The Final Countdown

USo here we are, killing time in Dulles airport waiting for our flight home in an A380 (The Mechanic is well pleased). We got here far too early as we had to check out of the hotel and it was too hot to do much outdoors (I didn't want to travel back smothered in Factor 50 sun cream!). We had a slight problem at check in when the BA 'operative' said our bags were too heavy and we had to take some stuff out. Given we had lifted them easily on to the scales and they only weighed 13 kg coming out (limit 23kg) it seemed unlikely. However after a little debate I suggested that the scales were weighing in pounds not kilograms - which was in fact the case!  We were driven up by a suicidal taxi driver who spent the whole journey telling us about all his speeding / violations tickets, being in jail for not paying them etc, drinking coffee and then sorting out some paperwork on the passenger seat - all the time haranguing us about US policies on just about everything. I was very glad to get out alive........

I hope none of you have developed nomophobia in our absence, but don't worry if you have - I am considering opening a cyber wellness clinic as my new retirement project and I would be happy to enrol you.  A few pictures to end the blog - a giant pretzel, regarded as dinner in World of Beer, the splendid interior of Union Station Washington DC, a final glimpse of the Blue Ridge Mountains and (for those of you with four legged companions) the Dog Dinner Menu.

A real Dog's Dinner

Day started with a walk in Charlottesville before it got too hot, then a trip to the airport to return the hire car (remembering to fill it with 'gas' before returning it and having the usual battle with the self serve pumps).  The hotel sent a Shuttle bus to pick us up for free, unfortunately meaning that I had to forgo a ride in the 'Hallelujah Taxi' which was waiting for customers. Another walk saw the Mechanic strangely attracted by the 'Big Dawg Tattoo parlour' - professional body piercings, get one and get a second half price!  We then had to walk the bikes down to the Amtrak station to check them in before returning to collect the bags. It was stinking hot again so we just waited for the (late) train in the air conditioned station - which appears to have about 10 staff around to cope with a total of a maximum of 6 trains a day............

The journey was unremarkable, other than for the slow speed of travel - despite which we arrived earlier than our late departure might have suggested. It took three trips from the station to the hotel to get everything moved but we got here in the end. This is a posher place than we have been staying in since our first few days here (this is the place with the pillow menu) - it has a VIPaws Pet Program 'Our pet friendly hotel will welcome your guest of honour with treats, amenities and plenty of pampering'. This leads me to the post title. This place has an arty farty restaurant called 'Art and Soul' and (no kidding) it has a Dog Menu, featuring The Hungry Dawg, Gravy Train, The Raw Deal and to drink with their meal 'Bowser Beer' (non alcoholic beer costing around £6 for an unspecified amount). The world truly has gone mad!!!  Having said that, anyone prepared to pay $35, plus 11% sales tax, plus a minimum 15% tip for a Power Dinner presumably wouldn't blink at buying their dog dinner and a drink. The Power Dinner consists of soup or baby lettuce salad, a crispy cornmeal cake and a homemade cookie.........

Anyway, picture of the day is of the ubiquitous sausage gravy, served with 'biscuits' (unsweetened scones to you and me) at virtually every hotel breakfast. I have spared you the grizzly details of the eating habits observed, but today we had a good 'un.  Man helps himself to scrambled egg with steak and cheese, fried potatoes and biscuits, the whole lot liberally drenched in aforementioned sausage gravy. His wife then came up to him to ask him if he wanted any of the fresh fruit salad on offer, showing him her bowl. Off he charges and helps himself to a generous, juicy portion - spooned on top of the sausage gravy (and everything else). The only surprise was that he didn't add a dollop of the squirty cream provided for the waffles!

