| The day started out like the last few, cold
and very wet with dew. My tent was wet both inside and out from dew and
condensation, and my rain fly was so wet it was dripping water. Packed up
anyway since nothing was going to dry, and left the campground around 7:00
am. The terrain became more and more rolling as the day wore on, and I
realized how spoiled we've become with the flat riding of the Midwest. The
route was interspersed with farms and small communities, with very few
stretches of open space, which made for a challenge when it came to bathroom
opportunities (no more stepping into a cornfield...). The advantage is that
options to buy food are easier to find, so it balances out on the whole.
Today we crossed into our 11th state,
Pennsylvania. Unfortunately the road we took that connects Ohio and
Pennsylvania does not have a "Welcome to PA" sign, so we couldn't do the
traditional bike-in-the-air picture. Besides, I was riding alone at the
time, so it would have been a difficult maneuver anyway. The challenge of
the climbs was countered by the exhilaration of the descents, and I hit one
of my highest speeds on the trip, over 45 mph. I might have hit 50 if the
road had been smoother, but I decided to exercise a bit of caution.
Checkpoint was in the town of Midland on the Ohio River, not a
distinguishing town except for the two nuclear power plants we passed next
to on our way out of town. Bruce and I took lots of pictures and when passed
by the Pennsylvania State Patrol car we speculated whether or not we'd be
questioned as to the reason for our photos. I don't think we fit the
terrorist profile, a couple of white guys on touring bicycles wearing
matching Wonder Bread jerseys and socks. But you never know...
The last 30 miles or so provided even more
challenge as the rolling hills got closer together, giving us a taste of
what we expect to encounter the next 3 days to Gettysburg. Even with the
conditioning of the past 6 weeks, my legs felt like they weren't up to the
task, but that might be due to the lack of quality recovery time. We'll see
how well I do the next three days; I have a feeling this will be the biggest
test of the summer.
We're staying at another family campground
about 4 miles outside of Washington, PA called Whispering Pines, which to me
sounds like the name of a cemetery. It's a nice place though, and I had a
chance to dry out my tent before setting it up - of course it will be just
as wet tomorrow morning, but such is the routine on the Big Ride. I'm setup
in the shade, a perfect place to work on this page and listen to some music.
Dinner tonight was pizza brought to the campground, and then we just relaxed
until bedtime. |
