SHORT TRIP TO THE MOUNTAINS ON THE INTERCPETOR

 “…its about the journey, not the destination…”

8:32 AM on the Skyline Drive.

    Today’s  plan is to ride the Skyline Drive up to Front Royal VA and then navigate back to Harrisonburg. It took about half an hour to ride up to Skyline Drive from Harrisonburg. As I rode up I discovered that it was going to be a chilly ride, at least for the first part of the morning. As I rode I realized that I only had my rain jacket, a buff, and leather vest. I’d left my fleece back in my room. On my trip to Montana and Wyoming last summer I’d not taken my fleece, and during a very wet and cold ride across South Dakota I really missed it! Would I miss my fleece again today?

The view from the overlooks are usually terrific. Today it was hazy, probably due to humidity.

    My rain jacket is a great wind breaker, and my leather vest and buff kept me warm. As I rode north I realized the big difference today was it wasn’t raining. I was comfortable as I rode looking for an overlook that faced east. A key component of riding Skyline Drive is that you can’t go fast. This is a national park with Park Rangers. I’ve found that I could ride at 45 mph or so and enjoy the scenery. The Drive is 103 miles long in total, but I started out at mile marker 67. I figured it would be around 2 hours riding time, plus a stop to read for a while. My goal was to get to Front Royal around 11:30.

I stopped at this overlook to set up my chair and read for awhile. 

        After reading for an hour or so I got back on the bike to finish the final 37 miles to the end of the Drive. Again, taking my time, enjoying the scenery, it took me about an hour to get to the end around 11:30. I topped off the tank and had lunch. The plan now is to take VA 55 west away from Front Royal.

Yet another attempt on my part to show the beauty of the country. 
Generally this was frustrated due to a haze from the humidity in the air.

    Once I came down off of the Drive it became clear it was going to be a hot day. I kept my long sleve shirt on as long as I could. Wearing long sleeves reduces dehydration and exposure to the sun. Around 1 PM I pulled over and took off that shirt and put on sun tan lotion. The rest of the ride would be very hot!

An advantage to being on Skyline Drive was that it was cooler.
When I came down things changed.

    The rest of the ride was through the countryside of Virginia and West Virginia. In West Virginia the road ran through the valley with farms on either side. When I headed east once again towards Harrisburg the road went up and over a mountain. Lots of curves. Simply a very  pleasant ride. I got to the hotel by 3 PM. Later dinner, a movie, some Bushmills…then to sleep. Tomorrow home.