Trish & Phill's Tandem TransAmerican

Tour 2003 

May 7 Williamsburg to Glendale 49mi

Although we did the shakedown yesterday, today is really our 1st official day.

We set off around 8am and headed via James Town to Glendale, the ride was very good a few rolling hills but nothing we couldn't handle, that is yet to come!!!!.

The scenery in Virginia is so pretty as you can see.

The route follows the James River for miles and has a 200 metres or so setback. There are all sorts of wild life we have never seen before. We where so lucky to see a Bald Eagle, by the time we stopped got the camera out of the bag and aimed it the bird was off.

The road is often paved with flattened turtles. The snapping turtle is a lot bigger than the box turtle, unfortunately we see a lot of both along the road together with possums, squirrels, and even a raccoon. One has to stop for nature calls every now and then and such a requirement was in order when Phill stopped and took off into the paddock quickly returning for the camera. A snake was catching some sun stretched out on the pathway. Our granddaughter will be impressed as it seamed every time we saw her in our Australian summer we said to her  "Ailish, guess what we saw today" and she would reply with a smile "another snake" and we had too.

We did good time and arrived in Glendale around 2pm, when we arrived at the church to find no one home, we waited around for the Priest to arrive and were able to use the church facilities, camping right next to a grave yard is not our kind of ideal camp site but we can defiantly tell you it was very quiet.

 A typical map meeting

This whole area is steeped in the history of the formation of the USA. Either the Yanks chasing the Poms off, early pioneers, Indian wars or the North/South war. People have gone to extreme length to capture the history of the area. 

The vegetation is green and lush. Trees are mostly broad leaf, with some pines. Lots of flowering grasses and wild flowers fill the paddocks.

One thing that must be said is the friendliness of the people, everyone waves as they see us come by, particularly as we have an unusual bike set up.

Page owned & maintained by Trish Collins email to  trishphill@aapt.net.au.  Last Updated 28/07/2003