08 Bike Great Allegheny Passage

September 24, 2008   Wednesday   Drive to Ohiopyle, PA

I left my church fellowship meeting at 8:00 pm and drove 188 miles to Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania. My route from Columbia was north on US-29 to I-70 west to I-68 west to Exit 14 onto US-40 west to north on PA-381 to Ohiopyle at 11:08 pm. It was a pleasant drive in the cool evening air listening to classical music with very little traffic.

I woke Ron Cully when I pulled into the motel and was singing (that will wake anybody) when I got out of my car. Ron greeted me at my room 104 door and said he switched rooms with me because there were two keys for my room and only one for his room 105. The key was in the door of room 105. The room is large and comfortable with two double beds, spotlessly clean, well maintained and cost $90.63 per night.

September 25, 2008   Thursday   Bike Ohiopyle to Connellsville and Back

I woke up about 6:30. Ron told me the Firefly Restaurant across the street served breakfast. It was closed and dark. I walked around the corner at 7:00 and saw Ron and Dick Whiteford eating breakfast in Fall's Market so I joind them. I ordered two eggs over light, sausage, wheat toast, orange juice and milk for $8.90 including tax and tip. We had time to kill as we were not meeting for the bike ride a 100 yards from our motel until 10:00 am.

Marcie Grice, George and Mary Drake are staying at a motel on US-40 about 10 miles away from Ohiopyle. They couldn't get reservations at our motel because another group called Cycling Seniors had taken all the rooms including some of our block of rooms. The motel thought we were the same group. The Drakes on a tandem bike, Marcie, Dick on a trike, Ron and I decide to bike north 17 miles to Connellsville. TG and Laverne Heine decide to ride south towards Confluence.

Six of us head north over the high bridge across the deep river gorge at 10:00 am and soon cross another high bridge. The scenery is spectacular from the bridges and as we follow the frequently whitewater Youghiogheny River 17 miles down 325' of elevation to Connellsville. There are one or two boat launching sites and occasional historical pictures with narratives along the way. The trail is layered with rock, covered by gravel and then limestone dust affording a smooth surface. There were a few short spots where some gravel was exposed. The 700X28C tires on my road bike worked well never penetrating the surface.

A bike shop on the trail gave us our food options and then directed us to the Valley Dairy Restaurant. I had the big fish, fries and a vanilla milkshake for $16.85 including tax and tip. Everything was good but the fish sub was huge and I couldn't finish it. We headed back up to Ohiopyle. The grade never exceeds 1 percent so it is easy riding. The weather is cool and breezy with the temperature reaching a high of about 72°. We arrive back in Ohiopyle about 3:00 pm after biking 34.7 miles in 3:40:12 averaging 9.4 miles per hour (mph) reaching a maximum speed of 16.7 mph while climbing and descending 325 feet.

We stop in the restored train station information center which is well stocked and manned with all kinds of information. We meet several members of the Cycling Seniors. On Dick's recommendation, Ron and I stop in the Firefly for a delicious banana milkshake for $4.18. All eight agree to meet at The Stone House for dinner at 6:00 pm. I drove Ron and Dick about 12 miles to The Stone House where we had a Yuengling Lager draught. We moved to the dining room when the other five arrived. I had the day's special of grilled tilapia in a white sauce, rice and mixed vegetables topped off by a light white cake with mixed berries inside. My bill was $26.70 including tax and tip. Everything was very very good and all eight of us agreed to that.

September 26, 2008   Friday   Bike Ohiopyle to Confluence and Back

Again I am up at 6:30 so Ron, Dick and I walk to Fall's Market for breakfast at 7:00. I repeat yesterday's breakfast. It's on TV and everybody is talking about the financial crises and the 700 billion government bailout.

At 9:45 Dick, Ron, Marcie and I head south 11 miles up 125 feet of elevation gain on the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) Trail to Confluence. It is cloudy, cool, threatening and a bit windy. The gravel is poking through the sandstone dust in several areas but is not a problem. They are in the process of restoring the dust layer. We stop at a picture display that describes the reintroduction of river otters that are now thriving. We walk down to the river but have no sightings. The town of Confluence is located at the confluence of Laurel Creek, the Youghiogheny and Casselman Rivers.

We ride around Confluence checking it out. It is a good sized town with most services bikers need. I notice my rear tire is low. After consulting with the committee of fellow riders I decide to pump the tire up since it must be a slow leak. It starts to rain lightly but soon quits before anything gets wet. We stop at Sister's Restaurant and I order a vanilla milkshake and the house special a salmon burger with chips (crisps to you chaps) for $8.11 including tax and tip. It is a pleasant and faster ride back to Ohiopyle arriving about 1:30. We rode 22.4 miles in 2:18:39 averaging 9.6 mph reaching a maximum speed of 16.3 mph climbing and descending 125 feet.

I change out of my biking clothes in the visitor's center men's room. I say goodbye to everyone and retrace my route to Columbia starting about 1:50. The sun is out and it is pleasant until I cross into Maryland and stop for 11.8 gallons of gas for $42.75. It turns cold, windy, rain and fog as I drive through western Maryland. After another 188 miles I arrive in Columbia at 5:00 pm.