This Was A Hill Of A Day

Parsons to Waverly, TN

63 Miles

Total Miles to Date ~ 588

We pulled out of the parking lot at last night's motel at 7:00 this morning - and into tonight's at 2:30. The 7 1/2 hours we spent on the road were a mix of beauty and pain. The beauty was most of the roads we were on - two lane, quiet, country roads with very little traffic. The pain - the Tennessee Hills. As we rode, we passed farms and homes of all ilk, from trailers that were in need of a lot of attention to McMansions that looked almost out of place. The homes that fell in between these two extremes were lovely. 

In the beginning the air was cool on our skins. By noon we were hot and "sucking wind". There were a number of major climbs in the early miles. We handled those quite well, and I am feeling so good about myself when it comes to climbing. Still, as the day wore down, so did I - and Holly and Mary. We hit major climbs up until the last three miles of the day, when we stood in the shade - at the top of what turned out to be our last climb - and wondered how long those last three miles would take us. Fortunately, we had a great downhill to our turn onto Main Street and could see our motel just down the road on the right. 

I continue to deal with my fear of the downhill. There is such a mix within my psyche when we are on a downhill. Some work for me and I am confident. Some scare the heck out of me and I find myself using the rear brake and feathering the front, slowing myself down to 14MPH when I could be flying at something in the 20s or 30s. Shadows, the inability to see around the curve, being on the edge of a mountain road where I can see into a valley. Just an example of some of the things that frighten me. 

Flora and Fauna Update:

The chirping of cardinals.

Those blackish/purplish birds I have been seeing and could not figure out what they were - Purple Martins, of course. They flit back and forth across the road. There are Purple Martin houses all over the countryside.

More cattle.

More horse.

A few dogs - but, thankfully, all contained. (We found out just before dinner that one of the women was bitten, twice, by a loose dog. The Sheriff's office was called. They went back to the house and found, to everybody's relief, that the dog's shots are all up to date. Chris is fine - she finished the day on her bike and will be riding tomorrow.)

NOTE TO SELF: At the top of a hill, or in the middle of a hill, when you are leaning on your handle bars and barely breathing DO NOT lean on the reset button of your cyclometer as you try to regain your breath.  

We just came in from dinner, followed by our map meeting. Tomorrow is only 43 miles - but all uphill. Will post a batch of photos on our off day - Friday. 

Good night. TWJ and Holly