Day 4 -- Still in Staunton

We have been pretty fortunate in the weather department.  Just before supper last night the skies opened and poured.  Humidity was 100% this morning, but no rain just overcast skies.  At points today we had sun, when it would really get steamy especially for the climbing that was to be done.  We appeared, though, to be skirting the weather all day.  This was looking back at the direction we had come from just before we returned to Staunton, the clouds were hanging really low over the mountains:

There were two loop options today, both converged at the SAG stop located in the town of Middlebrook (the only incorporated town on today's routes).  We returned to Staunton for a second overnight.  There was 3,500' of climbing,  all rolling hills except that monster hill right out of the hotel (ugh).  

We had a new challenge following the sag stop, but nothing deters a touring cyclist. There was a bridge out on the route. We were able to walk the bikes through under the supervising eyes of the construction guys. The support vans had to find an alternate route.  Those on the front end, which were first upon the bridge, were without support for the remainder of the route today but went as a group to avoid issues.

You'll also find humor in the silliest things when on a trip.  We ran across this directional today:

The top was "North Pole", the bottom was "South Pole", and the very bottom was "Chesapeake Bay Tunnel."  All in the middle of nowhere.

This area is full of history, of course.  We rode past a church today that had a plaque that it had been organized in 1780, four years following the independence of the United States, and the church appeared to still be active.  

There are also many cemeteries.  I found this headstone today in a cemetery at one of today's turns:

The logistics of the day were a different routine to give riders a free afternoon and evening to see sites and take care of necessities (like laundry for me).  The tour bought lunch today instead of dinner, which was at the Pampered Palate. A group of us went to Emilio's Italian Restaurant for supper.  Both were exceptional.

Tomorrow we move onto Lexington, riding 57 miles.  It'll be difficult to leave the Stonewall Jackson Hotel, but the ride continues.