To the airport tomorrow, so fingers crossed the flight is not overbooked and is on time

Things you never knew before

We finally left Myrtle Beach today, after a final walk on the sand. We were on the road shortly after 8.30am and had another trouble free 400 mile journey back to Charlottesville - where we are lowering the tone of the hotel by being about the only guests scruffing around in shorts and T shirts. Everyone else staying here appears to be attending one of eight weddings that are taking place today (all looking terribly smart).  We headed back out to World of Beer tonight to have one final meal before heading bak to the UK (tomorrow it will be a sandwich in the railway station if we are lucky). The place was much busier than on our previous visits, with live music and loads of people. Our waitress (server!) recognised us from our last trip so we were well looked after, although I don't think the group are going to be threatening the charts anytime soon.

On our travels we were taking a look at some magazines and discovered 10 different magazines on quilting but over 15 on guns. My favourite has to be 'Handloader' - the official Ammunition Reloading Journal!  I am going to notify HIGNFY.........

Seen on a restaurant sign 'Every Man's Dream - Dogs and Cream'.  I'll leave you to ponder that one.

For those of you who hate the name ToysRus - how about 'Wee R Sweetz'.....

Finally a piece of knowledge you won't know how you lived without.  From the travellers who brought you 'Tuatepere - the Sausage capital of the world' I offer you the even more intriguing

'Dunn (NC) - the Dump Truck Capital of the World'.   The competition must be fierce.....

Pictures are sunrise, a giant pretzel and our night out

Beginning of the End!

So today was our last day in North Myrtle Beach and to be honest it was just too hot for us. We did our 5k walk at 7.00am before breakfast and were still dripping with sweat by the time we got back. We took the car (tank) and decided to drive to Georgetown to have a look round, but on discovering how far it was and how hot it was we abandoned and just drove through Myrtle Beach which, as anticipated, is the blousy, tatty version of North Myrtle Beach - dodgems, tat shops etc etc. Fun to see, but glad we weren't staying there - bigger, louder and busier.

We spent most of the day either in the water or in the shade. When we went in for our final swim we were privileged to have the local pelicans fishing all round us. One flew inches above the water just a few feet from Chris and then did a vertical dive into the water about 20 yards from where I was watching - fantastic!!!!  The Mechanic finished padding the bikes for the flight home while I did wifely stuff like laundry and apartment cleaning :(

Last night requires a big night out (Mechanic please note - not a pizza from the supermarket). However  the choice we faced was just too much:

Hot Diggity's Diner

'Stop in the name of love' - at Fuddruckers'

National House of Pancakes

Sir Pizza (bet you didn't notice that in the Queen's birthday honours list)

'Lights, Camera, LA Lasagna'

Nacho Hippo

Crabby Mike's

Boardwalk Billy's - a Shuckin' good time

Bummz

Crab Daddy's Seafood

We ate our supermarket pizza...........

Order Error

The heat wave post didn't publish when it should have so is out of order - the most recent post is Thunder on the Right!

Heat wave alert!

Temperatures are hitting all time records for September, which we could certainly have lived without! We got up at 7.00am to make sure we were able to do something before the mercury hit 90+. :(

Started with a 5k walk, then after breakfast we set off on a 16 mile bike ride, taking in a sign in someone's garden B. J's lemonade $1 - worst in town!  We decided not to try and prove this one way or another........ Back at the apartment we went straight into the sea, much calmer than yesterday and not as much fun sadly, although we still had waves breaking over our heads and got knocked off our feet. We had another cycle ride, walk and swim before calling it a day and listening to the Archers on the I-pad!

Very hot today, according to the forecast it was 87degrees, feeling like 99 degrees and I certainly wouldn't argue - supposed to be getting worse over the next few days.  Not many pictures today as we spent too much of it huddled in the shade. I really should have known better - heaven only knows what I thought we would do in a week off here.  Note photo of the beer / cider Chris is doing credit control on.

