Days 1-5, May 9 - May13

What a week this has been! We've bicycled 180 miles and were driven about 20 miles by our friend Margit to get us out of Durham and give us a short day to get us started. Today is the first day we felt we were getting in decnt bicycling shape and are actually enjoying the riding rather than being in survival mode! Virginia is not flat! Lots of rolling hills, which are actually fun to ride (if you're not hurting everywhere and totally exhausted), or long steep downs followed by long steep ups. The weather has been sunny and in the 70's until today when it was overcast all day and at times a little misty, but with the temps still warm.

We're traveling up central Virginia heading for Harpers Ferry where we will pick up the C & O Canal Towpath bike trail that follows the Potomac River from Washington D.C. to Cumberland, Maryland. We're averaging about 40 miles a day, so we figure we're about 3 or 4 days away from Harpers Ferry. Our miles per day should go up a little as we get in better riding shape and get on the flat towpath trail.

We have found both the North Carolina drivers and the Virginia drivers to be very courteous and patient about giving us room on these shoulderless roads. So far no one has yelled at us to get off the road or made any rude gestures, or whatever. That isn't what I expected, being in a rural area of a southern state. One thing travel does for you is shoot down stereotypes. The road we were on part of yesterday and all of today is a well-traveled one with quite a few trucks. The traffic wasn't really heavy though, until the last hour or so today, and that got a little hairy at times. One time it got a little too scary for me going up a short but rather steep hill with a ton of traffic and about a six inch shoulder, so I got off my bike and walked up the rest of the way.

Many people have asked us where we're from and/or where we're going, and of course we've seen a lot of jaws drop. We're not on a common cross=country bike route so I don't think the people here have seen many long-distance bicyclists. We've also received many wishes for a good and safe trip. Today I got a thumbs up and a "You're doing great!" from a young lady in a car going by as I was furiously pedaling up a hill.. A very funny guy who is the owner of a little local restaurant we ate dinner at last night wants us to send him a postcard when we get back to Seattle. I really enjoy all the little encounters we've experienced on our various bike trips. I can see that this one will be no different.

Tomorrow our destination is Culpeper, where we think we might stay for two nights. We need a day off!
We are beginning to think now that maybe we will actually make it to Seattle. I especially had some doubts this first week. We just have to do what my new water bottle says - "Ride on"!

I haven't sent a post before now because we didn't have an opportunity to do so. We camped one night and had no internet service until tonight. We're living it up and staying at a Best Western.

Hope all is well with everone.

Ready to begin the journey

Carol