Dismal Swamp Trail Bike Ride 7/15/2014

With so many people on vacation at this time of year and the heat each day in the 90’s I didn’t know how many would show up for our Tuesday group Bike ride. At 7:30 A.M. some of us early birds met at the Hardess there on old Hwy. 17 in Deep Creek. We had Bill B, John F, Bob S and myself to meet for our breakfast of Biscuits & Gravel and Beacon, Egg and Cheese Sandwiches. We sit around and had great conversation about how the world is better in some ways and not so good in others, talked about old movies we had seen and of course the weather. About 8:30 we left Hardess and headed down to the parking lot to get ready for our trip.

Along with the 4 that had met for breakfast we also had Gayle, Tricia, Brian and Ken to meet on this beautiful morning. Everyone got their bike ready and loaded their water they would need for the first 20 miles we had plan to ride. After we rode to the end of the Bike Trail we had a nice long stop to cool off and drink more water and also to here Bill’s Bear Story. It was a local story about one of his friends back a few years ago about Bears and Drinking till 2:00 A.M. (they don’t mix well together) After a good laugh we started back with the wind behind us and it still felt good in our face. Reaching the parking lot we had covered 20 miles but the plan was to bike on the new section another 10 miles. Bob had told us of ice cream at the camp ground and that helped all of us, except for Gayle who want to go to a Book Club in Norfolk, to bike on. I had mapped out through a neighborhood at the north end of the trail 5 miles and this would give us 30 miles total. Reaching the campground some ate their sandwich and we all had scoop ice cream which was so good. We finished the ride around 2:00 P.M. and we could see the dark black clouds heading our way. I think everyone but Bill B. got home before the bad weather came through, he and I were heading towards Bowers Hill and when I drove over the Overpass I could see big black clouds out towards Suffolk. I went north on I 664 and got in the house before any rain came down. Everyone enjoyed the day and it was nice to do a 30 mile trip again.

Bruce

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