Aquia Harbor

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$30 + parts. On a VERY tight budget, I'm happy it's not more. On my way out of Fredericksburg, I felt the left side of the chariot weakening and wobbling. I looked down to find several spokes missing, and other spokes broken. The wheel was wobbling quite intensely, and I didn't want to walk any further on it. I desperately needed to find a bicycle repair shop-- as bike "mechanics" could also work mechanical wonders on my chariot. Luckily, I was still in a college town. Gary, a friendly local, directed me to Bike Works. Andre, resident bicycle expert at Bike Works, assessed the scenario, told me the prob should be able to be fixed, and got busy... He finished some 40 minutes later... ...Fascinating how the day ultimately unfolded: Andre ended up helping way beyond what was needed, charging me close to half of what the price otherwise would have been. Interestingly, these broken spokes and the bike shop visit set me on a course to encounter a series of souls over the next few hours who not only paid the bill for me, but paid for a few meals down the road for me as well. Amazing.

$30 + parts. On a VERY tight budget, I’m happy it’s not more. On my way out of Fredericksburg, I felt the left side of the chariot weakening and wobbling. I looked down to find several spokes missing, and other spokes broken. The wheel was wobbling quite intensely, and I didn’t want to walk any further on it. I desperately needed to find a bicycle repair shop– as bike “mechanics” could also work mechanical wonders on my chariot. Luckily, I was still in a college town. Gary, a friendly local, directed me to Bike Works.
Andre, resident bicycle expert at Bike Works, assessed the scenario, told me the prob should be able to be fixed, and got busy… He finished some 40 minutes later…
…Fascinating how the day ultimately unfolded: Andre ended up helping way beyond what was needed, charging me close to half of what the price otherwise would have been. Interestingly, these broken spokes and the bike shop visit set me on a course to encounter a series of souls over the next few hours who not only paid the bill for me, but paid for a few meals down the road for me as well. Amazing.

Today's 17 miles, mostly up Hwy 1, featured their fair fraction of danger, unfortunately. VA Hwy 1 absolutely SUCKS for any sort of human-powered transportation-- at least between Fredericksburg and Aquia Harbor, where I reached at the end of the day. Nonetheless, one of the most cautiously alert and tiring days of the walk ended upon meeting hosts Adam and Natalie in Aquia Harbor. (More on them soon...)

Today’s 17 miles, mostly up Hwy 1, featured their fair fraction of danger, unfortunately. VA Hwy 1 absolutely SUCKS for any sort of human-powered transportation– at least between Fredericksburg and Aquia Harbor, where I reached at the end of the day. Nonetheless, one of the most cautiously alert and tiring days of the walk ended upon meeting hosts Adam and Natalie in Aquia Harbor. (More on them soon…)

 

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Hosts Adam & Natalie (left) meet me at the end of the day for dinner outside of a local coffee shop. People from neighboring tables– Cindy, Austin, Ben and others eventually gravitate into a wider conversation about life, values, goals, directions, etc.
How Awesome!

"Can we offer you a drink?" Jake and Mary ask me, as they approached me on the sidewalk, before I met Adam and Natalie...

“Can we offer you a drink?” Jake and Mary ask me, as they approached me on the sidewalk, before I met Adam and Natalie…