Friday, June 3, 2022

Adventure along the way June 3

 No post yesterday because we loaded a UHaul again to avoid the predicted heavy rains, as well as a lot of hills.  I was quite happy to be riding in the van, took no photos, and sat out a rainy afternoon reading in another Holiday Inn Express.

Today’s ride was great fun.  I rode 40 miles into Pittsburgh, with minimal climbing.  Others logged 50 miles and about twice as much climbing as I did.  Nancy and I opted to have Ken drive us at the entrance to to Montour rail trail, cutting out five miles, mostly up very steep hills.  Rolling along the trail was great, but alas, we came to some construction, requiring a detour back on the hilly roads.  The ebikers and Super Stan took off, as I struggled up another 15 percent grade.  At the top, I was off my bike, wondering where everyone was, when a strange voice called my name.  I looked at an old red truck with Nancy was sitting next to the driver.  He had loaded her bike in the back of the truck, and I very happily agreed to put mine in and climb in the truck, too.  He drove us to a spot where we could get back on the trail, and so we missed a few more hills.  The rest of the ride was pretty much downhill to the Monongahela River and the Great Allegheny Passage, known as the GAP trail,  which we will ride down to Cumberland, Maryland.  

Looking down the trail

 Jew from one of the many bridges on the trail

A jeweled spider web

Sign at a tunnel entrance 

Earl, our rescuer, and Nancy hoisting my bike out of his truck.

Pastry selection at Minerva’s, a 99 year old bakery in McKeesport.  I had a wonderful cinnamon sugar pretzel with my lunch and some equally delicious carrot cake after dinner!

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