Derek Jennings
Ride with Me

In 1976 Bicyclists from around the world took part in a 4,250 mile journey across the United States of America to celebrate Bicentennial Year

Experience an account of 42 days on a bicycle from Readsport Oregon to Yorktown Virginia

Tuesday July 20th
Elkhorn City, Kentucky

The night spent in the school alone was a bit eerie, I managed to get a fair amount of sleep. Up by 6 and away by 7, the security man turned up to say cheerio. The climbing started straight away and my one thought was to get to a main road and take a direct route which would avoid creeping over the steep sides of mountains. The objective was Honaker and a 1 ⁄2 day rest. Made Hysel after a very steep climb, had breakfast on the descent, and a talk to a miner revealed there was a very long steep climb to come, “Big A” Mountain. So into the fray again!

The climb was not too bad, in fact I made it quite well, passing two cyclists on the way up. Sun coming through now, getting quite warm. On the descent to Honaker passed the BikeInn 4 miles beforehand at Mt. Zion church, but decided to continue. Lunched outside the grocery at Honaker at 1 o’clock and reviewed the situation. Decided that Wytheville was out of range and not open on Wednesday (which I thought today was), so it was going to have to be Damascus. The afternoons ride took in two climbs the second one over Clinch mountain after a coffee stop at Rosedale. Surprisingly I enjoyed the climbing on minor roads, steep sharp S bends on tree shaded mountains, lovely country, reminded me of Mel Torme’s “mountain greenery home” song. Took a foot bath in a cool mountain stream and a car driver gave me a Coke at the summit of Clinch mountain. Quite a few people living in these mountains but not on the upper slopes of Clinch mountain.

Arrived in Damascus at 6.30 after a fairly slow last 15 miles. The BikeInn was an old house at the back of the church, rather like Booneville. Went out to get a meal and met two lads staying at the BikeInn, Mike and Bruce were walking the Appalachian Trail and had stayed to do voluntary work at the hostel. Nearly got mixed up in a drinking session, but managed to escape after a couple. Think I’ll stay here for an hour or two in the morning and write a couple of cards. It’s a nice atmosphere here in town and the hostel includes some friendly hikers on the Appalachian Trail.

Wednesday 21st July
Damascus, Virginia

Wrote three cards and had breakfast, managed to leave by 8.40am. Made up my mind to have a main road ride today, so headed out to Route 11. Posted the cards in Marion (to Brian, Frank and Norman) and had a mid morning breakfast. Lunch was at Max Meadows outside a grocery but I had trouble finding it and missed the service road to it alongside the interstate that I passed two miles beforehand. So after lunch it was a haul back up the hill to pick up the road. Before lunch a ride up Pulaski mountain and a descent at a really rapid rate was frightening. The bends looked shallow and safe to descend fast but I almost lost control on one and really thought I’d had it!

Arrived at Radford at 5 and picked up a proper BikeInn directory, so I can now estimate my arrival in Yorktown, and that could be ahead of schedule. Must remember to post cards to Pop and Bob when I get to the Blue Ridge mountains at Lexington. Only a few more days to go now and I’m really getting anxious about being able to get home earlier and spend a little time with Helen and the family before going back to work.

Thursday 22nd July
Radford, Virginia

A truly remarkable day again, I expected that the friendliness of the people would decline now I was more Easterly – I’d been told that it would. The day started at about 7.30 through to Christianburg and breakfast at a truck stop near Eliston. Then to Salem on route 11 which I believe took me almost into Roanoke. A large sprawling town, which I could have avoided and saved some miles if I had a better map. If only I could handle these big towns, they are so confusing, everything is so spread out you could easily end up in a parking lot instead of on a road. Was glad to see the back of Roanoke and its miles of main roads and commercial properties, then through Troutville to Buchanan for lunch. Bought luncheon meat, bread, yogurt, oranges and bananas and took them across the road under the shade of a tree in front of the Episcopal church to eat. A chap was fixing and painting the church sign, he came across for a chat, bought me a Coke, showed me the church, let me use the rest room, locked up and went home. As he drove off the car parked behind moved up and the driver and his wife spoke to me and gave me apple juice “that Coke is no good for you” they said

