Breaks to Rosedale, Va. - Aug. 6

This morning it was raining pretty hard as I was still in my tent. My hoped-for starting time of daybreak came and went with it still raining and me still waiting. I didn't feel like starting out in the rain and was hoping things would clear up.

After rinsing off my muddy tent, I finally got packed and left around 10:30.

At first, it wasn't raining, but then it started drizzling and pretty much kept drizzling all day. Once when it really poured for a while I sheltered under an abandoned car wash.

I wasn't rained on for the last 15 miles and got to a church in Rosedale at about 4:30. I had been hoping to go about 30 miles more to Damascus, but decided just to stay.

In 1987 the church had bikers stay in a cabin in the back, but now I'm right in the church. It is nice to be inside and completely dry. The sun has actually come out and is drying my tent stuff.

Tomorrow I'll have some climbing to do but hope to at least make it to Troutdale, if not beyond.