2014-07-06: Day 11 Kentucky At Last! Council, VA to Melvin, KY

Yes. We finally rode out of Virginia and into Kentucky. As planned we did cross the Kentucky state line during our 11th day of riding. Virginia has a lot to be very proud of. It is rich with history, a beautiful state with great parks, and is quite bike friendly. There are several memories that stand out for me in Virginia. I will specially remember:

• the hospitality of the fire department at Mineral,
• meeting Sam (west bound) and Eric (east bound) and sharing our spaghetti meal with them,
• the beauty of the Blue Ridge mountains and the Catawba Valley
• the huge number of American flags on display across the state in the days prior to the 4th
• the support given to TransAm riders from businesses and the public
• everyone in Virginia owns a riding lawnmower

As far as the ride today, we had 6 large climbs crossing mountain ridge lines in the Appalachians (4 before lunch and 2 after lunch). None of the individual climbs today were as big as the two yesterday but our total elevation gain today was a shocking 6000 feet. We have ridden mountains since Day 4 (8 days in a row). Only 2.5 days left until we get to Berea, KY and will be out of the mountains. I am eagerly anticipating that day. To give you a sense of the mountain landscape, the picture to the right is taken in Breaks Interstate Park on the state line between Virginia and Kentucky.