Day9, Christiansburg to Wytheville

Start time: 07.34
Start location: Christiansburg church
Start State: Virginia
Start weather: Chilly
Total millage so far: 489.84

Stops:
Notes:

Finish time: 13.22
Finish location: Wytheville, church
Finish State: Virginia
Finish weather: Hot
Miles today: 56.83
Total millage so far: 546.67
Today's top speed: 39.2
Today's average speed:  13.3

Music played:

Andy C & Grooverider - Drum & Bass Arena
Ashes to Ashes - Series 2
Big Daddy Kane - The Very Best Of Big Daddy Kane
Blancmange - The Platinum Collection

Blog for this day:

Monday, memorial day here in America.  I forgot to mention yesterday about cycling past Virginia Tech, where a shooting took place the other year, google check.  Also met up wit another cyclist on the way back to the church last night.  We rode or about 5miles, he was in training for a half iron man.  We had a good chat, nice guy.  

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-16103899

Slept ok, but still waking up, can’t wait to get back to my own house and bed!  Also cant wait to see Buster.  Up early again today to escape the heat.  It was a cooler ride in the morning, even a bit chilly at times, but got much hotter in the evening.  So, I am in the laundrette at the moment as I write today's blog! I know, me in a laundrette!  Wonders will never cease, I knew this trip would change me.  At least I know why I have never been in one! hahaah.  The ride was good and I didn;t even get lost, mostly because I followed Ublad most of the way.  I came across some nice little places, one really old town with old wild west age shop fronts and courthouse.  Wish I had stopped off to take photo’s, but I wanted to crack on.  Stopped off at this little petrol station where I met another cyclist who talked for Britain, all I wanted was to get a water and some food.  I managed to get away and found they served some rather tasty bacon and egg rolls, chomp!   A guy on a recumbent bike came in, so we chatted for a bit.  I had seen him earlier and spoken briefly while on the road. 

Saw some more chipmunks running about and cycled up some long hills which sapped the little energy I have left, still, there is a day off coming up!  Woop woop.  Stopped and took some pics of a rather nasty looking snake after seeing some squashed friends of his on the road earlier.  No idea what kinda snake it was, so I got up real close to it lol, nah, i kept well away.   Later on I came across this junk shop/flea market.  Had a cycle around the outside looking at the junk in case there was something which took my eye, then the crazy owner came out.  Right out of Pulp Fiction or is it Falling down, he says “comes inside, I’ve got something which may interest you.” Gulp!  He looks like a crazy kinda guy, so hey, I went in lol.  Turns out there was no dungeon or gimp tied up in box, nor any rocket launchers, dam I’ve still not found anywhere to shoot yet!  It was just some bikes he wanted to show me.  I made my excuses and left!

I got into Wytheville not too long after Ublad.  There was no sign of the van so I gave Paul a ring and it turns out one of the other riders had crashed earlier and was in hospital with a broken collar bone!!  Yikes.  Poor Mike, he had just taken early retirement to do this trip and was so excited every day about it.  Such a nice, kind, helpful and forgiving guy, it’s a real shame.   Hopefully he can rejoin us later on in this trip.  Pretty much everything in the town was closed but we found this great hot dog shop which has been going for like 500yrs lol.  Think I ate four of them as they were so good, plus the helper behind the counter got another order wrong, (even though there are only like four things on the menu lol). We spoke to some local boys which was great, must have been for about an hour.  As we pulled away they were driving a big Hummer, if I had known that I would have asked to have a ride in it!  oh well  DELETED FOR HARMONY... means I can come do my blog in peace and quiet and I can shower later on at my leisure.  Not much else happening, popped to walmart and forgot the code to Wendy’s padlock which was pretty funny  I guess.