Today’s concluding ride of 29+ miles began in Pittsburgh, PA. Before the ride began, we took the Duquesne Incline to the top of a mountain overlooking Pittsburgh for a great view of the city and the three rivers for which it is famous: the Monongahela, Allegheny, and Ohio.

Duquesne Incline

Dusquesne Incline

Dusquesne Incline overlooking the three rivers and football and baseball stadiums

Today’s ride of about 32 miles began in Connellsville with blue skies and temperatures in the mid-50s. Dense, mostly forested land adjacent to the trail gave way to a more open area with still standing remnants of the coal and coke industries which drove the economy of the region.

Remnants of the now defunct coal and coke industry

Remnants of the now defunct coal and coke industry

This first segment of the day’s ride took us past scenic waterfalls and the 100-mile marker, also marking 100 miles cycled thus far this week.

Our early lunch, some 16 miles up the trail, was at Whitsett, an old coal mining town.

With only one brief stop, we cycled another 10 miles to West Newton, where along the trail we saw several pieces of trail side art.

Gold bicycle alongside the trail

Another 3 miles took us to an ice cream place for soft serve yogurt, followed by another 3 miles to our terminus at Buena Vista. The small towns through which we pedaled were all coal mining towns reflecting poverty and lifestyles resulting from the disappearance of the coal industry. Interestingly, cycling and river-based recreation now account for a major portion of the local economy.

After a return to LMCC, showers and naps preceded dinner and an evening program on the biodiversity of the region.

After breakfast, a shuttle back to Confluence, and with overcast skies, the day’s ride began at the Confluence trailhead—but no rain! We rode some 10.5 miles along the canopied trail at a frenetic pace of almost 12 mph, and with no stops—too fast to take many photos.

At mile 65, we reached the Ohiopyle trailhead where we stopped to tour Ohiopyle State Park, its visitor center, and a view of the Ohiopyle falls, and to have lunch.

Our afternoon ride continued across the Youghiogheny River along the tree-tunneled trail another 17 miles to Connelsville. The trail was very similar to the Katy Trail in southern Missouri with rock bluffs on one side and river (Youghiogheny) on the other, bringing back fond memories of our ride in October 2016. No breaks were scheduled for the 17-mile ride because of lack of access to the trail for the SAG (support and gear) wagon, making for a long ride.

Regretfully, one of the sweepers (cyclist whose job is to ensure that all riders are moving along the trail) was injured on this segment—broken wrist—when a cyclist in front of her fell, causing her to crash into him and go over the handlebars. Consequently, our departure for a winery visit and return to the home base was delayed. Most of us opted to sit in the shade rather than tour the winery. Dinner was at a restaurant in town, Out of the Fire Cafe, and was good.

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Kay and I cycled today from Meyersdale to Confluence, PA, a distance of 31.2 miles. Ominous skies greeted us at breakfast in Cumberland, MD, and the weather continued to deteriorate in the shuttle to Meyersdale, despite our leaving the hotel early—ahead of schedule—to beat the rain.

Loading at the Fairfield Inn in Cumberland—to beat the rain

Loading at the Fairfield Inn in Cumberland—to beat the rain. Cycle on very right belongs to yours truly

No rain yet as Kay pedals up the trail

Upon arriving at the Meyersdale trailhead and unloading bicycles and gear, we peddled northward, crossing the Salisbury Viaduct at approximate mile 35. The Salisbury Viaduct is just over 1,900 feet long and crosses the Casselman River.

What started as a light mist turn into sprinkles, and then into full-blown rain for most of our trip from Meyersdale to Rockwood at approximate mile 44 for the first break of the day’s ride. The fast pace kept us from viewing Wymp’s Gap Fossil Quarry between Garrett and Rockwood.

Kay asked whose idea of fun this was as the rain poured

While rain jackets kept our upper torso dry, everything else got wet and muddy, including shorts, gloves helmet, bicycles, and gear; we all looked like skunks with a streak of mud on the back of rain jackets from the back wheel’s rooster tail. This continued through our brief lunch break at Markleton. The last 10 miles were ridden in sunshine until we reached Confluence at approximate mile 61, when the rain began again. Note: Confluence is also known as Turkeyfoot because the three streams coming becoming one —the Youghiogheny and Casselman Rivers, and Laurel Hill Creek—look like a turkey track when viewed from the surrounding hills. George Washington camped here.

