Ride C2C #4 - Day 21: Mineral to Richmond, Virginia

Day 21 Date: 7/13/23
Day: 21
Route: Mineral to Richmond, VA
Miles: 64
Total Miles: 834.51
MyZone MEPs: 651

Up at 5:45 AM, and even though this is a bed-and-breakfast, we didn’t want to bother the host with Making a breakfast so early so we had asked for her permission to make our own breakfast. She was fine with that!  Instant, oatmeal, canned peaches, and coffee But we eat in the cheerful dining room.

Pack up our gear and step outside to already humid and hot. The temp only reads 71° but it feels like more. We’re on the bikes by 7:20 AM with a long day ahead.

We can already feel a headwind, but it was a full day of great riding with no big hills, and mostly two-lane country roads with lots of shade. 

The first 15 miles Blow by while we’re out on a loop off of Main roads

and pass lake Anna also home of the North Anna nuclear plant (which we did not see), But it was good to see a big body of water.

Our first stop was about at an hour with 15 miles at Bumpass (you can imagine we snickered about that name)

The only thing there was the post office.

We have a Gatorade and an energy bar. Back on the road we pass Beaverdam and

the wind is getting to be had on which slows us down And adds three gears to how we are pedaling (that means more work).

Our next stop is it 30 miles at about 10:30 AM along the Side Rd., #671 between going up and down river washes.

It’s getting hotter!

Return onto 685 and stop at Patrick Henry’s house “Scotchtown“. Nice grounds and grand house, but it was closed.“Give me liberty, or give me death” 

So we go on under bright blue sunny skies with zero clouds, and a constant headwind, which is slowing us down. Still cruising along rural county roads and really very few cars.

We stop again at about 40 miles along the road number 667.

When we get back on and into the sun, it is hot.  More beautiful country lanes'... but we have to get some shade.

Now it's realllllly hot

on the way to Ashland....

and as we get into town, many beautiful houses like this

We ride into Ashland, a cute town Where we fill up our water bottles at a cute train station with a gentleman ticket seller from back in time.

We are thrown off track by a closed section of road but figure work around and we were thinking this was all going to be urban hell riding but it is still a really nice 2 Lane Rd. there’s not much traffic.

We stop at a 7-Eleven for cold drinks – I have a Slurpee. (haven’t had one of those for decades) and Doug grabs a Diet Coke now it’s more urban, we are hot and have already ridden 50+ miles.

Just when it seems like we are going to be in the thick of multi lane traffic, we pull off to do a map check at a convenience store and argue about which way is they best way to go. 

 A nice guy walking by said “you look like you need some water”.   I went into the store to buy some, because he was right and all our water in our bottles was sickly warm, and he insisted on buying it for us, making jokes to the cashiers about how rough we look.

we have to go through an small industrial area

that also had a stadium for the .....Richmond Flying Squirrels?

By following Doug’s directions, we get to turn off onto a road that is much quieter, but bumpy, and then turn onto a cobblestone road which looks pretty but is terrible to ride on.  It is lined with beautiful old mansions from the 1800’s.  (Sorry it was too bumpy to take a picture) - but here's a cool mural

Some pretty easy (relatively) City riding into downtown and to our hotel “The Berkeley”,  They have a place for us to bring in our bikes in the fire stairwell where they are out of the way. 

Our room is great,

we shower, do laundry in the sink (this, by the way, is a daily chore)

and head off to eat. 

We wander along the canal way for a mile or two and

came across some interesting graffiti murals.  

We hang out in our room writing and decide that we actually should get some dinner and head out for tacos and salads. 

Time for bed!

~Friends~

If you are thankful that you have not been riding a bike and under. 95° Hot sun, we hope you’ll donate a little something to one of these charities that do such important work: 

•  Whatcom Community Foundation (local): CLICK HERE
•  Arthritis Foundation (national): CLICK HERE
•  World Bicycle Relief (international): CLICK HERE