Category: X-C 2005 (Page 2 of 8)

8/8/05 Grasonville, MD to Bethany Beach, DE 86 miles

I'm finished! Reached Bethany Beach at 3:30 today to a Police escort & local media (thanks to my daughter Sarah's interventions. Just finished feast of crabs & beer & am driving back to Pennsylvania courtesy of the Chrises Fahey. Good to be done, off the bike & heading home.

Lots more to write & plenty of pics coming, but I'm going to take a nap now…

8/6/05 C&O MP II6 to Gaithersburg 92 miles

Was on the trail @ 7 today, & that was good because it was a long, hot ride. I did find a 'shortcut' that exchanged 30 trail miles for 18 road miles – a fair bottom & pysche saving trade.

Nothing extraordinary today save for the multitudes of rafters (mostly tubes) in the Potomac.

I got to my friends, the Petrykowskis, around 5:30 & was greeted by Hania & her boss & housemate Laura Elnitski. Laura & Hania worked together at PSU, & when Laura got a great position at NIH, she asked Hania to go along. I miss them being in State College, but it's a great
opportunity for Hania.

Needless to say to anyone who knows Hania, but I was well fed & had a nice evening visiting & getting caught up.

Thanks to all of you who have sent well-wishes and 2nd Mile contributions as I near the end of my journey. I'm a bit behind on e-mail, but I will respond as soon as I can.

So much more to write about, but I need to get back on the road…

8/4/05 Connellsville, PA to Frostburg, MD 84 Miles

I decided to try to get to Cumberland, but I ran out of daylight. At the MD/PA border, there was a campground that I TRIED to stay at, but I was a dollar short of their price and they only took cash or check, and it wasn't that great of a place. So I continued south and on RT 40, for the first time this whole trip, I got out the lights. It was still light outside, but 40 is a real busy road and I didn't want to take any chances. Good thing too, as by the time I got into Frostburg, it was dusk. The first motel I found was booked, the second was a fancy old restored hotel with a fancy price. I asked a local and he told me there was another further down the street, and if that was full, a Hampton Inn and Comfort Suites at the Interstate interchange.

The Frostburg Inn's "Vacancy" sign wasn;t lit, but I decided to try anyway. The office was closed, but there was a little sign telling patrons to go the bar in the back. I did, and the bartender said, sure, they had a room. He happened to be from Johnstown originally, and when he heard my story and where I was from, he told me that he'd take care of me and to come to him if there were any problems. There weren't any, but it was nice to have the offer.

I went to the local laudromat, started the machine, and went to the Food Lion to dig up some supper and a starting breakfast. What an exciting time I had in Frostburg! Actually, it looked like a cool little town with lots of good restaurants and all kinds of activity. Anyway, I had a good sleep.

8/5/05 Frostburg, MD to C&O Canal Milepost 116, 92 Miles

The ride from Frostburg to Cumberland was truly fun, and as advertised in the flyer at Meyersdale, downhill all the way.

I had breakfast in Cumberland before heading onto the trail. The trail is the towpath of the old canal and each section of it, unlike a railroad with grades, is *totally* flat. There are occasionally locks that provide a short, but exciting thrill down steep little grades, but its mostly just flat. It's also, very interesting, from a historical perspective. Riding the Allegheny Trail and the C&O, I'm just amazed an 19th century engineering — or moreso, 19th century economics, that had so much hand labor paid so little.

There is a 3000+ foot tunnel that warns about using a light. I went without it, as I didn't want to dig through the BOB. This was an interesting endeavor. Holding onto a handrail with my left hand, a handrail that was the only thing between me and a 15 foot plunge into the canal, and manuevering the bike and trailer with my right. The only light was thousands of feet away, and served only to make it hard to see anything close by. I could only hope that the handrail was continuous and intact, because I sure couldn't see it. Hard to imagine maybe, but it was fun.

The rest of the canal trip was again exhausting, but really beautiful. There were so many deer I lost count. Right on the towpath; in the canal; or in the Potomac.

I also met a group of mountain bikers from the DC area who were on a work outing that they did every 5 years. They gave me a few tips about finding food — a wonderful real turkey sandwich at the Sweet Magnolia restaurant in Paw Paw, WV among them — and I continued to run into them throughout the day, eventually camping at the same trailside camp.