The bicycles got washed at a local bike shop before being loaded onto the van, and we traveled back to Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, our homebase. Back in the room, it took an hour or more to clean gear and bodies; fine sand was everywhere from our mud covered clothes and gear.

After dinner a great speaker provided a history of the GAP, and told many stories about its origin, development, and the colorful characters involved.

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After quickly packing for an overnight trip and eating breakfast, the group was shuttled from Mt. Pleasant to Meyersdale for the start of our 150-mile bicycle trip.

Enroute to Meyersdale

Our first segment of the GAP was from Meyersdale, Pennsylvania, to Cumberland, Maryland, a distance of 32 miles.

Readying bicycles at Meyersdale for the ride

Trailhead at Meyersdale is a restored railroad station

Kay and I are ready to ride

Because we were pedaling from north to south today, we began at Meyersdale at approximate Mile 32 of the GAP.

At mile 29, just three miles down the trail, we rode across the 900-foot Keystone Viaduct which provided a great view of the railroads passing underneath.

Keystone Viaduct

Lunch was at Deal, at approximate mile 25, and included self-made pita wraps, salad, chips, cookies, and GORP. It began drizzling, and then turned into a light rain that was to last the rest or the day’s ride.

Lunch at Deal

Another three miles down the trail, all at an uphill grade of about 2 percent, we crossed the eastern continental divide at mile 22, separating waters going into the Mississippi River basin from those going into the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay. This is the highest point on the GAP at 2375 feet above sea level, and from here the trail is downhill both directions.

At approximate mile 21, just a mile downhill from the Eastern Continental Divide, the Big Savage Mountain blocked the trail, but an almost 3,300-foot tunnel (appropriately named the Big Savage Tunnel built in 1910-1912 and rebuilt for trail use in 2002) passed through the mountain. Here, bicycle headlights were essential for seeing one’s way along the tunnel floor.

Big Savage Tunnel

The trail crossed from Pennsylvania into Maryland at approximate mile 20. This boundary, commonly known as the Mason Dixon Line, was established by English surveyors in the 1760s to resolve a land dispute between the Penns of Pennsylvania and the Calverts of Maryland. It is commonly considered to separate the north from the south.

Mason Dixon Line Monument

Light colored brick is the Mason Dixon Line

Mason Dixon Line Monuments

We had another break some 9 miles further down the trail, before riding 16 miles to Cumberland, MD, where we overnighted near Mile “0” of the GAP at the Fairfield Inn and Suites, a very bicycle friendly hotel. We washed our bicycles at the hotel at a special wash rack before checking in, and then soothed sore muscles in the hot tub and pool before dinner at the Baltimore Street Grill.

Another of several tunnels through which we pedaled

Frostburg

Despite rain, the scenic Allegheny Mountains provided a great backdrop for a good, mostly downhill ride. Regretfully, Kay and I did not ride together, and there are few photos of her.

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Curved walls near the Visitor Center

Today, we toured the Flight 93 National Memorial. The memorial is located southeast of Pittsburgh some 45 miles, on a flat plain high atop the mountains. In the Visitor Center itself, a somber feeling of sadness, and intense anger permeated our very beings; I was so emotionally overwhelmed by artifacts and personal stories from the crash that I had to leave the building. God help us if something like this happens now.

The National Memorial is in two parts: the upper area where the Visitor Center and towering, curved walls are located and the lower area where a wall memorializes the crew and passengers, listing their names. The entire memorial is well done, with many symbolisms, etc. For example, the walls adjacent to the Visitor Center follow the flight path of Flight 93 just before it crashed. The slight curve is almost imperceptible, until viewed from a distance, particularly looking at the crash site. The crash site itself is marked by a huge boulder, underneath where the remains of the plane are buried.