Thunder on the right (left and centre)

Headed off early for our last bike ride of the trip. We are actually staying in North Myrtle Beach - the boring family orientated, retirement end of the 60 mile beach. Myrtle Beach is further south and appears to host most of the real rubbish - so needless to say we felt we had to visit. It is a rather tortuous journey unless you want to ride down a six lane highway with no ring shoulder. 13 miles into the trip The Mechanic realised that he had forgotten the spare tubes and tools and of course as soon as we knew that we started worrying about a puncture. While I could have made it back and collected the car, the chances of C doing that were somewhere south of zero, given he would never have found his way back either to the apartment or to wherever I was stuck. We rode back, inevitably with no punctures, and ended up riding 30 miles. After a swim and a walk along Cherry Grove Pier we started packing up the bikes. We began hearing thunder about half an hour before the heavens opened, the lightning appeared to be overhead and the thunder was deafening.........This lasted for about an hour with the road turning into rivers. We had to get the half-packed bikes under over as well as we could and then covered them in some cheap ponchos we had been given free in Washington.  

By the time the rain stopped it was going on 18.00, so we abandoned our second swim and the preceding walk, but managed to get the bikes finished.  I have never been in a storm like it, warnings were being televised and as it approached the beach cleared like snow in a heatwave. 

Anyway it occurred to me that perhaps we should have a debauched night out on the town, but we were so spoilt for choice that in the end we stayed in and caught up with some Archers on the iPad!!

Question is - what would you have chosen:

Medieval Times, dinner and tournament. (Dial 888-We-Joust)

Big Laughs Theatre - a high energy rock n' roll interactive comedy variety hypnosis show

Hip-Hop Clogging

Todd Oliver and his amazing talking dogs

Carnival of Magic ( featuring stars from America's got talent)

Christian Stoninev with Scooby the Dog

The Illusions of Hannah and Brandon Wagster

Or perhaps you would prefer to slit your wrists in preference to any of the above (like us)

Early warning about rising sea levels!!!! They are expecting the largest crowd of the year at Myrtle Beach over Labour Day weekend due to the above average temperatures. Given what we have seen so far, if they all decide to enter the water at once, a life threatening tsunami is likely to appear or half of Essex will fall into the sea - you have been warned!!! 

A nice crisp autumn day....

That is what I am dreaming off!  Record hot temperatures here have sent us scuttling for shade, or even indoors in the AC.  Up today to see the sunrise over the ocean (see photo), then breakfast and off on the bikes. The lack of accuracy on the maps caused us all sort of trouble as we wandered endlessly round dead end streets, or got confused with roads not shown on the map. In the end we did 30 miles and didn't really go anywhere, but got very hot and irritated. Back for a cold drink and then a 'swim' - the wind is light so the sea still isn't anything like as exciting as it was Sunday/Monday. Temps got to 90 degrees and supposedly felt like 109!!!  Didn't do much after lunch until about 4.00pm when we went for a three mile walk in the surf - note the pictures below of the Americans on holiday.  Another swim and then we found ourselves very embarrassingly turning into Yanks - we got in the car for a 1.5 mile journey to buy some stuff for dinner, I hang my head in shame.....

Still we noticed a few things on our bike ride that I thought might help you plan the perfect day:

You could start with a trip to Gentle Dental (going the extra smile)

Move to the Tanning shop to 'Sun your Buns' then

How about a 'U-Neek facial and new Daisha braids'

Next a spot of retail therapy at Jens 'Shop of Oldies' where you can buy some 'genuine shaggin' sandals (real leather)'

Hungry after all that excitement?? Can you decide between

Southern Fried Chicken BBQ - 'Best Butts on the Beach' or (my favourite)

Seafood Restaurant and Food Store - live worms, live bait, live minnows, lobster crab legs.  Question - was this the menu...............?????

I am investigating what a lobster crab leg might be (always written with no punctuation)

Does it mean

a) lobster and crab legs

b) the leg of a lobster crab

c) something else entirely

Answers on the back of a used postage stamp

Swimmin' in the rain!

