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Friday, June 18 - Sunday, June 20th.
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Entering West Virginia
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Friday, June 18th
The Long and Winding Road
The experience on the 4 lane coming in Winchester resulted
in a
modification of routes.... Brian decided it was best to scramble
up a
few tough 2 lane roads used by logging trucks and then head over
to the
Tough Bike Path rather than risk going on the scary 4 lane again.
Dropping him at the designated spot evoked fear as I witnessed
the
enormity of these trucks. I have to admit my prejudice against
the
drivers of these moving, multi-ton machines, not knowing how these
burly, red-necked truck drivers would react to my gentle husband
and his
skinny metal bicycle sharing the steep and winding road. Let's
just say
I viewed it as "heavy metal" vs. a classical flutist.
To alleviate my fears, I drove up and back on this road, flashing
my
lights to upcoming traffic in an attempt to slow them down, as
I
leap-frogged Brian over and over. With every turn and bend in
the road
a wave of panic smacked one side of my cheek and then the other.
I
thought about the spouses of police, fire and military personnel
who
must feel like this every work day of their lives.
Relief came when he entered another bike path, the Tough Path,
which
incidentally spans from DC to our destination of Cumberland, MD.
(We
would take this route next time, even though it is a longer route
by 6o
miles, a full day.)
Since I arrived in Cumberland earlier than Brian, I hopped
on the trial
with the mountain bike and met him about 10 miles in. What a scenic
path...flanked by the river and a tree lined canal.
There is a movement underway to extend this path to Pittsburgh
and
coincidentally enough, there was a rally scheduled in Cumberland
the day
after we left. Brian and I dreamed of a path across the country.
At the end of the ride, at the terminal point of the trail,
we were
discussing the route to our home for the evening, you guessed
it,
Wal-Mart. Just then, a UPS man arrived on bicycle, en route to
his
home. Who better to help direct us? In addition to offering
directions, encouragement and accolades, he informed us about
MREs,
Military Rations, packed with 4000 calories a piece (about 3 times
as
many calories as Brian's typical Happy Meal). And he pointed out
the
office of the local newspaper to inform them of our journey, which
we
promptly did after snapping a photo and saying farewell to our
new and
informative friend, Van Guize, the UPS man who delivered a whole
bunch
of great stuff to us.
What Goes Up Slowly Must Come Down Quickly.-Spinning wheels
got to go
'round
Saturday June 19
After yet another restful night in the parking lot of the local
Wal-Mart, we awoke to full sun and a cool 50-degree morning. Brian
headed for the hills, so to speak, and I attempted to load up
on some
"fuel" at the grocery.
Brian mentally prepared for the grueling day ahead after reading
about
the steep grades in the American Lung Association Ride across
America
Map Book. But reading about the mountains and scaling the mountains
are
two different animals. His perseverance, patience and stamina
paid off,
as he attacked those hills, some with grades of 9%. It was amazing
enough to drive those hills in the RV, in 2nd gear, mind you.
To
balance the uphill battle, the downhill portion generated speeds
of 41.7
miles maximum...on the bicycle that is! This was a personal fastest
for
Brian.
Once again Brian arrived at the campsite before me! Between
grocery
shopping, looking for an Internet connection and getting lost,
I
continue to lag behind him and his strong pedal power.
We are in Ohiopyle, PA, home to a playground for kayakers and
bikers
alike. For the cultural crowd, it is home to Frank Lloyd Wright's
Falling Waters...the first stop on our itinerary for Sunday.
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At Frank Lloyd Wright's "Falling Waters" House |
A great view Frank Lloyd Wright's House |
Sunday, June 20th
After a hearty breakfast, Brian immediately slunked back to
bed and
pulled the covers over his head, which exposed his bare feet.
After I
snapped the photo, he announced I should go ahead and attach a
tag to
his toe. Guess he is feeling quite dead after pushing so hard
the last
few days.
We know we'll enjoy this relaxing off day.
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