First Ride!

On the website for a local bike shop, I discovered a route map to Monticello, Thomas Jefferson's former home, so I decided to give it a try. On the way there, I took VA-20, which feels like an interstate, so I wondered if I was being mildly illegal, but then I turned on to Jefferson Parkway which looks like this, and I knew I'd be ok.


The road from this point on reminded me of all the great moments of Bike and Build. If any of you guys from P2S08 still read my blogs, I miss riding with you! There was nearly 2 miles of climbing that wasn't too steep, and at last I reached the Visitor Center for Monticello.


I wanted to do the tour, but it's pretty expensive, so I passed once again. After perusing their great selection of books on Jefferson and purchasing some postcards, I began riding home. And then I saw this innocuous looking sign:


Peaches! Scenic View! Notice how the road curves up ... I should have taken heed, but I figured hey why not. It couldn't be too far away with that sign ... right? Not! OMG, I'm not entirely sure how long my suffering lasted, but man, that road was STEEP. Many times, I stopped to curl over the handlebars and calm my hyperventilating, many times I considered simply turning back, but peaches lured me on. Cars on their way down sometimes waved at me. I weakly waved back. This was the type of stupid difficult ride that Tati members should indulge in, afterall. The road turned to gravel, and I cursed my decision to come. Finally I reached the top, and all that pain was worth it for the view,

and also worth it for the peach donuts ...

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

Yea, I know I have a no-donut policy on bike rides, but, seriously??? A) omg, I climbed up a mountain, and B) Peach donuts get a reprieve.