Woke to torrential rain and grey skies. Still going after 2 hours, so we dressed up in swimming togs and anoraks to walk 3 miles on the beach - perhaps unsurprisingly we had it virtually to ourselves. Stopped for a 'swim' on the way back. The seas were big - standing just knee deep the waves were breaking over my head and at thigh deep I was being knocked off my feet. We went for a further 2 mile walk after lunch taking in the coastal reserve, which was home to hundreds of one clawed crabs, defending their mud holes from other crabs - it was quite violent in a crabby sort of way!! This morning we had thunder rumbling all round us, with high seas and we reckon it was the remains of Tropical Storm Erica. 95 miles further down the coast in Charleston they have had 7.8 inches of rain since Saturday :(

It got really humid this afternoon and we are a bit worried about the next few days, when the forecast is for temperatures up to 89 degrees, feeling like 101 degrees.  We have put the pedals bak on the bikes and are planning a ride for tomorrow - but we'll see what the weather is like.   Today being Monday (not a bank holiday) we noticed how quiet it was compared to the weekend - even allowing for the weather. Obviously a lot of schools and Universities are back, so really the only kids around are pretty small.   Most of the rubbishy stuff is in Myrtle Beach, rather than North Myrtle Beach, where we are. A trip down there is obviously required - watch this space!!

Just like Bristol - but warm!

So much for our careers as beach bums!  It started off grey, but dry, so we walked about 4/5 miles on the beach before having our first 'swim'. In practice swimming is not on the cards. The waves are big and the currents are strong - no wonder you are told not o get more than shoulder deep. I was knocked off my feet more than once and you old understand why there are so many lifeguards on duty. The water was, however, really warm and we had great fun messing around before going bak to have a shower. By the time we had lunch it was raining, overcast, grey and just like home except 20 degrees warmer!!  We read under the balcony overhang and eventually took the car out to fill up after the journey. We had driven 400 miles in a large (7 seater) car, but it only cost about £19 to fill the tank (15 US gallons).  Picked up some shopping and came back to 'cook' pizza for dinner.  It would have been simpler to pilot the Space Shuttle!!  Have you ever seen an oven with no temperature dial? My choices were to 'bake' 'broil' 'pizza' or 'chicken nuggets'. If you decide you want to 'bake' it sets the temperature and that is what you get. Pizza must be frozen..........Forecast is pretty rubbish for the next few days so we are looking to see what else we might do.  Perhaps a visit to 'Christmas Mouse', a year round Christmas shop or how about Shaggin' on the Beach? I'll leave the latter to your imagination.  Not many pictures today, but the little waders shown were really cute - we could have watched them for p

Beach Bums United

So here we are, final port of call on the trip - North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Easy journey down and we got into our 'condo' before lunch, rather then at 15.00.  The owner was still doing the last few bits and pieces when we arrived, so we walked up to the local supermarket, where we saw a sign saying it closed at 1.00. As it was 12.47 we dashed round grabbing stuff to keep us going, attracting a lot of funny looks on the way - turns out it closes at 1.00am!!!  The place I booked is, as expected, pretty basic and, if I'm being honest, probably a bit damp. However it is on the beach, actually in the sand dunes and the view from the balcony is fabulous. There are only 6 apartments and we are the only people here until Thursday, when the whole town fills up for Labour Day weekend. We spent the afternoon chilling on the balcony and walking miles, barefoot through the surf to explore. We realised that the apartment came without much 'stuff' so we have had to buy a T-towel, beach towel, soap etc, all of which will be dumped at the end of the week.

We sat on the balcony as it got dark tonight, high tide coinciding with darkness, and the water was about 50 yds away - the sound of the waves breaking on the beach was very soothing. However, as you might imagine there is plenty of nonsense going on: how about Minotaur Golf? Themed around the lost island of Atlantis, mini-golf ears wander among extinct creatures like the Loch Ness Monster(!!!) or Dodo birds - possibly safer than Pirates Adventure Golf which apparently boasts a live volcano.......

Chris fancies the Fudgery - ' this is the place for homemade, old-fashioned fudge with a twist. You're part of the show as singing, dancing fudge makers create all the decadent, creamy, chocolatey goodness before your eyes.  Or what about the Medieval Times dinner and tournament - jousting as far as I can tell.  Watch this space for more excitement!!!!

