August 27- Daleville to Lexington, VA

This was a day of stark contrasts.

We had diverted from the prescribed route yesterday by a couple of miles on a very busy highway in order to reach a motel; we even had to walk the bike on the shoulder for a short stretch. This morning, to avoid fighting our way back, we continued in the same direction for a short distance before turning onto U.S.11 to intersect with our route. It was a challenge to negotiate that busy, multi-lane highway, but we managed it without incident.

Shortly, we found ourselves on a lonely backroad with killer hills- the max was 18%- making us wish we were back on the highway. And in fact, we soon were. But it wasn't long before we were back on a country road and I remarked to Sandy that it was pleasant riding. As I thought about it, of course it was pleasant. It was sunny and cool enough that the sun and shade were equally comfortable. The smooth road was winding through woods at a steady 1% downgrade. We were warmed up but not tired, and the bike liked the gear it was in. You could sell tickets for a ride like that.

We stopped at the historic town of Buchanan for a meal, even though it was only 10:30. We keep telling ourselves that mealtime should be a matter of opportunity rather than the clock. We ate at an old drugstore with a pharmacy, soda fountain, and booths. Not cutely nostalgic, just an old place still going. The staff was putting up Happy Birthday banners for the boss, which we thought was a nice touch, not something you'd see at Walgreen's.

The later ride was on backroads though never far from I-81. In early afternoon, at about mile 50, we reached Lexington, and sought out the bike store we had been looking forward to. We restocked our supply of tube patches but the shop was so cramped the owner couldn't get our tandem back to his service area to do a little cable improvement I was hoping for.

We retraced our route a few blocks to check out a B&B we'd seen on the way into town. It is a budget-buster, but worth it; a large, luxurious house with antique furniture and beautiful artwork. We've stayed in enough cheap motels to feel we deserve hardship mitigation sometimes.

We walked several blocks to a Greek restaurant and enjoyed dinner there. We have seen no Greek restaurant before on this trip.While there we met four young cyclists (3M, 1F), eastbound like us. They left Astoria only a week after we did.

On the walk back we stopped at a cemetery to visit Stonewall Jackson's grave.

Lexington is a beautiful old town of 8000, the home of Washington and Lee College and also VMI. As pretty a town as any we've seen, and thriving. The restaurant prices are higher than we've grown used to.

One other thing to mention. We must have been asked our age at least 50 times so far on this trip. Since that's a question out of normal polite bounds, there is apparently a disconnect between what we are doing and how old we look. Makes us feel good every time we're asked.

The first picture below is nothing special, just a typical view of our roads through Virginia.