Monday, May 17, Day 11
Damascus (Marion) to Rosedale, Virginia (30 Miles)

We left the Hungry Mother State Park (a lovely facility with a super bathroom, showers and a great place to crash for a day or two) and headed the same way Horace Greeley did years before…West. We stopped in Marion on the way out for breakfast and stayed on Route 11 heading toward Rosedale Campground.
It wasn’t long before the fun started…more hills, up and down, up and down, up and down…you get it??? We went through Hayters Gap and passed over the Holston River and then we started the climb up Clinch Mountain…
1,500 feet, 2,000 feet, 2,500 feet, 3,000 feet, 3,500 feet…the climb was about 3-1/2 miles. It was the toughest climb to date. …and it was not exactly fun. But it was.
We were seeing some of our country we would never see again. It is something etched into our brains forever. Incredible and beautiful.
We all reached the top amidst cheers of encouragement from one another.
The ride down was very steep and I made an error braking too much and managed to blow out my front tire. A local man, Kenneth, stopped to help me. He loaded me into his pickup and I shared a seat with his two dogs.
I called my brother in law, Phil, and he is sending me three new tubes and tires.
Tonight we are housed at the Elk Garden Methodist Church. Brother Bob opened the church for us to berth in overnight.
The more time I spend in Virginia, the more I love Virginians