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.