I was quickly out of the small town of South Hill, VA and headed up Historic Route 1 North. There were signs all along the way explaining some historical event. Here are a couple that I found interesting.
You can learn more about the historic route at http://historicrouteone.com/explore/virginia.php. Apparently it goes the length of the entire coast. It was a beautiful ride, but up and down hills ALL day. I was able to manage making it up the hills in a low gear, and on the way down I either enjoyed the effortless ride or tried to max my speed. Don't worry, I was careful.
I hadn't planned my ride that far in advance to consider the great timing of Fall. Not only do I constantly see the colorful leaves, the temperatures are perfect for riding. I realize it will get colder as I continue north. I just hope not too much. Here are some pictures I took along the way.
Here, if you look closely, you can see the constant rolling hills. This picture isn't a very good representation, but you get the idea.
This picture shows how pretty the leaves on the trees were. Also, what a nice shoulder I had to ride on. New surface = smooth, easy ride.
I passed this cemetery and set of crosses and had to stop for a quick picture.
I saw this sign and was a bit worried. A little further down I understood when I saw a racetrack off to the side. I like center lanes. They give cars extra space to give me room on the shoulder.
This is where I stopped and ate a quick lunch. It was just outside a gas station that had a small deli. I don't believe the table was intended for guests to eat at, but it worked great for me.
My original goal for the day was to get to Petersburg, but at the time I had nowhere to stay. Petersburg was about 50 miles from South Hill and Richmond was only another 20. I felt like I was making pretty good time, so I decided to try to make it to Richmond. I would be staying with my cousin Megan. I called her to see what her plans were for the evening, and ask how safe her neighborhood was at night. She replied that it'd probably be best that I didn't ride through in the dark, and she offered to pick me up if necessary. I make it about 10 miles past Petersburg for a total of 60 miles for the day then called her. It was getting dark and I was on a pretty busy road. Despite what her neighborhood was like, it wasn't real safe to be riding on the road I was on. I pulled into a parking lot and she was there shortly after to give me a ride the rest of the way. I was starving and she hadn't eaten, so we picked up some food on the way back. After eating it wasn't long before I fell asleep on the couch. I was out for the night.
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