Part 1: Day 4, 29 May 2018 –Charlottesville VA to Love VA, 46 mi, 4802 ft ascent, 9% max grade, 9.2 mph avg.

You will notice that the average speed has steadily declined and the max grades have increased.  This was the big day that all three of us had dreaded...the big climb up Afton Mtn to the Blue Ridge Parkway.  I was surprised at the amount of up-and-down climbing we did before we even got to the base of Afton Mtn.  The route took some back roads where you gained elevation, and then just lost it again.  At the general store at Afton Mtn we met Tucker and Val who are doing the TransAm Westbound on mtn bikes pulling two trailers, one with their dog Butters!  They were newly weds....what a honeymoon!   They were very friendly and we enjoyed their company, but we were not placing very good odds on them making it to Astoria.

The ride up to the BRP was grueling.  I just put my head down and pedaled, one foot over the next.  I was so focused I rode right past the Cookie Lady’s house and never saw it!   Once on the BRP the climbing did not stop.  The road follows the ridge over peaks and saddles.  We found a place in the town of Love on the BRP that rented cabins.  Rob, Steve and I shared a very nice cabin, out of the rain, and with a soft, comfortable bed and a hot tub!  That was just what we needed after a hard day of climbing and hauling 80-lb up over 4,000 ft!  The camp store offered sandwiches, snack and beer, which we took full advantage of.  Steve H was still suffering from a stomach ailment so he still wasn’t able to eat much. 

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