Riding Day 25 - July 2nd, 2019
Start: Chattanooga, TN
End: Sequatchie, TN
Miles: 45.1
Feet climbing per mile: 82
Record of today’s ride: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/36724200
I neglected to set my alarm last night and rose today at 7:10 rather than 6:30. I departed at 7:30. A challenging 4-mile climb began at mile 11, followed by a mild 2-mile climb. A 4-mile descent on a road with a perfect surface and great visibility (except in the several sharp corners) gave me the opportunity reach 38 miles per hour, perhaps my fastest speed ever.
Jordan, one of the employees at the Crash Pad, told me there was food in Jasper in case things didn’t work out at the Mountain Mart, a hamburger-and-guns place four miles from my destination of Foster Falls Campground. Making good time despite my late departure, and feeling not too oppressed by the heat (am I starting to acclimate?), I decided to depart from my planned route and take a detour to Jasper. Perhaps I would find a spinach salad to have as lunch. I didn’t find my salad, but I did find a fruit and vegetables stand with beautiful peaches and tomatoes. As I at a peach I had a conversation with Paulette, the seller. I told her about my journey and she offered my a Gatorade, which I accepted. Although it tasted good I’m not sure whether it quenched my thirst or provoked it. Paulette told me about her husband’s first cousin who had been shot in Vietnam. The bullet had to be left in his brain because removing it would have done more damage. Paulette told me that the man made a recovery in which he lives a full life despite limitations due to the harm the bullet did, and that unlike others in similar circumstances, never feels sorry for himself. I wonder what in his life prepared him to make the response to his tragedy that he did. Paulette offered me a second Gatorade and peach without charge (being on a 4000-mile solo bike trip provokes a lot of generosity), I bought a huge tomato to be eaten with the cheese from the restaurant where I ate last night, and I was on my way.
A few miles later I began a 3-mile climb even more challenging than the morning’s climb, due to the heat. I walked much of the climb, and as I did I concluded that I should have followed the advice of Tom Reingold and Nelson Diaz who independently advised me to take mountain bike rather than road bike shoes on this trip, and decided that I would buy mountain bike shoes and the appropriate pedals and cleats as soon as I could and then send home my road shoes, pedals, and cleat covers.
I arrived at Mountain Mart about 2:00 and decided to buy two mountain burgers to take with me to the campground. I also bought two V8s and five brownies, consuming one of each while the mountain burgers were cooking. Departing from my usual practice of not eating a big meal until the evening, I ate both mountain burgers as soon as I arrived at my campsite.
I bent the first stake I attempted to drive into the hard tent pad. Unable to use stakes I found another way to draw out the foot of my semi-free-standing tent. The forecast called for no rain overnight so I chose to omit the fly, just as I had done at James H Floyd State Park two nights ago.
The steep walk on rocks down to the waterfall where Jordan of the Crash Pad had told me there was swimming was difficult, as was getting into the water due to the rocks under the surface. But then I had the most glorious swim of my life!
Before going to sleep I ate a packet of cheese and the entire tomato I bought from Paulette. Because of the mosquitoes, I did this this in my tent, without making any mess.
End: Sequatchie, TN
Miles: 45.1
Feet climbing per mile: 82
Record of today’s ride: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/36724200
I neglected to set my alarm last night and rose today at 7:10 rather than 6:30. I departed at 7:30. A challenging 4-mile climb began at mile 11, followed by a mild 2-mile climb. A 4-mile descent on a road with a perfect surface and great visibility (except in the several sharp corners) gave me the opportunity reach 38 miles per hour, perhaps my fastest speed ever.
Jordan, one of the employees at the Crash Pad, told me there was food in Jasper in case things didn’t work out at the Mountain Mart, a hamburger-and-guns place four miles from my destination of Foster Falls Campground. Making good time despite my late departure, and feeling not too oppressed by the heat (am I starting to acclimate?), I decided to depart from my planned route and take a detour to Jasper. Perhaps I would find a spinach salad to have as lunch. I didn’t find my salad, but I did find a fruit and vegetables stand with beautiful peaches and tomatoes. As I at a peach I had a conversation with Paulette, the seller. I told her about my journey and she offered my a Gatorade, which I accepted. Although it tasted good I’m not sure whether it quenched my thirst or provoked it. Paulette told me about her husband’s first cousin who had been shot in Vietnam. The bullet had to be left in his brain because removing it would have done more damage. Paulette told me that the man made a recovery in which he lives a full life despite limitations due to the harm the bullet did, and that unlike others in similar circumstances, never feels sorry for himself. I wonder what in his life prepared him to make the response to his tragedy that he did. Paulette offered me a second Gatorade and peach without charge (being on a 4000-mile solo bike trip provokes a lot of generosity), I bought a huge tomato to be eaten with the cheese from the restaurant where I ate last night, and I was on my way.
A few miles later I began a 3-mile climb even more challenging than the morning’s climb, due to the heat. I walked much of the climb, and as I did I concluded that I should have followed the advice of Tom Reingold and Nelson Diaz who independently advised me to take mountain bike rather than road bike shoes on this trip, and decided that I would buy mountain bike shoes and the appropriate pedals and cleats as soon as I could and then send home my road shoes, pedals, and cleat covers.
I arrived at Mountain Mart about 2:00 and decided to buy two mountain burgers to take with me to the campground. I also bought two V8s and five brownies, consuming one of each while the mountain burgers were cooking. Departing from my usual practice of not eating a big meal until the evening, I ate both mountain burgers as soon as I arrived at my campsite.
I bent the first stake I attempted to drive into the hard tent pad. Unable to use stakes I found another way to draw out the foot of my semi-free-standing tent. The forecast called for no rain overnight so I chose to omit the fly, just as I had done at James H Floyd State Park two nights ago.
The steep walk on rocks down to the waterfall where Jordan of the Crash Pad had told me there was swimming was difficult, as was getting into the water due to the rocks under the surface. But then I had the most glorious swim of my life!
Before going to sleep I ate a packet of cheese and the entire tomato I bought from Paulette. Because of the mosquitoes, I did this this in my tent, without making any mess.
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