggs, oatmeal), then we set out for the road.

The first 15 miles were rolling and tough, but doable because it was still morning and relatively cool. Once the sun and heat let us know they were there, the intensity level went up. We’re still considered “in the foothills” of the Appalachians, however, it feels like we forged through the entire mountain. We went up so many hills where I was in my lowest gear and I still felt like I was working insanely hard. I’m terrified to see what the actual mountains are going to have in store for us. Sheena and I stuck together, taking frequent breaks, particularly after long uphills in the sun. We stopped at a high school to dry our tents out and to enjoy the AC. The principal of the school warned us about an upcoming road that was treacherous and that we were crazy for trying to ride on. She said she wouldn’t even drive on it in her car. She explained to us an alternate route, however, it would add 3 miles into the trip. At that point, 3 miles was an marathon so we opted to take our chances. It was really reassuring how much this woman warned us.

We were chased by a few more dogs today, however, pepper spray was not needed. Cousin Keane told us a handy trick – slow down and stop, the fun of the chase will end and the dog will go away. It worked. Brains obviously run in the Keane clan’s genes. We also whipped out the GPS more frequently if we were 100% positive about the route. We did not want what happened to Sheena yesterday to happen again 😳.

Leading into Charlottesville, we were riding on a road named Rolling Rd. It was very appropriately named due to the amount of rolling hills. Up and down for miles. Sheena thought a different name would be more appropriate, however, due to the PG content of this blog, her creative name has to be omitted. After surviving Rolling Rd, we reached the one the principal warned us about – Rt 53. At first it was fine with a relatively small shoulder. After a short while that shoulder disappeared into a 5 ft ditch and traffic started piling up behind us. Because it was so windy and hilly, here were many blind curves that made it dangerous to pass. That, along with the very likely possibility that one jerk of the handlebars will leave you very unhappy in a ditch, was extremely unnerving. We stopped at the side when we could to let cars pass, but that required getting back on the bike on a hill. Not fun. Sheena chose to walk her bike up, but I kept trudging on. One hill, right by Monticello, I will never forget. It was so steep and long that I had my first break down. Though I kept it together and didn’t cry, I just wanted to get off my stupid bike and throw it in traffic. I came across a bridge and stayed under it until Sheena came. We sat under it for a good 30 min, contemplating why we were putting ourselves through this torture. But those feelings of defeat gave way to laughs, because what else are you going to do in a situation like that but grin and bear it. 53 gave way to a bonafide highway, at which point I thought screw it I’m taking the first right to get off this death trap. Turns out it was the correct turn! My impeccable sense of direction triumphs again. After getting off that road, we knew we only had 2.5 miles to go, so Sheena and I went to the first bar we came across to decompress.

When we finally rolled into camp, it was reassuring to know that other riders had the same experiences as us. We were not the only ones dying on the hills and traumatized by the windy death roads. We all survived unscathed, though some more bruised.

We have an off day today in Charlottesville. It is much needed not only to rest weary legs, but also to mentally prepare for what’s coming ahead. Looking at the elevation changes on the map, it makes what we did the last couple days look like a cake walk. I’m planning on going to the post office to ship back non essential items to make the trek a little lighter. We are also going to do laundry, hit up a bike shop, and trip to find a spot with wifi to finally watch Game of Thrones (though Facebook already spoiled it for me). Looking forward to the relaxation!

Sheena’s Corner: I hate Virginia. It is not for lovers.
Which would hurt less? Getting hit by a truck going slow, or a car going fast? My phone is not charging, so I am using it for emergency only until I get it fixed. If I die, Emilie will mention it in Sheena’s corner on that day’s entry

Total miles (unclear, different people got different numbers): 49-53 miles
Max MPH: 38.3 (it was awesome)

Well today was brutal. One of those days where you definitely question yourself “why did I think this was a good idea again?”. But rolling into camp after a hard ride is definitely gratifying and accomplishing. Truly like no other feeling. Today we ran into major hills, as we are entering the foothills of the Appalachians. They were rolling and definitely steep. And going downhill, though easy and extremely fast, was discouraging because I knew I had to make up that distance plus some with an uphill. But I had music playing to distract me. The hills today make me extremely wary of what’s to come. But that’s another day and something to worry about later! All that matters is another day down.

So far my kickstand and bike computer broke completely. Kickstand was heavy and basically useless so no loss there, but the computer was my lifeline. Now I won’t know exact mileage or MPH which is annoying but I’ll fix it later.

We saw a couple near accidents where cars were avoiding us but almost ran into oncoming traffic. Definitely terrifying for all parties involved. Also, yesterday I forgot to mention that we experienced our first dog chase. A dog came running from a yard, and I thought he had an electric fence that would stop him. He didn’t. He ran top speed right at us. Realized he wasn’t going to stop, I let out a scream and reached for my pepper spray. Likely terrified by my high pitched squeal, he stopped and returned back home.

We ran into a few locals who were extremely nice and receptive towards us and our trip. Of note was Jodi, who flagged us down right before a turn. She said she passed us on the road and decided to greet us with gifts of water, apples, oranges, and soda. It was right after a few treacherous climbs and was definitely a spirit and morale boost. Her son is currently hiking the Appalachian Trail so she can relate to our struggles in a motherly way. Thanks Jodi! We also had a stranger at a gas station buy us a few bottles of ice water. Talk about southern hospitality!

I was on cooking duty tonight with my “long lost cousin”, Katherine. We decided to do Memorial Day a day late with burgers, fries, and salad/chips. We are staying at a farm just outside of Mineral, VA whose owner was kind enough to let us stay for the night with use of his house. He hosts TransAm cyclists frequently and is extremely generous. He has two dogs so I got my dog fix for the day. And the stars are incredible. I have never seen so many so so bright and clear before!.

Today was extremely hot and sunny, so sunscreen was used abundantly, though the sweat made it run right off. The rain from the past few days was greatly missed. We passed by the beautiful Lake Anna and jumped in, in full bike gear, to cool off. It definitely did the trick, though I left my sunglasses there. But they were all scratched so the lake can claim them. Tomorrow is a lighter day (mileage) however, longer steeper hills are to be expected. How delightful!

Sheena’s corner: Made a wrong turn. Ended up with an 80.5 mile day. (She rocked it)

Total mileage: 62.3/80.5
Max speed: 31.3 MPH