Charles City, VA to Vesuvius, VA: Instinct Has Taken Over

Miles Per Day: Day 2=55.07; Day 3=40.64; Day 4=39.27; Day 5=30.54; Day 6=33.01

Total So Far: 238.32

Inspiration: Lynard Skynard; Oasis; Guns n' Roses; Bach (Goldberg Variations by Glenn Gould); The Howard Stern Show; Rescue Me; Life of Pi;

Spirits: Excited; exhausted; adventurous; determined.

Things Seen On the Road: The inside of a fire station; tons of roadkill (including a Golden Retriever); Blue Ridge Mountains; a snake crossing the road;

Favorite Quotes: (1) on a scenic overlook right on the Blue Ridge Parkway, guy in a parked car talking to his buddy: “[inaudible]...so I always thought I could trust him; I just never though he would go and fuck my girlfriend...” (2) manager of Vesuvius general store, after I asked about church services the following day, Sunday: “They usually start at 9:00am. Now, are you Baptist or Methodist?”

I've just finished what was probably the best BBQ pork sandwich I've ever had in my life, courtesy of Gertie's Store in Vesuvius, VA. My mind is still spinning from all the crazy curves on the road, the intense climbing I did today over the Blue Ridge Mountains, the roller coaster 4 mile downhill drop from the Blue Ridge Parkway to Vesuvius (ever done 45 miles on a bike down a windy, curvy country road?), and some of the most beautiful views this side of the Mississippi.

I'm not sure any of this has sunk in yet. It's like my mind has receded inside itself and is working furiously to process everything. Instinct has taken over. It's the 5 year-old Jack that gets up every morning and straddles that bicycle with a child-like fury. He's also the one that relishes not knowing where we will be sleeping every night. And he's the one that's always certain everything, somehow, will turn out alright.

Here's a little taste of what was seen on the road recently:

WISH YOU WERE HERE

Caressing horses on my way to Charlottesville, VA

Cooking up some lunch behind an abandoned post office in Afton, VA

Crossing the Blue Ridge Mountains

PHOTO ROLL
On my way to Charlottesville

Administrator of First Baptist Church in Charlottesville. He was nice enough to let me camp on church grounds. Ultimately, though, chose a hostel so that I could clean some clothes and shower.