Last night was a hot sticky night on the tent at the firestation in mineral. The big freight trains come within metres of the tent and whistle or whatever it is trains do...very loudly as they approach the crossing. Then there were the usual endless barking dogs from the houses around the town....American dogs seem to bark louder and longer than any other nations canine community I have experienced! Earlier two firefighters had been scratching each others eyes out over who got to drive the best truck or something....that coupled with the extreme humidity and the usual mosquito onslaught led to a long sleep challenged night.
I woke and packed up the tent etc and rode out of town yawning and smiling...after all I'm only a relatively short distance from the coast and achieving my dream of cycling across America.

The day has been humid and damp, it is pretty uncomfortable weather to ride in as everthing is sticky and damp and the humidity stops the sweat from evaporating...instead it drips on an endless river from me...all over Shinto who simply suffers in silence as ever.
Today my objective was a short 45 mile ride to Ashland Virginia...here I would get a motel and wash...the grime of the road seems to stick more in Virginia than any other state so far!
On the way I realized I would need to ride up bumpass after all....but there I met a cool 75 year old guy sitting on the porch watching the world go by...we chatted about bikes and the trip and he had been to England and Scotland...he offered me a place to stay but it was in the wrong place for me. Shame o didn't meet him last night. Guys like this are typical across the states...they are extremely friendly and talkative and hospitable.
I rode on past lake Anna and some place where stonewalled Jackson had asked forwater...an epic historical event it seems and one warranting it'd own historical marker here in the south!
I got to Ashland and went straight to subway...its the only place I can get fresh food...its like a.beacon of light in the darkness of junkfoodhell that dominates much of the America I have seen....which is admittedly predominantly gas station hote de cuisine.
I checked into motel 6 on the advice of the chatty lady at the visitor centre and was informed by the blonde receptionist that I could only use the pool if I wad a good boy tonight....hmm....the room is actually one of the best all trip and at $39 its a good deal given that I'm this far east I suppose.
The lady who wanted me to be a good boy provided maps of the civil war battlefields around Richmond at my request so I can spen an evening planning my visit instead of being good.
Hopefully the weather will perk up again.soon and ill finish this little ride in the sunshine in a few days time.