Heading South

After breakfast this morning we went out and did our daily minimum amount of exercise (5k) before loading up the car, which took some ingenuity given the bikes were still intact and had to be packed in along with their bags and the normal luggage - not as easy as you might think even with a big car. Having experimented with the automatic car on the way back from the airport (no instructions given and nobody available to ask) we at least knew how to move forwards and backwards, adjust the seat and lock / unlock it. Hopefully it won't rain before we work out how to get the wipers on! We have come about 300 miles, around 297 on the Interstates, so haven't had to deal with any complicated manoeuvres yet. What a pleasure compared to motorways in the UK, free flowing traffic, never too heavy, no accidents, road works or hold-ups and immaculately clean and quiet 'rest areas' with Restrooms, a few vending machines, shady picnic areas and pet exercising grassy spaces. If you want fuel, food etc you simply come off at one of the many junctions and drop back on again so no over-priced monopolies (if you have to travel more than a quarter of a mile from the junction it appears you don't bother). 

Since not much of any note happened let me regale you with some gems from the local paper:

Friday 4th Sept: Artifact-filled exhibits that tell the story of transportation from pre-history through the early 20th century. You do have to wonder what they have got from pre-history transportation ???

Something else to ponder: the Fayetteville Area Metropolitan Planning Organisation (FAMPO) is soliciting proposals for human services transportation projects under the federal Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities (Section 5310) program.  (Volunteer drivers to take people to the local Day Care centre?)

And finally 'thought for the day': 'The worshipful treatment of pets may be the thing that unites all Americans' wrote an Atlantic Magazine blogger in July, describing the luxury terminal for animals under construction at JFK airport.  The ARK will offer shower stalls for traveling horses, 'conjugal stations' for ever-horny penguins and housing for nearly 200 cows (that might produce up to 5000 pounds of manure every day).  Passengers traveling with cats or dogs can book the Paradise 4 Paws pet-pampering resort. The ARK is a for-profit venture, said one industry source, quoted in a July Crain's NY Business report. 'You hear stories about the crazy money rich people spend on their animals ...they're mostly true!   Hmmmm.....Bev / Izzy?????

Pictures are of the mechanic sampling some 'fruit inspired' beers last night plus our laden car

Back where we started!

Today was the last day of our cycle tour in Virginia and it turned out to be quite an easy one - 40 miles and 2,500 ft of ascent, bringing the total to around 600 miles and 35,000ft of ascent. Lovely quiet roads until we got close to Charlottesville, but at least we knew where we were headed so it made things a lot easier.  We would probably have got here sooner if we had ordered a Domino's pizza lat night and been the recipients of 'Free Kindness with every Delivery!'  We were able to check in early and get the washing done after being reunited with our luggage and some clean clothes.  The main event of the day was picking up our rental car at the airport. I had booked and paid online for a Dodge Caravan (7 seater) based on the assumption that we would be able to fold the seats down to make room for the bikes. We got the free shuttle up from the hotel, fully expecting there to be a problem. The three previous occasions we have tried to rent a car in the USA have ended in trouble with either no car available or a tiny economy car being produced instead of an SUV for the bikes.

This time it all worked like a dream, except for the minor issue of neither of us having any idea how to drive the thing (automatic) adjust the seats or anything else. Nobody available for advice, so we just had to do it by trial and error and I was the lucky one to drive back in busy rush hour traffic. This car is huge!!  Parking will be a nightmare and I need my wingman to tell me if I am too lose to the kerb. Back at the hotel we tried to fold the seats down, initially to no avail - then we pulled some random lever and the seats took on a life of their own, folded themselves away and left a huge space for luggage. We decided to quit while we were ahead and went to World of Beer to toast the start of the next phase of the trip (assuming we ever find our way out of Charlottesville!)

Thought you might be interested in Breath Dance - 'Wellness through breathing' or (presumably) 'terminal unwellness through not breathing'.  Not your idea of fun? How about the Annual Hymn Sing and Pig Roast - bring your own side dish.

I promised you breakfast photos today, sorry but I didn't manage the sausage gravy and biscuits (technical issues) but take a look at some yummy Froot Loops (loops indeed, but fruit.....????). People swear they can tell the difference between the different fruit flavours - but all you can taste is sugar ( with a side of cardboard)

You're not there until you're there!

