06 BIKE & KAYAK
LANCASTER & YORK COUNTIES

September 17, 2006   Sunday   Bike Covered Bridges Ride in Lancaster County

I got up at 6:00 and ran my usual 5.1 miles. I consumed a quick breakfast of orange juice, banana, oatmeal, toasted homemade bread and milk. Having loaded my car last night with my kayak and paddling gear, bike and biking gear and clothes and gear for 3 days, I was ready to go by 7:30.

I drove north on US-29 from Columbia to I-70 east to I-695 east on the Baltimore Beltway to I-83 north to York, Pennsylvania. Here I exited onto US-30 east to PA-272 northeast just north of Lancaster to Landis Valley Road and pulled into the Quality Inn parking lot next to the Pennsylvania Farm Museum before 9:00. Bill Spangler is waiting in his kayak laden van. Ron Cully arrived almost immediately followed a few minutes later by Dick Whiteford. We are scheduled to ride the Lancaster Bicycle Club’s premier ride a 100 kilometer (62 mile) ride called The Covered Bridges Ride with 6 or 7 covered bridges in the route. Dick plans to cut the ride short.

We begin our ride shortly before 10:00 and ride through the beautiful Amish farm countryside passing many horse and buggies as the Amish hustle to their morning meetings. We were following our cue sheets and the white painted covered bridge mark on the road with the roof ridge pointing the correct direction. After about an hour Dick decided to separate from us. We rode on and soon were lost. While stopped and trying to decide what to do, Dick soon arrived with a map. After much discussion we figured out where we were and how to get back on route. The three of us turned back and found the turn we had missed.

We followed the route for some time until we came to a spot where the cue sheet and painted markers diverged. Ron made a command decision to follow the painted markers (because the cue sheet directed us up a hill). We followed the markers a long time and then we came out on the cue sheet route again. We stopped at a fast food gas station for lunch in Reamstown.

Back on our bikes we soon came to another divergence between the cue sheet and painted marks. Following the painted marks again we did fine until we stopped seeing the marks. Without a map we didn’t know where we were or how to get back on the route. We continued straight until we came to PA-772 which was on our cue sheet. We didn’t know where we were on PA-772 so we guessed and turned left. We never saw our next turn on Warwick Road so obviously we were wrong. We continued straight until we came to PA-272. After asking locals who gave us conflicting directions we turned right towards Lancaster. After 4 miles we arrived at our cars. After 6:13 we had biked 55.2 miles in 4:22:06 averaging 12.7 miles per hour (mph) reaching a maximum speed of 32.0 mph while climbing and descending 2520’ in 3 climbs of 200’ vertical or more.

We found notes from Dick on our cars saying he had fallen and had gone to hospital for stitches but with no serious injuries. We drove west on PA-462 crossing the Susquehanna River then stopped at Jim Mack’s near Hallam for ice cream. It had gotten very warm so the milk shakes were very good. We continued on PA-462 to past Stoneybrook to our motel.

I checked into room 107 at the Chateau Motel at $59.95 per night 717 757-1714 run by a chatty Korean woman. The motel is old but clean, roomy, light and airy. After cleaning up, Ron drove us to Marino’s Italian Restaurant for supper. The food was okay but plentiful and I spent $27.18. Back at the motel I read until 9:00 when it was lights out for me.

September 18, 2006   Monday   Kayak Susquehanna River on Clarke Lake

I got up at 6:00 and ran in the dark along busy PA-462 with a decent shoulder. It was a bit nerve racking but I managed to get a good workout. Ron drove us to the Stoney Brook Frostie Freeze for pancakes, sausage, orange juice and milk for $8.17.

We drove towards York on US-30 to the Harley-Davidson Factory tour. The parking lots just for motorcycles had hundreds parked together. The 15 minute film and the 45 minute walking tour were very interesting. I learned that Harley makes touring and soft tail cycles at York in 28 models ranging from $8,000 to $22,000 each or over $30,000 with a side car option. They make another 18 models in Kansas City. In 2005 Harley the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world sold 325,000 cycles exporting 65,000 to 45 countries.

After picking up a sandwich, chips, cookies and a drink at a Turkey Hill station $9.24, we drove to Wrightsville and down the Susquehanna River 5 miles to Shanks Mare.

