Our ride to Fredericksburg—at 63 miles, the longest of the trip—took us from Barboursville along meandering back roads, where there were few houses and even fewer cars. The leaves were a shock of red, orange and yellow, interrupted only by the occasional farm and driveways marked by a mailbox and an American flag. And there was nary a deli or general store in sight, which meant that lunch was a couple of ham and cheese sandwiches we had assembled from dinner leftovers and breakfast croissants.

It was an amazing day of riding: After a day of rest (and yoga), our legs felt fresh—well, at least somewhat reinvigorated—and the weather, while overcast and a bit blustery, fortified our determination and made us feel even more hardcore. (Let’s be honest: We’re not above bragging.) Still, by the time we got to Fredericksburg, it was past 5 p.m., giving us only a few hours to check out George Washington’s boyhood hometown.

Founded in 1728 and named for Frederick, son of King George II, Fredericksburg’s historic downtown is well preserved, with more than 350 buildings that date back to the 18th and 19th centuries. We had booked ourselves a room in one of them, a 216-year-old mansion that is now the nine-room Kenmore Inn. The rooms are on the small side, so it’s worth spending the extra $20 on the Fredericksburg Grand or the Betty Washington, both of which have spacious renovated bathrooms.

At Bistro Bethem, a cozy, art-filled restaurant with an excellent wine list, we sat at the bar and snacked on house-made charcuterie but were too tired to check out the wine bar across the street. Still, Kybecca is a must according to fellow Virginia Living writer and avid foodie Christina Ball (see her write-up here). And on our way home, we passed not one, but two Ghosts of Fredericksburg tours—which involve costumed guides and historical tales.

The next morning, after latte at Hyperion Espresso (where they take their foam as seriously as any other coffee shop we’ve visited on this trip), and a bike check-up at Bike Works (apparently my back fender was dragging and my derailleur was slightly off-kilter), we were back on the road.