b'Freshly motivated, but unable to see where we are going, we put on our headlampsAs we ride through rolling hills and wide openand continue for the next hour in the dark misty fog, following the yellow line in the middle of the road. We can see no more than 3 or 4 feet ahead as our lamps reflect offhorse farms, the ghosts of Thomas Jefferson and Jamesthe mist. We only know we are going uphill because we have to pedal. We only knowand Dolly Madison are everywhere.we are going downhill because our bikes pick up speed. Our brakes are soaked and compromised. Sometimes we squeeze hard but continue to accelerate. The situation is truly treacherous and the only saving grace is that there are no cars because the road is closed. Emilie writes: Mist rolling in and darkness descending. The line of the edge of the road less and less visible. Rain. Brakes not working. Endless, endless hills and miles to go. Dark blackness fading from deep blue from light grey, from blue.With no road signs, street lights, or visible points of reference, we closely track our cyclometer and compare it to scribbled mileage notes I had written down from a more detailed map outside the ranger station. We finally reach the Parkway exit and, after a couple of miles, see the bright neon sign for the Holiday Inn. Almost like a cruel joke, the hotel is perched on a steep hill. We check in and call the hotel restaurant to place an order before showering. Feeling victorious from conquering the Blue Ridge in the most challenging of circumstances, we enjoy a steak dinner and bottle of red wine. It is one of the best meals of the trip. We are the only two people in the restaurant. BEGIN: Peaks of Otter Campground, VAEND: Rockfish Gap, VADISTANCE: 92 milesTRIP TOTAL: 3,542.29 milesDay 74AUGUST 10I wake up and look across the hotel room. Our bikes, panniers and clothing are wet and covered in grime. The Rockfish Gap Holiday Inn, perched on a hill up in the mountains, is socked in by fog. In need of a detailed bike map that will get us to Washington, DC, we are advised that the closest shop is in Charlottesville, about 20 miles away. We figure its best to wait until the fog lifts to get started. Emilie writes: Came off the Blue Ridge today after waiting until late morning for the fog to clear. Wed arrived late last night, wet and exhausted. Slept in and rode to Charlottesville. Tooled around there, going from bike shop to bike shop until we got our hands on a map that would get us to Washington, DC.The map we finally find is really just a hand-drawn sketch of roads with numbers. No mileage, no notations at all. But the roads are gentle with little traffic. The ghosts of Thomas Jefferson, Dolly Madison and James Madison are everywhere we look, from the street signs to the grave sites and memorials. We take a break in Montpelier, Virginia to 63'