View of the crash site (upper left center) from the Visitor Center

The memorial wall and crash site (upper center)

Lower curved wall memorializing the crew and passengers of Flight 93

Actual crash site marked by huge boulder

After a delicious breakfast of orange juice, coffee, mixed fruit, lemon blueberry muffin, egg and cheese casserole, and bacon, we toured Gettysburg National Battlefield Park via the “upper deck” of an open air bus. Monuments were everywhere, though not many form the Confederate side. It’s difficult to imagine the sounds, smells, cries, and casualties that resulted from the battle. As might be expected, the battlefield history is much too complex to be covered in a week, much less two hours; nor can it be covered in this blog to the depth required.

Canons behind original stone barricade

Another canon behind stone barricade

Famous Little Round Top

Canons, with the patina of age

Following the tour, we watched a short film, viewed an amazing cyclorama of Pickett’s Charge, and toured the visitor center museum.

Kay with bronze of President Lincoln

A brief tour of the Eisenhower farm followed, and then we did our own picture-taking driving tour of the battlefield (rain prevented our cycling the battlefield roads). We managed a full 10-hour day of sightseeing today.

Eisenhower retirement house

Eisenhower’s barn

Three generation Amish farm

Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, has the largest concentration/population of Amish in the US, depending on which year demographic data is obtained (versus Holmes County, Ohio). We hired a private tour guide (Mennonite ) for exploring the county and she discussed the religion, culture, and lifestyle of the two sects.

Authentic covered bridge

All Amish buggies are gray

I particularly enjoyed seeing farm work done with horse or mule teamsDairy farms were prevalent as were row crops consisting consisting mostly of corn, tobacco, and hay/alfalfa. Among the Amish farms most of the work and household chores are done by hand (reminding me of how things were done in my earliest days, as best as can be remembered).

Three abreast horses working the field

Three abreast horses working the field

Tobacco, cut by hand

Tobacco drying

The Amish in Lancaster County are far more oriented towards commercial pursuits than either Holmes County, Ohio, or Elkhart County, Indiana. In fact the county is a hub of tourist activity, much like an early Branson, Missouri, to the extent that there are too many people and too much traffic—overwhelming! We did enjoy watching the old-style agriculture work of haying, tobacco cutting, and cultivation, all using horses or mules or done by hand.

From Lancaster, we traveled back west to Gettysburg, spending the night at a PEO bed and breakfast. International PEO, of which Kay is a member, is a philanthropic educational organization of women helping women. Some members offer their houses as bed and breakfasts with a large portion of the money collected being returned to the international organization. The house in which we stayed is owned by Admiral (ret) Tom Wilson and his wife Sue, our hostess. Parts of the house date to 1804, but the entire structure has been updated, but retaining its charm and appearance.

The Wiilson’s PEO B&B

Naval pattern “quilt” painted on barn

One of our (really my) life list items is to bicycle as many of the 32 Rails-to-Trails Rail-Trail Hall of Fame trails as health and age permit. We cycled the Katy Trail in Missouri in 2016; that leaves 31! The Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) IS NEXT ON OUR LIST. The Honda Pilot was packed on Monday evening with bicycle clothing and gear, casual clothing, and various cameras, electronic devices, and charging cables, and the bicycles were stowed in their carrier on back; we were ready.

The first part of the trip was from Hot Springs Village to Brentwood, Tennessee, to visit sister-in-law Betty Dunn and niece Julie and family. We had a delightful visit, wit lots of laughter and stories about my late brother and Betty’s late husband, Ronnie. He is really missed and leaves a big hole in our hearts, but the intimate stories helped soothe our long-held sorrows.

Mile “0” of the Great Allegheny Passage, Cumberland, MD

A 9:00 AM o’clock departure on Wednesday morning brought us to Morgantown, WV, by early evening, having traveled through middle Tennessee, eastern Kentucky, and a good portion of West Virginia. Thursday was another big travel day, exiting West Virginia, into Maryland, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. A brief stop in Cumberland, Maryland, was made to see the terminus of our upcoming bicycle trip, Mile “0” of the GAP, as well as the beginning of the C&O Towpath Trail from Cumberland to Washington, D.C. (not on our list). Following the stop, the drive took us to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where we overnighted.

Replica of the C&O Canal

The Potomac River in Cumberland, MD