I knew today was going to be a tough ride before it even started. I have been looking at the maps and the climb up and onto the Blue Ridge Parkway for months. It seemed as daunting at Mackenzie Pass did in Oregon. To make matters worse we have made the climb up onto the Parkway, in a car, in the past, but at a different location. This was 3.7 miles of absolute torture.
The ride from Lexington to Vesuvius at the base of the parkway was pleasant and flat. But make that right turn on VA 56 and nightmare begins. It was windy, narrow, and now well travelled road. It was very steep where 1600 feet of elevation were gained within 3.7 miles. What you don’t see is the heat the humidity that was prevalent. It meant many breaks for water, Gatorade and to catch my breath. Then when I make it up to the Parkway there was still more climbing. There was also no places to re-supply with water. Fortunately where was the Information Center, after riding on the Parkway for 20 miles, that had cold running water via a mountain stream. I really needed that.
The Blue Ridge parkway is managed by the National Park Service but much of land that immediately abuts the parkway is privately owned, or goes through George Washington National Forest. Farming does occur immediately adjacent to the road in some places. But for the most part the parkway follows a ridge line or near the tops of the Shenandoah Mountain range.
While riding I could see a rain storm to the east but what I did not see was the larger and darker storm coming at me from the northwest. I saw this only when I got to the gap where there was a road down the mountain range.
I made it down and hung out at a country store for 90 minutes for the storm to pass. It got so bad that numerous cars pulled into the parking lot of the store to wait for the storm to pass. When the storm was over it was still very dark. 4:30 in the afternoon felt like 7 pm and I still had 24 miles to go to get to Charlottesville. The roads that I took were back roads with many downed limbs and branches on the roadway. It was still up and down but the ups were not has high, but some were still 7 percent grades.
I did make it to Charlottesville around 7 but kept thinking sunset had occurred. There was still vestiges of daylight for another 90 minutes after I stopped and got into hotel. It was such a dark day.
Today’s states: total mileage 78.1 miles; average speed 11.4 mph; max speed 39.5 mph; elevation gain 6190 feet; elevation descent 6849 feet.