I also got a tip from a guy at Bill's Tavern in Orleans that there was a "real" rail trail that ran to Hancock and that it was blacktop — not the packed limestone of the C&O. That was a great tip. I was so tired and the smooth surface really helped. Had dinner in Hancock, and made it to the camp just before dark. I missed my original goal of Ft. Frederick State Park, but that was only 5 or so miles. The trailside camps have pump wells, and the water is of varying quality, although supposedly potable. I didn't count on that, and took a quick "shower," chatted with the DC folks a bit and went to sleep to the sounds of tree frogs, trains, and I-70.

Whew, that was a long, hard day. The Montour Trail is rife with detours and most are not marked — you actually have to have a detour sheet with you to even hope to get from one part to the next. Fortunately, I did have the sheet, but I still got lost multiple times, AND there was the one detour entry that said: "There is no official detour for this section because the average trail rider would find the roads too challenging." Boy, that one just pissed me off! (excuse the French), and left me hanging. Fortunately, after stumbling around through 35 cul de sacs looking for an out, I found a guy in the same predicament who was heading for DC, and he was getting directions from a couple who were familiar with the trail. We rode together for a while, but he was just starting his tour and only going 35 miles (or actually 55 as both he & I were to find out), and he was already pretty tuckered out with his 65lb load. (I'm carrying 85 with the bike, trailer and all contents).

McKeesport and the Steel City Trail continued the bad signage tradition of the Montour Trail with some signs literally pointing down dead ends. I arrived in McKeesport around 3 PM, just in time for the highest heat of the day. This is the trailhead of the Youghigheny Trail (YT), but again finding that and staying on it were real trials. Thanks to some real helpful local folks who I consulted every time the trail inexplicibly ended or forked, I finally got to the YT head towards Ohiopyle.

This trail was (and is) beautiful; a crushed limestone surface travelling through old-growth forests. The temps dropped about 10 degrees in the woods, and the shade was a welcome relief. I just couldn't make up those extra 20 miles though, and instead of staying in Ohiopyle at one of the many campgrounds, I stayed in the Melody Motel in Connellsville. I tried to bargain with the owner for a "special rate," but she claimed in was the best price in town. I reminded her, as the locals who directed me there told me, that it was the ONLY price in town. "Oh, no," she said, "you can go to Uniontown. It's twice as much there." I pointed out that I was on a bike and Uniontown wasn't an option, but after all this, the price was actually fair, and the bed felt really good after that hard day. That's a major difference between doing this trip being 50 and stupid. At 20 and stupid, I probably wouldn't have had the means to bag the camping and hit a motel. I do. I did. 😉

8/4/05 Connellsville, PA to ???

The Yough and Allegheny Trails are, as I said yesterday, just beautiful. Easy, though slow, riding, and wonderful scenery. At one point, I even clambored down to the river, bum knee and all.

I'm in Meyersdale right now, where the official trail ends. I was going to catch a shuttle to Cumberland to make up time, but I'm feeling good and the detour description sounds so enticing, I think I'm going to go ahead and ride. Stay tuned.

8/2/05 Lisbon, OH to McDonald, PA 68 miles.

These really hot days cause me to pause often & sometimes too often & too long. I took a long break in E. Liverpool, OH – updated my blog & caught up on e-mail at the library, had brunch at the local coffee shop & pittered away the morning. It was close to 11 before I left there with only 16 miles done, & temps in the high 90s.

Then came the Newell bridge crossing to WV. I am not normally afraid of heights, but when the toll booth guard waved me through to the 'sidewalk,' I offered to pay the 50 cent toll if I could use the roadway. No dice. The walkway hung out to the side of the bridge & consisted of 2x6s of various ages & conditions suspended 80 ft over the water with rusting strap irons. I was truly expecting Jake & BOB to crash through & actually planned which girders I could grab if that
happened. I thought it might be safest to ride over the joists, but there were too many nails sticking up. I obviously survived, & maybe it wasn't that bad, but I sure was nervous.

Meandering along the Ohio river was nice – very pastoral.

