Short day to Damascus

Today I rode about 35 miles. This is the shortest ride I've done on this entire trip. I'm treating today as a rest day. I plan to do laundry, walk around, and maybe take a nap. It's crazy to think that I've only got about a week left of riding. Yesterday I planned on staying in the city park in Council, VA, but I got bored. I ran out of books to read, so I found myself just sitting around. By 5 o'clock I was itching for some more hills. I got on my bike, and rode to the next spot on the map that provided free lodging -- a methodist church outside of Rosedale, VA. Up until Council, it was clear that the landscape had not changed much from Eastern Kentucky. As soon as I got up and over big A mountain (no joke) I felt like I had really entered a new state. Riding in Eastern Kentucky (and western Virginia) as I've noted before consisted of following creeks and rivers, occasionally riding over big hills. Once I got over big A mountain, I found myself gazing upon a vast, hilly meadow. In the far distance I could see a ridge of mountains. I've started to climb that ridge today, and I'll get over it tomorrow on my way to Wytheville. You can see the route I took to area by the church below.

Damascus is notable as it is the only place where the Appalachian trail and the TransAmerica trail intersect. It's home to a number of hiker/cyclist hostels. I'm staying in one called "The Place." Two days from now, I start on the last of my maps. I think I've gone through about nine of them up until now.