Into the Mystic: A Venture From East to West: It's Getting Hilly

So, I went and drank a few beers with Rick last night. We sat outside his restaurant and watched these poor, drunk souls sing country karaoke across the parking lot. It was different. Rick offered a room in his house to me as he was closing the store and I accepted. His house was a mansion ad I avoided the cold, frigid evening outside.

The next morning, Rick drove me back to his restaurant and he made me a steak&egg sandwich. Feeling ready for the road, I thanked Rick for his kindness, went back to the firehouse, and looked over my map.

Setting a goal for Charlottesville, I called the number of a hostel and reserved a spot. Telling the woman on the phone I was cycling from Mineral, she made an off comment that would haunt me for the rest of the day. She said, "Oh, biking from Mineral usually takes me 2 and a half hours. It's not bad at all". So, with a pip in my step, I furthered my expectations to another 20 miles past Charlottesville and canceled the reservation. The woman was a no good liar.

3 hours later, I was huffing and puffing my weary body up a 2 mile hill that would be followed by another hill, and another. Charlottesville was still 20 miles away. The words of the woman haunted my every thought. Her voice echoed in my head. Did she have the gluteal muscles of a powerlifter? The core of Xena the Warrior Princess? The lungs of an olympic swimmer? I don't know but something tells me she was full of it.

So anyway, eventually I made it to Charlottesville. Today wasn't bad, it was just trying. The weather was absolutely magnificent. I've finally been able to stop sweating toward the point of leaving a trail of liquid behind me with the weather in the mid 50's.

Also, I stopped at a vineyard that was having a wine tasting event. There was a small dirt road and sign that I almost didn't see. I decided as a fresh 21 year old, wine tasting was something to try. Expecting to be the only person there, I pedaled down the old path where I was greeted by a man waving me eagerly in. Turns out, it was a huge event supporting the SPCA and there were about 50 cars in the parking lot. I got a free wine tasting excursion because I was biking. It was awesome!

I almost forgot to mention that there are cicadas everywhere. They come out every 17 years and their buzzing in the forests is almost deafening. Also, the other day I was riding with my head down, watching the white line when I noticed a small otter that I almost hit. It scared the hell out of me. I laughed as I continued riding. Another animal moment that happened today that I found pretty funny was a butterfly that was wavering toward me. I had to spit and for the hell of it, I attempted to hit this butterfly. The second my saliva left my mouth, the butterfly changed direction and slapped directly into my right cheek; it stunned me. As I came back from the shock I started laughing because of the ironic hilarity of it.

So yeah, I'm in a hostel in Charlottesville. Chillin. Peace.