April 22, 2014

In Weirton, West Virginia, I met my first "road angels." What was really nice about this was that I did not seek them out, but they sought me out recognizing that I was in need of help.  Well experienced in travel, they can see when a fellow traveler is experiencing problems.  Unfortunately, Weirton, West Virginia, while very beautiful, is not bicycle friendly.  From the standpoint of roads, there is no shoulder and those present are in disrepair, signage is minimal, and the traffic heavy.  I left from Weirton rather late, and I attempted to travel from Weirton to E. Liverpool on Hwy 2.  It simply wasn't safe.  Don and Sharon Green intervened, welcomed me into their home and their lives, give me a place to stay for the night, and then helped me plan a course through the rough spots.  They have agreed to convey me to East Liverpool (a distance of some 10 to 15 miles) and from there I will resume my ride.  What fun people - and kindred spirits. They're incredibly well-traveled, resourceful, and possess a strong business spirit. Don is a hyperkinetic free spirit loaded with ideas, has a number of inventions (some of which are laying around the house), and is in the process of building an airplane in their basement.  Sharon has done a little bit of everything from teaching to being a booking agent for a number of well-known groups, and a partner in the business that they run out of their home.  They have decided to sell out, buy a boat, and sail around the world.  They see this as a great escape, a way to refresh their creativity.  Totally fun folks!

The Montour to the Panhandle Trail, PA

Definitely do not drink the water in McDonald, Pennsylvania!

No room at the inn

 

 

 

 

Well, through all of these miles I finally encountered my first lack of hospitality.  Asked if I could pitch my tent on their lawn and was turned down.   Let's make sure we never do that at Grace United Methodist Church.

(Five miles down the trail, someone from the church called my cell phone and they had changed their mind, but it was too late for me.  This might help the next cyclist who comes along.)

Pittsburgh, PA, & Montour Trail

The rejuvenation is incredible up river but down river as you get closer to Pittsburgh, you see a lot of the residual factories where steel and coal were processed.  The impact on the landscape is striking. This said, Pittsburgh is a beautiful city.  This was my first visit ever, and I found the people to be friendly and very helpful.   I've traveled far enough now that when folks ask where I started from, they are shocked when I say "Washington DC."  All dirt trails from Washington DC to Cumberland and then Cumberland to Pittsburgh certainly presented challenges.  Certainly Washington DC to Cumberland was the most challenging with very bumpy, rocky, rutted trails.  If you plan to take this trip, plan on no more than 20 to 25 miles per day.  Plan to camp at remote campsites, where you will need water, food, and the appropriate gear.  Some sites do have handpumps, but there is a very strong iodine smell in the water.  This said, this was a trip of a lifetime!

Well, I have now done the Chesapeake & Ohio Towpath, the Great Allegheny Passage, and now I plan to do the Montour and Panhandle Trails to reach Raccoon Creek Campground.  This is a distance of about 40 miles, uncharted routes, and I will be flying by the seat of my pants.  Looks to be a nice day, a good day for a ride!

 

So far everything has been uphill. I know there's got to be downhill somewhere along this trail.

Easter Morning

What a wonderful surprise...they made breakfast for me as well. How's that for an Easter treat? People here are so gracious, so wonderful, so nice. Thank you for a wonderful breakfast to the start of a beautiful Easter day.

"Come on over for coffee"

And here's the cook

April 19, 2014

Traveled to West Newton today traveling through beautiful forests on a path that followed the Youghiogheny River. Beauty knows no bounds. In West Newton contacted Youghiogheny Canoe Outfitters to see if they offered camping. They did and a more gracious people would be hard to find. Offered camping, family hospitality, and a welcoming spirit. They do not sell beer but offered one to show their hospitality.  Their wares consist of canoeing, bait, tackle, rentals, and a great welcoming spirit. Not only do they work the river but have received civic recognition for river cleanup and community services. When biking the GAP and traveling through West Newton do not pass up the YOUGHIOGHENY CANOE OUTFITTERS.  Thank you Cuffy (Orlando Dolash) and Dominic Berarducci for your generous spirit and kind hospitality.

