Day 7 - 1 Week Complete

June 28
Mallard Duck Campground (Lexington, VA) to Camp Bethel (Troutville, VA)
48 miles

We never did make it to Fed Ex so today’s good news is that I’m stronger! And I don’t have to send my toe nail polish back home. But then, ML is stronger too which means she’s still faster than me. Today she passed me saying, “I just can’t make my legs go that slow.” Just to prove my good humor I didn’t shout after her, “That would be slowLY. SlowLY. An adverb!” And then we had our true first taste of hospitality as we were called after by a friendly woman in her bathrobe getting her morning paper – “Would you like a cup of coffee?” A picturesque 8 mile jaunt took us into the lovely town of the grand house and enormous front porch, Lexington, VA. A two college town, Lexington was a friendly portal back to what feels like our “peeps”. Cars sported Obama stickers and I learned at the organic grocery store that it was the only town in western Virginia that solidly voted for Obama. Fueled by real coffee, a fabulous egg sandwich, and lemon meltaways from the local bakery, we rode along another lengthy stretch of stunning green farmland passed by an occasional truck. It did heat up today. ML remained unfazed and I, the heat weenie, sported my third heat rash of the trip. Riding over the asphalt was like riding over bubble wrap. The tar bubbled into tiny mushrooms which popped as we rode over them. Church of the Brethern made our day complete by offering its shady and spacious Camp Bethel for a inexpensive, delightful overnight stay. 5 bucks for the tent, complete with shower and swimming pool.

1st week complete! Total miles=352.