DAY 4: Staring at the white line

155 km (96 miles) - total: 578km (359 miles)

Lexington, VA to Radford, VA

Today was tougher than yesterday simply because the amount of climbs, and some pretty steep ones, increased and I was not prepared for that. And it was also warmer than yesterday. The heat does take a toll especially on steep inclines. I increased my intake of fluids, I have been consuming buckets of liquids so I drank 6 liters today and did not pee once! Forgive this intimate and slightly disgusting detail but it gives you a rough idea of the physical strain! The added weight caused by the backpack provides an even bigger physical burden to deal with. By 10am of each riding day my back is completely soaked in sweat.
I woke up at 7am and hit the road one hour later after my customary waffle, croissants and a cheese bagel.

I rode through the historic town of Lexington which is extremely pretty and then, upon leaving the urban area, the road got narrower and plunged in a small lush valley, which was peaceful and beautiful. It ran parallel to a lovely creek for about 10 miles. I rode past a number of old barns and farm houses where quiet men barely turned their heads to glance at me. The picturesque setting soon ended as upon leaving the valley I entered Roanoke urban areas. I rode fast as I wanted to get past the traffic and get off the big roads. I quickly reached some hills which provided serious grades. My speed suffered from it as it was the kind of variation that stops you from gaining any momentum. As soon as I was done with a hill and I started enjoy the descent here came another one. And then it was a nightmare, I had to deal with the worst ascent of my life, It was so steep that heavy trucks aren't allowed to drive on it. I was averaging 8 km per hour for almost 1.5 miles. I don't know how I got to the top without stopping but getting there was incredibly rewarding. Many thoughts went through my head when I was climbing that mountain. I pushed hard on the pedals with the rucksack even heavier than usual, resting heavily on my back and the straps cutting into my shoulders. At moments like that I just have to grind it out, like a solitary climber on a icy slope in the middle of nowhere, fighting for his life. I push myself so hard that I wonder what the hell I am doing. It is hard to describe the twirling of emotions but I felt extremely humbled by the endeavor and just when I thought I couldn't take it anymore and wanted to throw in the towel, my body does things I did not know it could. And that is the moment that I get to know the passion, pain, love maybe, and certainly a good deal of madness! My head is bowed, my teeth are clenched, my hands grip the handlebars and my body works as one and I stare at that white line and know that every inch I gain is an inch towards the top. And the top of the mountain is there, somewhere, waiting for me, staring at me, scrutinizing me, wanting to see what I am made of and all I can do is be myself and give my best shot. With the corner of my eye I see my sweat streaming down my forehead and my arms, I feel my body at work, my legs moving, busy pedaling, I breathe through my nose and mouth, I take in the air like a glass of cool lemonade and I quickly glance ahead but not too often and not too far because the sight of a long ascent might scare me off. It is the fear that after all the hype, all the pep talk, all the preparation I might actually come to the conclusion that I will fail. So I learn to control that fear by listening and talking to my body, by reminding myself how I got this far. And if I got this far I know I can go a little farther. Maybe then I can push the boundaries, maybe I can claim the unknown, because the unknown is only a grey area between my dreams and my fears and once I push past the finishing line I come out a new man on the other side. So I feel safe and protected. I look back and I realize that that my legs have carried me through.

After taming the slope and more hills and flat terrain, I rolled into Christiansburg around 4pm after almost 8 hours on the bike. This was my planned finish for the day but I decided to push on to the next town and one hour later I got to the scenic town of Radford, ideally located by New river.

I am slightly ahead of schedule and I look forward to tomorrow. The route will provide more climbs and a 3000ft ascent. It should be challenging. This afternoon the sky got overcast and it threatened thunderstorm for the very first time but luckily the bad weather stayed away. For now that is...

During one of my pit stops I was approached by a man in his late 50s, tall and slim, with a peaceful demeanor and a familiar face, he stopped to talk to me and enquired about my trip. When I told him that I was trying to make it to the Grand Canyon the man said that he would pray for me to have a safe trip. He was on his way to a bible class. Lots of bible signs around here. I meet a lot of kind people even thought I don't spend too much time talking as I am riding most of the day! Most people around here seem to have a lot of time on their hands and they seem to be taking life very easily. Sorry for not posting pics of myself today.



The creek by the country road, outside Lexington


It's a hot day for them too



Country diner, I love these places!


Virginia barn



Pretty Christiansburg


Radford


New river