Another gorgeous day

Wasted on pedaling uphill against the wind. Blurg. At least it wasn't raining.

Saturday, 8 November: I got a late start due to last night's festivities, and my own dilly-dallying. I am sort of following US Bicycle Route 76 diagonally across Virginia, with some modifications. On my way through Afton, I stopped by the cookie lady's house, hoping at least to meet her, and possibly to sleep there. Sadly, she did not seem to be home, and the cyclist house was closed for the winter. I'm bummed that I missed her, because she's practically an institution in the cycle touring world. I rode on, bypassing the part of the route that went along Skyline Drive. It was just a bunch of unnecessary hills. That road won't get me again! Instead, I went over to the other side of the mountain that I had spent much of the day riding up, and headed for an exorbitantly priced campground. It was my only option. But I guess I get enough free days that it all equals out. I rolled in after sunset again-- gotta stop doing that!-- and found it to be a pleasant enough place run by a very sweet man. Not sweet enough to give me a discount of any sort, although I didn't try for one, but sweet enough that I didn't hate handing over my money to him. That seems like a good persona to cultivate if you are in the service industry...

I tend to be an accent sponge anyway, but Southern accents seem to be the most infectious. Two seconds into a conversation with a heavily accented person, I find my vowels slipping a bit. Although it seems to facilitate their understanding of the words that are coming out of my mouth, so it's not all bad. I just worry that people will think I'm mocking them, when they know I'm not from around here.