I stopped again in Weirton & finally was headed to PA by 6. I made it to McDonald just at sunset & asked around for a camp or motel. "None," was the answer, "but there is a new B&B in town right up there (pointing) & I think Tim the owner is there." I climbed up the hill & rang the bell, but there wasn't any answer, so I called the # on the sign & that worked.

Tim is retired military, originally from Lock Haven, but now lives in DC area. This B&B is their retirement place & he was only here on a non-weekend because someone else had booked for tonight. The house has been carefully restored & is really luxurious. A nice find.

Tomorrow I start riding the Allegheny trail – no more trucks or cars – except for a few detours – between here & DC.

8/3/55 McDonald to Connellsville, PA 93 miles

The best laid plans…
fall apart sometimes. I'm 17 miles short of my goal for the day & 18 miles over my original plan: a 35 mile mistake. Ouch, that hurts. Hope that's the last of those.

Anyway, short entry tonight – I'm tired & need to get to sleep.

The B&B I stayed at last night was the North Street Inn, 121 North St., McDonald, 15057. 724-926-2649 – heartily recommended.

more later if I find a library tomorrow.

Aug. 1, 2005 Wellington, OH (Findley State Park) to Lisbon, OH 96 miles

This morning was the kind of morning I love for cycling. Crisp air, 70 degrees, clear skies, and bright, but not burning, sunshine. Leaving the state park, I headed south and east and immediately noticed that things were not flat anymore. The hills weren't too bad and there was still a lot of flat. I got lost in one section and flagged down a truck only to find it was the county maintenance man. He pointed out where I was and pulled out his map to show me how to go. He headed off and I turned around to head in his direction to the intersection I had passed a half mile earlier. When I got there, he was waiting to tell me that the intersection I was heading for wasn't an intersection but an underpass and that I couldn't get on the highway from there. We straightened out the directions and again parted ways. How nice of him to wait for me, though.

Anyway, I got where I was going and stumbled on a bike trail that wasn't exactly on my route, but it was so hot and hilly that I opted for heading directly south to Massillon on the trail. It was a beautiful tree lined old canal towpath — flat and shady. I stopped in Massillon for a bite and then headed east to Canton and my original route. This was a thrill-filled ride — the kinds of thrills one could do without — potholes and rush hour traffic. Once I got through Canton, the hills of eastern Ohio that I had been warned about showed up. Up one hill, down another, then up again. And again. And again.

What kept me going, though, was a call from Sandy Dimento, a friend from the Lake Glendale sailing club who lives in Pittsburgh, that she wanted to drive over to Lisbon to meet me for dinner. After some misdirections and bad cell phone connections, we finally got together about 8:30 and had a quick but nice dinner and Sandy hit the road back to Pgh. While it was a short visit, it still was a nice surprise and a good boost on a day when my spirits were flagging. AND, I made 20 more miles than I had planned.

At the start of day 45, the temps are already in the 90s at 11AM and it's really humid. I've been putzing my way to East Liverpool, OH and am just about to get on the road to Weirton/Steubenville, and more hills as I make my way to McDonald, PA. There, finally, I'll be on the Great Allegheny passage rail trail. That, at least, will be mostly flat except for one known detour with a killer climb that will hopefully be my last of this trip. Guess I'd better get on my way.

7/31/05 Maumee to Wellington, OH (Findley State Park) 106 miles.

We watched the Toledo Mud Hens beat the Durham Bulls 2-0 last night & then we were treated to a flat-bed truck full of fireworks. Quite an impressive display on a crowded city street. Back at Mark's & Jean's we had a nightcap & I put my nightcap on & headed for bed.

This morning I got on the road again The camping mat & road food are going to be such a letdown. I said my goodbyes to Jean & Mark & Mark's cousin Chuck & his wife Celeste, & rode east.

I rode through Fremont, OH, birthplace of Rutheford B. Hayes, the 1st president to visit California (I stumbled on Fremont, but I learned the latter fact from a folk song). Some really beautiful old homes there.

Wellington's claim to fame is that the painter of "The Spirit of 76" lived here for a while.

Just chock full of history today.

Unfortunately, I seemed to have used up all the flat in OH. The landscape is just starting to roll & tomorrow I fully expect some climbing as I head to the Appalachians. I tried to cut some miles off today by sticking to the major highways, but I passed 3000 miles today – only 600 or so to go.