Day 17 - Athens OH to Elkins W VA

We left Athens this morning at 6am and headed to West Virginia. We left in three separate groups to keep the packs small. The first group was moving fast. I rode with the second group consisting of Jon, Len, Rob and Max for the first 25 miles until Jon flatted. The shoulder of the road was littered with glass and debris. I stopped while everyone else kept going. A couple of riders passed and asked if we needed help, but never slowed to assist. Oh well, guess everyone was in a hurry this morning. With the flat fixed we started out again only to flat again within 5 miles. It was going to be a day I could tell. The first rest stop was at 34 miles where Jon restocked with tubes and used the floor pump to top off his tire. John Newton pulled up at the stop and restocked with tubes as well. He too had a flat. By this time we were at the end of the pack, but just wanted to make it through the day and cover the miles. Jon and I ventured on through Parkersburg. The route was a mess to follow due to traffic pattern changes but we made it to the bridge and crossed over into West Virginia. The vistas were beautiful.

We had a lot of climbing today. The cue sheet said 12,000 feet, but it ended up being less. Still tiring and my quads and knees were squealing. Once again Jon and I took a wrong turn and did 6 bonus miles. We weren't the only riders to miss the detour sign, but still had to climb back to the main road. The time we made up was lost. When we arrived at the lunch stop, Susan made me chocolate milk and all was good. John Newton arrived as he had another flat earlier. Jon and I waited for him to eat and the three of us rode the remaining 66 miles together. The last 30 miles was awful. The road shoulder surface was a mixture of one quarter asphalt and three quarters gravel. I was just about ready to ride on the white line of the highway as car bait to get off the bumpy surface.

We finished around 5 or 5:30. Tracey, one of the crew met me with a cup of chocolate milk and Susan gave me the remaining jug to carry to my room. They take very good care of me.

Two days left. Tomorrow will be a tough day. Climbing in the beginning and the end. Rumor has it there is a scary decent around mile 40-45. One of the crew has ridden the route in the past and crashed so I am of course nervous.

Keep safe thoughts. We arrive in Virginia tomorrow.