If only I had a dollar for every adventure I wish I could go on, my mind alway inundated with sketches of forrays into exotic locals: hikes in the Inca, ski trips out west and beyond, trail blazing on a mountain bike in Africa. All the while gems languish a stone throw from my reality, year after year I see people run these same rivers that flow through my backyard carving out the Appalachian mountain range, I see families, the old, young, novice and experienced ride the C&O and Great Alleghany Pass… This year I choose to stay local …
Ron, Brian, Mandela, Jimmy… The Fantastic Four
Three friends and I shuttles to Pittsburgh and rode approx 150 miles back home (Cumberland). Feasting like kings and sleeping like fins.
Thanks to my disdain for long winded narratives of especially uneventful and long rides reports, enjoy the pics and commentary of the trip.
Giant TCX, burrowed panniers,Rei Dome tent(used not once hence just extra weight). Total setup weight= I didn’t really care … heavy.
CSX train in Cumberland, got to know these guys intimately on this trip. They ran about every 15mins in Connelsville PA.
Ron and I enroute to shuttle at Canal place … departure time 8:00am, time of picture 8:07am
hour and a half ride to Pittsburgh with 15mins stop at Starbucks in Somerset
Lunch before wheels up at the Irish pub on South Street.
Shepards stew, not the lightest mean pre 65mile ride
Hot Metal bridge back downtown Pittsburgh to Mile 0
Rocking the Stunner Shades on this trip
Brian, Jimmy, Ron and yours truly.
the Yellow Panniers on Brian’s bike was the star of the trip… brightened my day whenever i looked at it
Heading out if Pittsburgh… Now the adventure really begins
The Round House
First Flat
Mckeesport … here we come
maintaining a 15-17mph speed…we paid for it later
the bugs at this location were vicious, that dude had just ridden from VA and if he noticed the bugs he did not show it. it took all i had to stand still and take this pic
we ditched the campsite at Adalade, wss not the greatest setup, no Trees for the Hamicks and more importantly, no restaurants… rode 3 miles to Cornelville, ditched the El anelis too for Italian Oven… great call
We washed off in the river, some washing more than others and retreated to the lean too at the entrance to town to setup camp for the night. Total: 65ish miles, 6ish hours, no bike computers on this trip
Motel 6 setup for me and Brian. slept a total of 45mins, I was so uncomfortable
the Ritz Carlton for Ron snd Jimmy, their snores meant they slept well despite what they say
Day 2: we had a really loose plan to ride as far as we felt like, there was a chance we would spend the night at Meyersdale but I think we all knew if we got that close to home, we were going the whole way.
ready to roll.
connelsville cabos… duh right? 🙂
heading to breakfast 24miles away at Ohiopyle
bridge across the Yough River. I can smell breakfast
FINALLY…
dont you just love that jersey and the African team even more… i do!
The canopy was beautiful… this stretch would be amazing in the Fall
we will be going downhill in about 10 miles
we smell home… dinner at crabby pigs here we come
museam at Meyersdale Train station
Into the savage tunnel
Cobbled streets of Cumberland… Home alas/at last.
Trail notes: the only way you could take this many pictures is when the trail is going uphill most of the time. I welcomed the opportunity to slow down and shoot, when going downhill, I didn’t get a single picture. I
I think two days and one night is perfect for this lenght, I would however go up to Pittsburgh the night before or head out much earlier on the first day. We did not start riding till 1:30… That’s pretty late even for Ron.
All in all, an excellent trip, personalities and abilities were complimentary and a great time was had by all. Now to the next adventure, thanks for stopping by.