Stopped to help a cyclist change a flat tire:

Watch out world, Michelle knows how to patch tires now

I'm falling in love with America again... After Vietnam I had a beef with Uncle Sam, politicians, and our whole approach to foreign interventions. But what I have discovered so far is that America remains beautiful, the people resilient and loaded with optimism in spite of hard financial times.  Passing through Pennsylvania coal country, there are whole towns impacted by mine closings. Even so, they dust off, proceed with life, and find a way to make ends meet. They ask for nothing yet are some of the most giving and generous people that this Great Land possesses.  Chesapeake and Ohio and the great Allegheny Passage offer a source of income and unbounded beauty.  These people are finding their way, and if they can I certainly can too.

April 18. 2014

Great Day

Rode 50+ miles on nice gravel trail

I don't know how they do it, but their bread is almost as good as Grandma's. I think the microflora must be in their hands because it's got to be more than just the yeast. It was terrific!  Just like Grandma Arvish used to make.

These trails just go on and on. Beautiful countryside loaded with turkey, deer, and I even saw a mink.

This is where I stayed in Rockwood Pennsylvania. It's a hostel that was converted from an old grocery store by a coal miner who found himself out of work with the closure of the local mine. It's really got a tremendous amount of character and at $25 a night, it's a steal. The mattresses were comfortable beyond words and I slept like the dead last night. Trains do go by, or at least that's what they told me, but I'll be darned if I could hear them. Maybe I was a little beat!

Dateline Rockwood Pennsylvania: this is the local hang out for all of the old guys who live in this town. You can find out everything that's going on for 100 mile radius. Good bunch of guys, a lot of fun, this seems to be the coffee hole for morning discussions.  I would call them the unofficial city Council for the entire area.

I've learned through experience it pays to marry up. This is the case with this gentleman...when he lost his job in the coal mines, his wife said "hey let's buy that old store down the street and turn it into a hostel."  "What's a hostel?"  He followed his wife's recommendations, bought the place and fixed it up, does a great business, and it's a wonderful place to stay. Really a cool guy and I enjoyed talking to him.  The "unofficial city Council" was quick to point out:  "It was his wife's idea."

Eastern Continental Divide

April 17

Woke early and was on the GAP by 6:30 AM. The weather was cold and for the first 2 to 4 hours my feet and hands were frozen. There was a slow steady climb on a crushed gravel trail which was much smoother than that experienced on the C&O.  Experienced a continuous climb for 25 miles starting from Cumberland, hit a tunnel at about mile six and at 914 feet long it eliminated the big hump over the ridge which was a big advantage to coal hawlers back in the early 1900s.  As I passed a multitude of very small towns, spectacular scenery, and crystal-clear brooks, whitetail deer were my only companions. Borden Tunnel at 957 feet long was reached at mile 17 ½ . Big Savagetown Tunnel, at 3394 feet long, was out of this world. Certainly this, along with reaching the Great Allegheny Passage, were the highlights of today's journey.  Stopped for lunch had Meyersdale and found the town folks to be some of the nicest that I've encountered today and that's really saying something because everyone is been very nice. Their coal mining jobs were lost with the mine shutdown and the only viable ventures appear to revolve around the tourist industry, specifically the bike touring trade.  Meyersdale possessed one of the finest railroad museums that I've seen in a small town ever. Model trains, memorabilia, and assorted photos abounded and I found them to be incredibly interesting. From there I rode on to Rockwood and it was here that I checked into the town hostel, a fantastic deal $25 a night, which completed a 43 mile run. It was here that I met Scott Cason (Adventure trek America at 2014 Facebook.com/AdventureTrekAmerica) a biker who is doing videotaping of small towns throughout United States.  He has a number of sponsors, is digging in-depth into how small towns are finding their way, and what makes them tick in this day and age. All in all, today was a great biking day!

Scott Cason