Jason and David

The two other English chaps e.joying a Starbucks.

Day 6 Layover day in Charlottesville

With the luxury of a sleep in until 7AM. Home of the University of Virginia and its beautiful campus. Today was mainly a shopping day and the posti.g of a few items home in anticipation of the ascent up to the Blue Ridge mountai.s of Virginia.

Day 5 Mineral to Charlottesville

Phew it was a hot one today. Temperatures approaching 90F , lots  of hills and my first encounter with local dogs. Tomorrow we have our first rest day in Charlottesville whi,h bei.g a university town is full of girls in exceedingly short skirts a.d also the home of Thomas Jefferson for thoseof you are intersted in these things. Watch this space for the 'fig newton shuffle'

Miles today 49
Total             285

Day 4 Ashland to Mineral

A longer 60 miles today and a gentle introduction to the hills before we hit the tougher stuff in a few days time.  The cycling groups are starting to take shape and after a couple of days at the faster end I've chosen to team up with the 'stop and stare'  group. Today we have been joined by Dolores, a remarkable 68 years young New Yorker who is doing the trip on a Bike Friday towing a suitcase on wheels. And at the end of the day just before reachi.g camp we came across a vineyard and enjoyed a fine wine tasting session for 5 dollars a head. I am sure you will appro e Mr Hill.

Miles Today 62
Total             236

Day 3 Glendale to Ashdale

Today was a short one distance wise through the flat green countryside of Virginia passing through the seven days battlefields of the civil war. So we are still pretty much in confederate country. Perhaps the highlight of today was meeting Tony the barber in Mechanicsville who treated me to an 'Eccles cake'.
Or perhaps it was Greg our San Fransiscan 'Stephen Stills' Liverpool supporting  lookalike and Ellie the kooky Canadian scalingl the campsite water tower. Oh and it was nice to have a hot shower.

Miles today 32
Total           175

Day 2 Williamsburg to Glendale

We all felt that today was the real start of the tour as we headed ioff in a westerly direction taking in the first English colonial settlement of Jamestown en route. This area was the location of many of the major battles of the American civil war  and towards the end of the day we passed  through one of the many Richmond National Battlefield parks.
Today was pretty flat but with a strong headwind all the way I was pretty tired by the time I got to the campsite. Actually we were hosted again by the local church so there was an option to sleep indoors. However I was keen to try out all my new camping gear and within minutes of pitching the tent the heavens opened. Just like camping in the Lake District!

Miles Today   55
Total              142

Day 1 Shakedown Day

Today was the first day of cycling as a group before the long journey ahead. We cycled the relati ely short distance to Yorktown, the official start of the TransAmerica trail where it is customary to dip the rear wheel in the Atlantic ocean. Yorktown if you remember your history is where the American war of independence came to an end after7 years of fighting when the British finally surrendered to General Benjamin Lincoln thanks to a little help from the French!
Today we reenacte the final battle with water bottles and against all odds the outnumbered British forces valiantly defeated the American troops despite their assistance from the Canadians French and Dutch.
But the highlight of today was lunch provided by the lovely people of the Grace episcopal church in Yorktown. Once again another example of this wo derful American hospitality.
Tomorrow we leave the hotel in Williamsburg for Glendale and the camping begins.
Miles today 30
Total            87