While eating my luxurious hotel Continental breakfast, the news reported a hurricane to the south. Hurricanes have meaning at many levels in my life, most immediately not wanting to cycle through one.
I stopped at the nearby Waffle House for second breakfast. A core reason I don’t eat out much on tour is my inability to explain dietary restrictions to restaurant workers when I don’t speak the local language. Familiar with more chain restaurants in the US, I’m more inclined to eat “out”.
Nia’s place only ~60 km away I had little need to rush. My left knee ached from the hills the day before; mostly the first time for my knee this trip. I need to be careful cycling up hills and avoid putting too much pressure on my knee.
The day started at a confluence of Bike Route 1, ECG, and Highway 1. As a four-lane highway, most traffic would pass in the fast lane, still wearing on my nerves. For more safety on a highway, the best course of action is to cycle in the highway. If you cycle in the median (especially with a narrow median), drivers feel they have enough room, and at best barely change lanes. If using enough of a lane that they have to move, drivers are more inclined to fully change lanes. I’ve known that for years, but never fully actualized it before this trip, because driver behavior is better in Europe. The right edge of my handlebar on the white line feels about right.
The ECG eventually routed off Hwy 1, and I followed. 5 km to the west before the smaller roads turned south again. A sport cyclist pulled up next to me to talk. Jay desires to cycle the Blue Ridge Parkway. While we rode Jay routed us.We talked about touring as we rode, until our paths diverged.
When next checking my navigation in detail, I should have turned at an earlier intersection. I needed to get to the other side of both I-95 and I-295, and I had cycled past the most direct crossing. Oh well. No hurry.
I called Nia to let her know I was only 20 km out, only to learn I’d lost track of days and was a day ahead of when she expected me. Fortunately still OK. I made a quick stop for lunch before arriving safe and sound at her place. Not before a driver decided to pass me horn blaring and shouting at me because of the delay in her life caused by not immediately being able to pass me. I’d been similarly harassed earlier in the day as well.
Nia and I spent the evening playing a rail game on a map of India. I am sadly deficient on the geography of India.
The heavy storms arrive in Richmond in the morning. Likely a late start and short day at the tail end of the storm.