Soaked.

Woke up at Sean's in Christiansburg and made toast. Took our group photo, I jammed the camera in the crook of a tree this time. Sean and Rachel are really friendly and inviting so it was with some regret that we took our leave and started riding for the day. Didn't ride too far though. We made it about a mile before stopping at a Kroger grocery store – a Vons or Albertsons equivalent for the unacquainted. We spent way, way too long there – about an hour – getting our first batch of food to be cooked with the camp stoves. Four guys, and four bikes, and all the associated gear, and sunscreen to be put on, and cleats to be clicked in, etc is hard to mobilize. When the train gets rolling we try to keep up the momentum for a while. Our inertia is high.

We rode into Radford and went by our now favorite restaurant, the Chinese buffet. Just as we were passing through a big econoline van pulled into the parking lot with what appeared to be their entire restaurant staff. Maybe it's a family affair. Then it was onto the first bike shop we've stopped in at in the last four hundred miles. The place was totally filthy, but great. I saw unsold merchandise in there that must have been at least 25 years old. The owner had a keen sense of humor and I picked up a few supplies. We also visited a new bike shop in town, the polar opposite of the first. Clean, well organized, plenty of empty floor space in contrast to stepping over stuff, things hanging from the ceiling, bikes in various stages of dissasembly all over the floor. I think we all liked the dirty one.

Took our first major lunch break in Draper. It was a feast of peanut butter and jelly slathered on baguettes and tortillas and pretzels and whatever else we had along. We filled our bottles with a metal pump spigot, that was kind of cool. We've encountered a few of those thus far. We hit some rain again but it was brief. Brief, but ferocious. It came down so hard it stung our arms and legs. At one point or another we got our first middle finger of the tour, we waved happily. What is there to be all riled up about?

We rode into Wytheville and got directions to a Food Lion – that's a grocery store as well. The rain started to fall again on the way, we sprinted to get underneath the awning before it really started to come down. We just managed to make it, and congratulated ourselves on beating the rain as the clouds moved on. We began the final stretch to a town called Rural Retreat and we were punished mightily for thinking we could beat the weather. It started to rain again, hard, and sustained. Our latest run-ins have been short cloudbursts but this followed us all the way into the finish. And it was cold. There's an incline through the town and everyone was feeling miserable. The weather has the power to sap all your energy in a moment. Cars honked. Screw 'em.

The pace started to slow but we made it to the turn for the campground. Everybody was low. We were soaked like mangy dogs and felt drained, I went out in front of the group and started yelling, swearing, shouting – anything I could do to keep angry enough to press on. It was such a moment of triumph when the campground came in sight. We set up camp underneath a large wooden awning and had our first stove-cooked meals. All were satisfied. I even found a live outlet to type from, so the battery remains intact. We strategized a bit about the days ahead and now drift gently into unconsciousness.

Sean in Christiansburg.

More rail bridges.

Lunch time. In Draper.

Jordan is going insane, quickly.

Taking refuge underneath the Food Lion awning.

Sky.

Rural Retreat Campground.