Google Maps informed me the ride to Ringgold would take almost three hours, a healthy trek, but I was feeling determined. My route zigzagged through hilly back roads and a variety of scenery, including farmland, abandoned country houses, and a biblically-themed campground.
It took me over two hours to reach the trailhead to the Richmond and Danville Rail-Trail. The trail itself was a comparatively flat five miles of crushed stone with several sandy patches.
I had run out of water and developed quite an appetite over the course of my ride. I didn't know what to expect from Ringgold, but I looked forward to finding a restaurant downtown in which to relax and enjoy a mid-afternoon lunch before heading back. When I heard Google Maps announce "You have arrived," I quickly realized that I would find no restaurants and no downtown. So much for the Tolkienesque name.
My energy was depleted, and I required sustanence before attempting the return trip. I asked Siri to direct me to the nearest gas station, which turned out to be another five miles away, in the nearby town of Danville. I sat on a bench outside the station's convenience store and thoroughly enjoyed a lunch of peanuts in the shell, a banana, and an ice cold Perrier; it was just what the doctor ordered. I chugged a bottle of water and packed another for the ride home. I'm sure Danville has some interesting attractions, but it was getting late, and I had a three-hour return trip ahead of me.
I had brought along the portable phone battery charger I had recently purchased so I could take pictures along the way and recharge my iPhone for directions if need be. The charger must not have worked very well because, after hooking it up, my phone still died. I had already left the rail-trail and wasn't sure exactly which way to go. I decided to continue along the state road I was on until I could find someplace to charge my phone. Eventually, I saw a fire station in a community called Turbeville. There was no one inside, but there were soda vending machines outside. I found the power outlet, plugged in my phone, and waited for the battery to reach 30%. I hadn't strayed too far off course; I had about an hour and a half to go.
From my new location, Google Maps sent me eight miles down a main highway toward downtown South Boston, VA. When I was about an hour from Brett's grandparents' house in Halifax, I got caught in a rainstorm. It came on rather suddenly, and I received a generous amount of cold wind and rain. Luckily, I was much closer to civilization now, and I stopped into another store for more water and snacks and to wait out the storm. After about half an hour, the rain has subsided enough to continue. Now it was a race against time. Although I have lights on my bike, I was still eager to get back before dark due to the increased risk of not being seen and my own poor night vision. My body and legs were tired, but I pushed on for the last hour, grateful the cold rain had passed. I made it back to the house as the last bit of daylight was fading, almost nine hours after I had started my journey.
I'm not sure what I expected to see, or what I was looking for, but what I found were slices of old Virginia and everyday America. I felt sore from the long ride, frustrated with my portable phone charger, and cold and wet from the rain. Several times today I reminded myself, "Well, I wanted to feel!"
I certainly could have used the waterproof front bag I ordered for Shadowfax today. Hopefully, it arrives before we head out for our gig in Johnson City, TN tomorrow. It's time to get back to work.
Stay dry out there!
- Jon
Admiring your grit and determination, your motto, "Extreme Moderation" comes to mind.
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