I was given a pot of home made marmalade before they went and from the fire station next door came a fireman asking if I would like my bottle filled from their refrigerated drinking fountain, which I accepted. On now over the James River to Natural Bridge where I joined with the tourists and paid two dollars to go down and look at it. (Chair lift down, an extra dollar). Bell music relayed from speakers underneath the arch, made the whole scene seem and sound far from Natural. Rain came and after waiting for it to stop I had to start out for Lexington as it was now 5 o’clock and no sign of it easing. Broke a spoke on the way and arriving at 6 o’clock found the BikeInn replaced the spoke, washed, ate, and wrote cards to Stan Taylor and Pop.

I hope I’m free of spoke problems tomorrow, I’ve got to climb a hill nicknamed “Vesuvius” to get onto the Blue Ridge Parkway so my back wheel will be suspect. The BikeInn tonight is a large house belonging to a group akin to the Hari Krishna people. It is run like an English youth hostel. I’m having breakfast here in the morning 1 dollar 50 cents. Lexington looks like an old colonial town with shops to match. Saw a bracelet charm there, I’ll wait for the shop to open in the morning and get it for Angela.

Friday 23rd July
Lexington, Virginia

Up at 6.30am, breakfast consisted of oatmeal, scrambled egg, apple sauce, toast and coffee. Done my chore, cleaning the washbowls, then left and went into town and bought the charm. I found the BikeInn and the town quite a change, really great! No sun this morning, in fact it started to spit with rain just as I prepared to leave. It was very warm and humid and I rode in just a vest. Thought I’d ride to Steeles Tavern and have another meal before making the ascent of this dreaded “Vesuvius”. What a disappointment, no meal available just a grocery, so called in for candy bars. It had now started to rain heavy, made preparations to “cape up”. Spoke to an American woman at a Coke machine outside, who invited me into her house for coffee, ham and cheese sandwiches, cake and ice cream. She had lived in Woodbridge, Suffolk at RAF Bentwaters and she said she’d enjoy talking to an Englishman again. When I left it had stopped raining and the ascent to the Blue Ridge Parkway was made. It was tough and steep, but I managed to ride it all. The afternoons ride along the ridge was spectacular but very hilly, yes it was Blue! and Ridged! and hot.

Got to Charlottesville at 6 and went through the usual routine to find the BikeInn. Sat outside and had a few beers with a Dutchman and a couple of group riders before turning in. The BikeInn was Burford School in a predominantly coloured area.

Saturday 24th July
Charlottesville, Virginia

Got up and away about 7 and wondered if I should wait until the shops opened to see if there was anything I could get for Bob about “The Waltons”. I’m in their part of the country now! After looking in a few shop windows decided it was unlikely, so started out to Louisa, following my own route, for breakfast. Saw a lot of horse farms en route, more than there was in Kentucky, nice pleasant ride through some pretty prosperous country. Made Montpelier for lunch, under a baking sun. Lunched outside the grocery again, two luncheon meat and sandwich spread sandwiches, a jar of apple juice, a banana and tub of chocolate ice cream and a bottle of “Seven up”.

On the bike again by 1 o’clock and only 12 miles to do to Ashland, arrived about 1.45pm, the earliest I’ve finished a days ride the whole trip. After a shower at the BikeInn which was a house attached to the campus of the Robert Macon college (a Methodist college) I had a stroll around the town. It was very hot, must be up around the 100 again, time for a sundae in an ice cream parlour. A glass of water was offered with the menu whilst I chose from “49” varieties of ice cream. The BikeInn is very nice, two well furnished comfortable lounges to sit in. Ashland doesn’t look much of a place, seems as though things revolve mostly around the college. I took advantage of eating in the college cafeteria. Good meal, two bowls of salad, chicken, roast potatoes and vegetables, 3 sweets, several glasses of lemonade, root beer, and orange and two lots of ice cream! Two dollars 35 cents. Lots of students around, I think it must be some sort of Summer school. Had a terrific thunderstorm after returning from the meal. So now its only one more day to go before the triumphant ride into Yorktown.