We got a late start putting into the river at Lake Clarke. We paddled about a mile east across the river to a large island where we turned north up river to a second sandbar island behind the first island. We stopped on this island for lunch and watched 3 or 4 other kayakers in the area.

We continued north up stream between two more islands before crossing a long open area. With the PA-462 and US-30 bridges close by in front of us, we passed to the right of an island with many cottages on it. We immediately entered a field of large rocks, most protruding up out of the water that spanned the river. The current between the rocks was quite strong. We turned left in the rocks to cross to near the west river bank. We had trouble controlling our kayaks as the current would push the stern downstream turning it to the right as the bow started behind a rock. Upon emerging from behind the rock the bow would be pushed downstream turning left. With rocks at or near the surface it was easy to tip over if the current swept you onto one of these rocks.

We safely crossed the river and turned left headed south near the west river bank. It was a long paddle back in the calm water but we made good time. We landed at Shanks Mare and loaded our kayaks on the cars. We headed straight to the outfitter for ice cream $4 out on the sunny front veranda overlooking the water. We had to check out the many rooms of equipment and gear before I was enticed into buying a set of Susquehanna River maps.

Back at the motel we cleaned up. Ron drove us to a restaurant that is closed on Mondays so he drove into York and our old favorite the Roosevelt Tavern. We were led to our table by a charming young and shapely hostess. I enjoyed some Yuengling draft, shrimp bisque, hot fresh baked bread, salad, a firm white fish filet, twice baked potato and green beans for $46.90 including taxes and tip. Everything was perfectly prepared and delicious with impeccable service. I went to bed early.

September 19, 2006   Tuesday   Bike York County Hills

I got up at 6:15 and decided not to run. I packed up the car and checked out of the motel. It is dark and threatening rain. We drove back to the Frostie Freeze for breakfast. I had a Western Omelet, toast, orange juice and milk for $8.94. We want to get an early start hoping to finish our ride before it starts raining about noon. We drive to Wrightsville and park by the river.

We start the 38 mile circuitous Susquehanna River Hills Bike Ride about 9:00. Ron laid this ride out and we are in the hills from the start. We are either going up or down. It is a pretty ride on back roads with very little traffic. We descend to

Codorus Creek valley near where it flows into the Susquehanna. The climb out is steep probably exceeding 15%. It starts spitting rain and the skies look very threatening. It seems to have settled in and is slowly increasing as we cross PA-642. This is our bailout point and we decide to pack it in since the rain seems to be increasing. We ride about 4 miles back into Wrightsville and our cars. After 2:31 elapsed time we biked 26.8 miles in 2:14:10 averaging 12.2 mph reaching a maximum 44.3 mph climbing and descending 1875’ in 3 climbs.

As we were loading our bikes, a local spotted our wooden kayaks and stopped to talk about half an hour. It had stopped raining despite the forecast and never rained again. We could have finished the ride. I drove home in a little over an hour retracing my route of two days ago.

September 25, 2006   Monday   Kayak Two Lighthouses

The Gung Hole Gang met at Rocky Point at 10:00 to kayak the open waters of the Chesapeake Bay. Gib Hosall, Bill Spangler, Ron Cully, Dan McQueen and Gary Gentry on his maiden voyage set off about 10:10 across the mouth of the Back River towards Pleasure Island. With winds predicted at 5 to 15 mph we encountered some chop in the river. It was calm as we passed between the peninsula and the island. Near the island was the Craig Hill Upper Range Lighthouse commonly known as the Pleasure Island Lighthouse.

We headed for the Craig Hill Lighthouse also known as the Hart Miller Lighthouse that looked near but we estimated to be 3 miles distance. Progress was slow as we moved out past a point of land into the open bay. The cross wind probably up to 15 mph and the chop kept increasing in the open water with a few white caps, some washing over our kayaks. We finally rounded the second lighthouse and headed back still with the cross wind. A tug pushing two coal barges side by side passed between Gib and the rest of us headed for the generating plant on Middle River. Despite our consternation we slowly got into the more protected water behind the point of land and landed in the calm waters by Pleasure Island for lunch.

The trip back across the mouth of Back River to Rocky Point didn’t seem so bad and we landed safely about 2:00. Our 9.7 mile paddle took exactly 3:30 (moving time) averaging 2.8 mph reaching a maximum 7.3 mph. Today the gang proved to be truly Kayakers Extraordinarius.