This is our mantra on cycling holidays - no matter how short the day or how easy the route, the day is never over until you have booked into your accommodation for the night. Today was such a day, only 40 miles and 2,200 ft of ascent, we planned to be there at lunchtime. My back tyre felt a bit soft last night so Chris pumped it up before we went to bed. This morning it appeared to have gone down very slightly, but since it was a short day we decided to do a 'pump and run' to see how it survived. It was a chilly morning and the Mechanic was in his jacket when we set off. 8 miles later we caught up with 2 cyclists on US bike route 76. They were carrying a track pump along with all the rest of their gear (!!??) and we asked if we could top up my back tyre as it is difficult to get really high pressure with a hand pump. We chatted for a short time and as soon as they pulled off we found that my back tyre was seriously soft again. Nothing for it but to take off all the bags and change the tube. The Machanic had a technical issue with the change and it was 45 minutes later before we were ready to set off.

We had lost our rhythm by this time and it seemed like a real grind. After 20 miles we stopped at Gertie's Country Store (great if you wanted a sack of spuds and a two hour chat, not so good for a quick drink and a snack!). We plodded on, stopping again about 8 miles from the hotel and finally rolling in sometime around 2.30pm. This particular hotel had been on a cheap deal and was paid in advance but the jobs worth on the desk wouldn't check us in until he saw the same credit card I had paid with. I explained that it was at the bottom of one of the panniers and would require me to empty everything out in the lobby, with conference delegates milling around everywhere, but he wasn't giving an inch until I said 'fine, I'm sure the other guests won't mind two weeks of dirty washing lying around'. I got the room key and brought the credit card back down to show him, although he did hold the Mechanic as security (little did he know........)

Be warned, tomorrow I will be posting some photos of the breakfast foods enjoyed here, so don't tune in if you are of a delicate disposition. The Mechanic tried 'grits' tonight and reckoned they were similar to mashed potato, which left me wondering why they are such a popular breakfast food. Slightly alarming are the TVs in all the hotel rooms - Life is Good TVs no less, although we have to assume this doesn't refer to the content being shown.

Some if you might be aware of the fact that we are involved in the 'Save Westbury Library' campaign. It seems we have been missing a trick when it comes to suggesting alternative uses for the library - the place we are staying (Waynesboro) has a headline in the local paper 'Waynesboro gets a taste of beer brewing at public library'

We are sorry to be missing the following event:

The Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway's Humpback Rocks chapter offer residents a chance to explore the South River Lumber Railroad - a chance to hike the railbed.  One can only hope no trains are running.  If that doesn't appeal how about 'Sunday School Yesteryears'. The event will begin with a puppet show reminiscing about how much fun learning the Bible was back then. There will be old fashioned Sunday School songs ( called hymns IIRC), flannel graph Bible stories, object lessons and dinner on the ground (or as we might say, a picnic)!

Photos today are of Bike v Winniebago (can you imagine driving this monstrosity on coastal roads in Cornwall) and Gertie's place plus the Mechanic doing what the Mechanic does best

Vultures, caves and bridges

The post title summarises the photos and the day we have just had. Not moving on today, so a later breakfast than normal before hopping on the bikes to head off to Natural Bridge. Apparently this was once on the list of Seven Wonders of the World - although reading the small print this appeared to be a list compiled in the 19th century, no doubt by Americans who had never left the country!  It was however more impressive than Natural Chimneys and, being privately owned, not free.  Before we got there we noticed some large birds circling overhead and identified them as vultures, a couple were down on the road feeding off some road kill. We got pretty close before they flew up into the trees. After getting a couple of photos I got another huge ant trapped in my shirt trying to eat his way out, so yet again had to strip off my bike shirt by the road, at which point the vultures took off in fright.

