Ride Map Day 24: Pulaski, VA to Troutville, VA

Yeah, I know "Troutville"... I expect the town to be full of people who resemble, well, trout! It's like a Douglass Adams story... so long and thanks for all the fish... so sad it's come to all of this... Whew! Guess I need some more sleep.

Anyway, it's roughly 60 miles and this time I stick to the route that I reconnoitered for over 10 weeks via street maps, topographic maps and satellite photography. Mr. Garmin Edge 705 can just sit back and take notes. We are getting into some serious hill country now; the Texas Hill Country and Austin ain't got nothin' on the New River Basin. We're still off of the most dreadful climb up the Blueridge Parkway. When I was a teenager I used to ride over Trans Mountain Highway in El Paso, TX. It started at roughly 3800 feet and rose to a little over 5200 feet at the summit. We did this for fun! We would ride up, eat lunch, hike up to the springs and hang out at the old caves then coast back down. We did it on fixed gear BMX and early versions of mountain bikes. Now I've got one of the most technically advanced drivetrains on the market with 27 speeds and a low gear of 10 inches and I'm worried. Guess I shouldn't be. Guess I'll take it one pedal at a time. Kind of like the old question, "how do you eat an elephant?" The answer being, "one bite at a time." Much like our Veterans coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan with grievous injuries like Traumatic Brain Injuries, Missing Limbs and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. They have to take it one step at a time... one day at a time. Speaking from experience, though I am not a combat Veteran I can speak of rehabilitation after a grievous injury, I know how tough it is and how long it takes. It takes years and years. And even after 20 years there are still good days and bad days. Having a third party organization to help navigate the bureaucracy and pitfalls inherent in the Military and Veterans Affairs Administration so that you can focus on your recovery instead of having additional stresses put upon you is absolutely invaluable. The Wounded Warrior Project was founded on a simple idea and has blossomed into an organization that makes huge differences in our Troopers lives on a daily basis. Please take a few minutes out of your busy day to learn more about the organization and the benefits they provide every day for our Troops. If you can't take those few moments then, instead of purchasing a little magnet for your car, show your support for our Troops by donating online directly to the Wounded Warrior Project by clicking HERE. Your support does make a difference when put in the capable hands of an organization like Wounded Warrior Project. Thank you for your support.

Enjoy the Ride!