A few weekends ago, I participated in the Great Pumpkin Ride, a supported, community ride in Faquier County, about an hour west of Washington, DC. The route was beautiful and mostly flat, passing through farmland and a few little towns. We saw plenty of roadkill but no WalMarts, 7-Elevens, or chain restaurants. True rural-Virginia countryside!The best part of the ride, however, was the pumpkin pie at every rest stop! I ate three pieces between the two rest stops. They also had pumpkin soup (which I didn't try) and hot apple cider at each rest stop. What a fall delight!
I rode with my friend Kate's husband Andy, and was happy to discover that we were very well-matched in terms of pacing. We averaged 15 mph for most of the 48-mile course, which is quite a bit faster than my previous average of 10-12 mph. I was very pleased, to say the least!
Here we are at the start of the race:
The rest stops were well-stocked with the aforementioned pumpkin pie, as well as an assortment of fruit, bagels, donuts, and snack bars. The first rest stop (shown below) was at a vineyard, while the second was at a spa in the middle of a little woodsy area, accessed by a quaint private drive.
No WalMarts in sight!
We rode on this scenic drive as we approached the second rest stop. The weather was overcast and cool, but not too chilly.
Cycling and pumpkin pie are a fabulous combination. I'm going to do this ride every year!
4 comments:
What a great way to enjoy the fall season! And pie just makes everything better too!
Oh. My. Gosh. That sounds amazing! What a fabulous fall activity!
I am sooo jealous-all that gorgeous countryside,the autumn(come on i'm irish) colours,and the great (free) food.Very tempted to come over next year to do this as my big holiday -any climbs like one at Portsalon?
My life seems so boring compared to yours - perhaps because you get out a do thing!! Kudos on the ride - sounds fun AND tasty!
Post a Comment