On to Natural Bridge, where we did the 2 mile round walk to visit the bridge, a 'lost river' (which had obviously been found) and a rather unimpressive waterfall.  Next we visited the caverns, going 374 ft underground with a temperature difference of over 30 degrees F. Chris had a jacket (Chris always has a jacket) but I got quite chilly, although it was certainly worth the trip. There were a lot of steps to get us up a d down the place and at one stage I thought both the guide and a couple of the tour were going to collapse or have a heart attack (most likely both) but after a few strategic pauses everyone got out alive.  After this we headed back, cycling 33 miles with over 2,000ft of ascent on a 'rest' day to the accompanying rumble of disapproval from the Mechanic.

Time to tell you about the local cyclist who appears to be stalking us. We have now been approached by him on three separate occasions and it appears that he is a) weird, b) lonely, c) addicted to giving you a blow by blow account of everywhere he has ever cycled including all turns, road names etc.  He keeps trying to give us good routes from where we are to where we want to be going something like this: take the third left after the building with red roof, then bear right at the metal post in the pavement to take a left at the fourth stop light, right at the second bank on your left, past the Cookie Lady's house and look for a right fork at a house with a chimney..............and on and on.  By this time Chris has zoned out and I am contemplating either homicide or suicide, while we both nod sagely and say 'Yup, got that' at regular intervals.  We are thinking of leaving town under cover of darkness....

Sports people over here take themselves very seriously - can you imagine Wayne Rooney uttering the following incomprehensible stream of drivel:

'Everything you do in life gets you to where you are now. I would definitely say my beginnings and my in-betweens and everything else are how I am'.  I would say they need to get out more......

Once more on to the gravel........

What could possibly go wrong?  Quite a lot as it turned out, not helped by the tremendous heat (around 90 deg F by 1.00pm). First of all, about 20 yards from the hotel. we discovered that bicycles do not trigger traffic lights, even at major junctions with 50 cars queued behind you in the rush hour! After two cycles through the sequence with no green light the natives were getting restive behind us, so we managed to shuffle over into the right turn only lane and let the Sheriffs car behind us get up to the grid. This happened several more times and on 2 occasions no car turned up so we had to try and cross the junction on a red light - not recommended!

We eventually threaded our way out of Roanoke on back roads and hit US11, which we were due to follow for about 18 miles. Although by no means a busy road, it is still a major highway and we were lured into turning right on a bike route, which dropped us back to where we had been heading using a deserted side road, crossing back and forth over the also deserted railroad. After a cold drink stop at 26 miles we planned to head up a back road along the side of the forest - known as the Blue Grass Trail. It started off well, quiet, shady and scenic, the only traffic being 2 grass mowers going in the opposite direction.  The second one stopped and asked if we going 'all the way through'. We replied that we were to which he said it was 'pretty rough'.  We just thought that since the Yanks are obsessed with 'smooth black-top' he meant it was like a typical UK back road - not so. After about 3 miles we reached a sign saying that the road was not recommended for motor vehicles between Nov and April. Even the rubbish road up to the Blue Ridge Parkway didn't say that!!  We went a little further but given we would have to fight our way up 15 miles before reaching surfaced road again we decided to withdraw and live to ride another day.

Next drama came when I started to feel a sharp pain in my back just below the shoulder blades. The pain got worse and started to spread, when I realised that I must have some carnivorous insect trapped in my shirt. It was now excruciating so I didn't stand on ceremony, but stripped off my shirt at the side of the road where Chris managed to remove an enormous orange coloured ant from my back - somewhat unedifying for passing motorists, but a great relief to me!  We had our lunch at a small Exxon filling station complete with life size tiger ( which will make sense to older readers) the owner obviously wasn't up to date with marketing strategy.

In the end we did 66 miles with 3,500 ft of ascent, nearly melted and ended up back where we started from on Saturday morning..........Pictures include Chris listening to the tiger explaining his escape plan and our feelings on finding our road was (yet again) unsurfaced. I wish there was some way you could tell from the map but we rode 610 which was perfectly surfaced and then 611 was just a rough dirt track. Tomorrow we are planning to visit Natural Bridge, which I suspect is like Natural Chimneys in terms of being spectacular - but without the jousting!