The Great Allegheny Passage

Church in Harpers Ferry Thomas Jefferson Rock Potomac River Nice section of CO Appalachian trail marker  Tomorrow I ride 60 miles to Washington DC or actually Georgetown. It will be a big day with the miles and a big day to finish my ride of the GAP and C&O towpath; some 335 miles in total. I can tell you I’m tired every day.  Today was both good and bad. There was a massive rain and thunderstorms last night and I was worried about both the trail and 3 flat tires I had yesterday with no spare tubes if something happened. Well the trail was sloppy wet but rideable and about 20 miles into my 40 mile day, I flatted. I had to call the outfitters who sent someone to pick me up and drive me to the nearest town 5 miles away. The bike shop set me up with new tires and tubes, washed down my bike and lubed the chain. It purred the rest of the day. I’m in Harpers Ferry where American history abounds. Thomas Jefferson came here and declared it worthy of crossing the Atlantic just to s...

 I started the C&O towpath today which starts where the GAP trail ends in Cumberland Maryland. It goes 184 miles to Washington DC. The trail wasn’t nearly as well maintained as the GAP, but I made it the 46 miles today to a small town called Little Orleans. I got to be honest, it was a hard day with the distance and sometimes rough sections of trail. There were no stops along the way so nearly full time riding from 8am to 3pm. I normally stop for lunch or at least a snack break, but I had given all my snacks to a guy who had lost his gear and not eaten for a day. Anyway staying at a really nice B&B tonight which really helps. Tomorrow should be easier as there is a paved trail for 20 miles the parallels the C&O which I’ll take. Amping the cool stuff today; the water in the old canal was loaded with hundreds of Turtles basking on logs the whole way. Even a couple on the trail I had to turn and miss. The I saw a large totally black snake cross the trail right in front of ...

 For people that know me, I’m pretty sure most would say I have plenty of character, so did I really need more? The forecast for the day was 100% for rain so I was really not looking forward to the 32 miles I had to do to get to Cumberland and finish the GAP trail. I rushed through breakfast and go out in my rain gear as fast and I could in light rain. The first 8 miles to the East Continental Divide was uphill and knowing the packed dirt trail could quickly turn soft. I made it to 2 miles before the peak before it tore loose with heavy rain and lightning and thunder which was a bit scary being exposed on the trail. I huddled up in a trail side covering for about 1/2 hr before I sensed a bit of an opportunity. I made it to the tunnel and the next 20 miles were downhill and that was good but the trail turned soft with the rain and it was some work to ride even down. I got dumped on once more and the bike got a bit squirrelly in the soft trail. Long story short. I made it here a bit ...

Friendly  On sale at Myersdale Maple festival  Beautiful falls along the way Yoders Guest where I’m staying tonight Downtown Myersdale  I saw a little Gardner snake this morning when I started out on the trail. Cute! Anyway things are better today, no ifs ands or butts. My derrière is starting to get broken in and I ended up on this great little town called Myersdale PA. Seems I dropped into town right when their annual Maple Festival was underway, parades, fire engines and the Maple Queen crowned. Today was 40 miles slightly uphill but nice in that the scenery opened up with farms and towns. I’m headed out for dinner soon and hoping to have a split bottle of wine from m California I have been dragging around in my bags. Tomorrow will be the end of the GAP trail and the Continetal Divide and the Cumberland GAP. It supposed to rain all day tomorrow, so wet and wild 32 miles to Cumberland!

Morning Sun Long and high bridge over the river Beautiful but hours long View from the bridge  Rapids at Ohiopyle Ohiopyle   I can’t begin to tell you how much a certain part of my anatomy hurts right now. I did 42 miles today to Ohiopyle where there is beautiful river front with rapids in the middle. I have no problem with strength in my legs, but around 6 hours in the saddle “hurts”. I’m hoping by tomorrow I’ll be in better shape. The way is very beautiful but after 6 hours of almost exactly the same terrain and riding by myself, it find it wears you down, Some sections you go 2-3 hours between even small towns. Ok, so nice dinner, warm shower and a beer, I’ll sleep tonight and do it again tomorrow. I’m sorry to have missed a tour at Frank Lloyd Wrights house Falling Water which is just a few miles away. By the time I hit here around 3pm, I was just too tired to go. 

Old US Steel factory still in operation  Industrial section Small towns along the way  Old mills along the way One of the many Steel Bruges I crossed  This one built in Newton  When the trail got nice Downtown West Newton  Downtown West Newton   I rode about 35 miles today to West Newton, a smallish town on the river. The first 10 miles we pretty industrial, by US Steel mills that belched smoke and look like they were built at the turn of the century.  Not so pleasant, but so different from anywhere I have been. A train, maybe a mile long laden with coal was just pulling in as I went by. Then the trail turned to nicer and nicer natural path with trees and falls all along the way, but in some ways was really just the same. Finally the last 10 miles were a combination of small towns and nice sections of nature.  West Newton is pretty small and looks to be somewhat poor with a decaying downtown and one restaurant that wasn’t very good and a bar....