It seems a bit of an anti-climax after all the experiences I’ve been through these past 6 weeks. Still I don’t know what’s in store for tomorrow or the next few days, there might be some pleasant surprises. Todays BikeInn by the way is the same sort of house as the one at Lexington, which is not I’ve found out, a Hari Krishna type organisation but a college Masonic and Fraternal organisation. This one is called LAMBDA CHI ALPA.

Sunday 25th July
Ashland, Virginia

Had breakfast on the college campus with a bikegroup and ate well. Returned to the house and didn’t leave until 9 o’clock as they were a real friendly group and talked a lot. Took a few pictures and made off. It was a cooler morning after the storm last night but sunny. Nice riding, not too many hills, the roads lined with trees or corn fields. The route skirted Richmond and was marked the General Washington – Historic road marker, so I might be a more triumphant British subject than he if I ever get to Yorktown. My thoughts were now on the fact that today was the end of the journey and how fortunate I had been. It surely was a day to give thanks to the Lord.

At 11 o’clock I had reached a small hamlet called Oldchurch, and these had been few that morning. Decided to find out whether the small group standing outside the Episcopalian church were just going in or out. My luck was in, the service was just starting. Afterwards I stood and spoke with the congregation. Stirling Anderson was one of many who introduced himself to me, with his wife Marion and sons Bruce and Mead. A very nice family and I was invited to their home for lunch (at the mention of food! no biker turns that down). The meal was barbecued hamburgers and tortoni (a grilled cheese and tomato dish), with corn on the cob, my first this trip, followed by iced tea and ice cream. Later Stirling asked me to stay as he would like to take me to Richmond in the afternoon, sightseeing. They made me most welcome, in fact devoted all their time to looking after me from the time we met to the time I left.

Monday 26th July
Oldchurch, Virginia

A good sleep last night and up at 6.30am. A nice breakfast with Stirling and Marion, orange juice, cereal, scrambled egg and toast, cantaloupe, milk and coffee. I packed to leave reluctantly. It was a place and a family I felt comfortable with. Sterling offered to let me phone Helen, I declined saying his hospitality was overwhelming, he replied by saying “please accept it as our contribution as part of your trip”, we drove to use his father-in-laws phone as his was out of order. Got the ringing tone but there was no answer. It was probably 2am Greenwich time! Said goodbye to Sterling, made my way to Yorktown via Charles City (hot cake breakfast at 11am).

Once in Yorktown went to the Battlefield centre first and saw the film followed by a conducted tour of the battlefield. The Park Ranger took great delight in telling the visitors, mostly American, how they beat General Cornwallis and the English and brought about the Declaration of Independence (very embarrassing). Down on the waterfront it was a celebration paddle in the Atlantic, a bite to eat and write some cards.

Time was getting on so I headed back to the trailhead, which was I found about 20 miles back. Had a problem finding the place and didn’t locate it until dark. This really was an anti-climax, it was a Boy Scout camp called Camp Chicohominy and under canvas. Just a wooden storage building being used for a registration place, with one young woman Sage Dubois, a receptionist, running it. I had felt much more excited and elated when I first reached Yorktown a few hours beforehand. Broke a spoke riding back to the trailhead, will have to mend that in the morning. Spoke to a Trans Am rider from Chicago who said he would never do it again and sounded rather disillusioned. So to bed, the trail ended, I’m thankful for my safe keeping throughout.

Tuesday 27th July
Yorktown, Virginia

Replaced the spoke when I woke at 7am. Made breakfast, spoke to Joe Martin a 57 year old Aussie who had also done the Trans Am fast and was waiting for his friends in a slow group. Entered my name in the finishers book and left the camp at 11am to see Williamsburg. Found the usual. hotcakes on the way, then made for the information centre. Saw the orientation film and met John and Greg Armer who I had met the previous day outside the post office on their arrival in Yorktown. Spent the rest of the day sightseeing this impressive restored colonial town and left at 6 o’clock for Jamestown (where the first English settlers landed).

The visitor centre was shut on my arrival so found a campsite for the night, outside the entrance to the town on the banks of the James River. Decided to sleep rough on the beach and bedded down about 9.45. Lightening and thunder persisted for two hours. Eventually I felt spots of rain and decided to take cover for the night in an old common room on the site. Slept on a picnic bench.