What a wild couple of days. My ride failed so I must venture on. I was carrying way too much weight mainly clothes so I ditched most of it. I was camped out the night before in Grayson State Park and asked a ranger if there was a trail I could use. He pointed me to Scales Trail through the Appalachian.
It was a rocky road had to hike the bike at the top was Scales with wild horses and cattle grazing freely outside. I would have loved to have stayed here instead it was only a mile or two outside the state park.
I’d love to post more photos but it was taking far too long. From there it was a welcome downhill journey to Troutdale where a local was nice enough to invite me in to fill up my water jug. I then trekked to another town Sugar. Grove, that had a Dollar Tree. I woofed down 2 cans of condensed soup, a slim Jim and a pint of kit kit ice cream.
Then onwards, still the same day, easy riding through out and missed a turnoff onto 16. There was no cell reception so I had no way of knowing until I was way downside the mountain I was to stay on. I ended up taking 672 back into the national forest and it was midnight before I could find a camp spot.
It was was probably the worst spot in the entire Mount Rogers recreational area. I slept on broken branches and decaying logs, tossing and turning all night, trying to position myself in the best spot.
I woke up around 8 am and headed back up the mountain. A few miles away from my destination I found Hale Lake not listed on my map. I jumped in and took a nice swim. The locals thought I was nuts, and a chef down in Independence invited me to a meal at his restaurant. Unfortunately it was around the wrong turnoff that sent me way off course so I declined.
It was then another mile and a half to Comers Creek Campground where I decided to spend a couple of recuperative days in a nice manicured site. The price is incredible for only 5 bucks a night. This trail is actually a part of the old Appalachian Trail known as Iron Mountain.
The camp guide here, who has been here for the last seven years has met all the cyclists from the TransVirginia. He’s invited me to a meal and beers. So I can’t keep typing although there is more to tell.
Actifit mods I’m aware that this post doesn’t qualify but it is my only way of posting at the moment. I had my phone mounted to the bike through most of this, and it doesn’t register this way. Now that cell reception seems to be improving I will toss it back into my pocket. I did 150 miles of biking and all I got was 3000 points. Good Times.
