Day 11

Today is our first rest day - we have bicycled for 10 days straight. We are in Damascus, VA, a little town made famous by the Appalachian Trail that goes right through the middle of it. I have talked to several through hikers who now have been on the trail for 6 weeks - after talking to them, 10 days doesn't seem too long.

We had our first rain this morning. I was feeling a little homesick as I sat in my tent with the rain beating down. I called Bob (my hubbie) and soon I started getting phone calls from friends and my son and started feeling better!! The sun is now starting to peak through the clouds and everything is on the up-and-up.

Tomorrow is a shorter day (only 40 miles), but we have a long steep climb before the end of the day. The rest of the group seems able to go up these mountains much more easily then me. My way of going up the steep mountains is to bike and rest, bike and rest... I look ahead to the next shady spot and aim for that. I thought I was in good shape - boy, was I mistaken!! I have accomplished the end point each day without having to call the sag wagon! My new philosophy is, "I bike to coast!"

One of these days, I will learn how to upload some photographs from my camera to the computer.

I'll talk to you soon. Our next rest day is in 6 days in Berea, KY. If I don't post before then, I'll post from Berea!