June 4 Rosedale

Great weather as we headed out of Damascus today. More narrow curvy roads going up up up. We had planned on breakfast at the first town we came to. Meadowview, but it was closed on Monday so on we went.

We found the oldest grocery store I have ever seen (open since 1933, same family, same spam and spices on the shelves). The 80 something year old woman told Mike to wash his hands before filling his water bottle and he nodded like a little boy.

We soon started a very steep climb. Hayters Gap. Notoriously difficult, it tooks us well over two hours to climb it, just exhausting. Although it was only 3.5 miles the incline was insane and the cars would back up behind us making it even more nervewracking as I get all wobbly when working on an incline. Oh my goodness, by the time we got to the top I was just shaking.

A way too quick descent brought us to this amazing church open to cyclists.

The door was open with a note to use the kitchen, eat the food, sleep wherever. They keep a bike guest register that dated back to 1976, the first year this route had been traveled. We sat outside and ate our favorite dinner, salami and cheese with crackers before passing out in the church nursery. Thank you kind church!