Vesuvius to Charlottesville, VA

Ride Stats:
Distance - 61 mi.
Average Speed - 9.4 mph 
Climbed - 4910 ft.
Weather - 58 to 80 F, overcast in the morning, sunny in the afternoon, light winds

While camping is not the ideal way to spend the night, we all three agreed that this worked pretty well by putting us where we wanted to be on the trail, and the cultural experience it provided.  We ate dinner at the store and had great service, food made with heart, and good conversation with a local patron.  Even the train coming by at night on the nearby tracks gave an authentic feel to the experience. 

It stopped raining by morning and we set out on the biggest climb of this leg, 1450 ft up to the Blue Ridge Parkway on an 8 to 12% grade.  That was a lot of exercise right out of the gate, but we made it to the top in a little over an hour.  It turns out the Parkway is a great highway, riding along the top of the Blue Ridge; and limited to non-commercial traffic at speed limits of 45.  The grades are generally 6% or less, and it's very attractive to bicyclists.  We saw quite a few that had driven their bikes up to ride along it.

By lunchtime we were back in the valley, riding back roads over rolling hills and disrupting traffic on these narrow two lane roads all the way to the college town of Charlottesville ( University of Virginia ).  We're staying in a comfortable motel and eating well tonight.

Started as a Depression-era Jobs Program, everything about the Blue Ridge Parkway is solid and high quality.  It's run by the National Park Service.

 

The views up top are extraordinary, even on an overcast day.

So, this is where Christmas trees come from.

Raven's Nest was the high point of our ride,  at 3200 ft elevation.

Down in the valleys, lots of fruit farms and vineyards.

Stone fences and walls that have stood the test of time. 

Farms in this area are over 200 years old.

 

We gave Angela the afternoon off, and she spent it exploring Monticello and learning all about Thomas Jefferson.