We awoke this morning to the pleasant smell of bacon cooking. Debbie made us a wonderful breakfast of bacon, the most delicious eggs we’ve ever had and fresh fruit. We were well nurished for our final day on the trail.
Only 32 miles to Cumberland.
It had rained early in the morning but had cleared by the time we started down the trail.
Pumpkin field with workers filling the wagon.
A short distance out of Meyersdale we were passing small farms. There was a sign that said “Fresh Donuts Today”. We may have been tempted but after our breakfast at Levi Deal Mansion we passed it up.
After a steady uphill pedal we reached the Eastern Continental Divide. It was about 8 miles out of Meyersdale and for the most part the end of our uphill journey.
At the Eastern Continental Divide and high point of the GAP – 2,392 feet.
We had started at an elevation of 712 feet in Pittsburgh and were now at 2,392 feet. Much of the time the elevation gain was seamless – at other times not so much.
Big Savage Tunnel – 3,291 feet long
Big Savage Tunnel was built by Western Maryland Railway and refurbished for bicyclists and hikers in 2003. The tunnel is closed during the winter months to protect it’s inner concrete liner from damage.
Mason Dixon line surveyed between 1763 – 1767 to resolve a dispute between Pennsylvania and Maryland.Borden Tunnel near the state line. There were motion-control lights in the tunnel.
We made it over the Eastern Continental Divide, through the Big Savage Tunnel, across the Mason Dixon Line, through the Borden Tunnel and now only about 17 miles from Cumberland.
Following are some images from our pleasant downhill pedal into Cumberland.
Wester Maryland Scenic Railroad
We arrived in Cumberland with time to spare before our shuttle arrived to return us to Pittsburgh.
The zero mile marker was so sweet to see
The TuTu Girls caught up with us in Cumberland and they convinced Lenny to join their TuTu ranks.
What a good sport!
Our friends were headed for a hotel for the night and a much deserved massage for each of them. They will continue on the C&O Canal Towpath to Washington DC 184 miles away.
We said our goodbyes and wished them safe travels. Hope our paths cross again one day.
A storm came through last night and dropped a good amount of rain. This morning we were pleased to be greeted by sunshine and cooler temperatures.
Leaving Ohiopyle, we traveled through Ohiopyle State Forest along the Youghiogheny River. Leaving the forest we passed through the town of Confluence which occupies peninsulas among the Casselman and Youghiogheny Rivers and Laurel Hill Creek.
Casselman River view
Today was our greatest elevation gain, Ohiopyle at 1,230′ to Meyersdale at 2,106′. We traveled through mostly dense forest and some rolling farmlands. It was a steady climb most of the day. The farms added some welcome variety after so much time in the forest.
Peaceful tree lined trailPickerton High Bridge 543′ long. Looking toward Pickerton Tunnel.849′ long Pickerton Tunnel was the first of many tunnels we will be pedaling through.Some parts of the trail were newly resurfaced. It was a reddish color, granulated and became more compacted with bike travel. The areas not compacted were power robbing. The edges were soft and crumbled under foot.
We caught up with the TuTu Girls in Rockwood. It was picture time again! We discovered that we would all be spending the night at the Levi Deal Mansion in Meyersdale.
They just had to get me into a TuTu!
A couple miles before arriving in Meyersdale we crossed the Salisbury Viaduct, 1,908 feet long.
Views from the Salisbury Viaduct. View from Salisbury Viaduct showing Flight 23 Memorial Highway in upper left hand corner.
Our last night on the trail we stayed at the Levi Deal Mansion. Perfect in every way.
Levi Deal Mansion Bed and Breakfast
It was so beautiful and comfortable at the Levi that we all decided to have dinner delivered. We had lots of laughs and a relaxing evening with our new friends, the TuTu Girls. Debby the owner joined us for a glass of wine.
Weary bikers relaxing on the porch at the end of the day.
We started the morning off with a good breakfast at Bright Morning B&B. We were on the trail about 10:15 AM, pedaled about 2 miles and it started to rain and then it poured.
Trying to stay dry but we were already wet and muddy.
The rain let up some but we traveled the next 8 to 10 miles in a light rain. You can only get so wet.
We stopped in Perryopolis at Sager Mosaics. The Tu, Tu girls told us it was a must see. We really enjoyed seeing the unique mosaic art done by Rachel Sager. She was so gracious and did not mind us being wet and dirt.
Porch at Sager Mosaics.Rachel’s gallery is right on the GAP.
The weather continued to improve and the trail began drying nicely in most places.
Traveling through West Yough we were able to visit the bridge pictured below. By this time the skies were clear and beautiful.
West Yough Transfer Bridge made from ruins of abandoned Warren truss bridge once used by Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad.On the way into Connellsville we passed under this arch which features stained glass from the town’s Youghiogheny Opalescent Glass Factory.Bowest bridge near Connellsville is 747 feet long.This road seemed to go on forever – straight, tree lined and steadily uphill.
There was a section of forest south of Connellsville where trees had been taken down by a storm a couple weeks ago. It looked as though the area had been timbered. The area was several miles long. I can’t imagine the hours it took the trail volunteers to clear the trail. Kudos to them!
A few miles before arriving in Ohiopyle we reached the halfway point of the trail.Ohiopyle High Bridge 663′Views from the Ohiopyle High Bridge
We arrived in Ohiopyle still a bit damp and very dirty. We are staying at the Ohiopyle Suites and they were kind enough to provide towels and water hose to clean our dirty bikes.
We arrived in Pittsburgh yesterday evening and stopped at Point State Park which is the terminus of the GAP trail.
We had decided not to begin our ride here as there is construction and detours which would involve some city street riding. At the tip of the park, the Monongahela and the Allegheny join to form the Ohio River.
Bronze medallion at the tip of the park indicating the western terminus of the Great Allegheny Passage.Also in the park is Fort Pitt Block House. Built in 1746 it is the oldest authenticated structure west of the Allegheny Mountains.
Following are more images taken Point State Park.
Beautiful fountain in the park. The wind blowing the mist was very cooling.Looking toward fountain from downtown Pittsburgh with the confluence of the rivers in the background.
We spent last night at Traveler’s Rest a historic South Side building. It has been refurbished and is now a very welcoming and homey hotel, at mile marker 148 on the GAP trail. Mary Beth was a wonderful hostess and her dog Peabody was a pleasure to meet.
Communal great room at Traveler’s Rest.Kitchen area
We were on the trail at about 10:30 AM. The weather was already really warm and we rode most of the day in 90+ temperatures. Our destination was West Newton, where we had reservations at Bright Morning B&B, 34 miles down the trail.
The Waterfront area is about 9 miles out of Pittsburgh. This is where we passed former sites of 3 steel mills.
Lots of graffiti on the way out of Pittsburgh.Hot medal bridge built in 1901 to carry the iron from the furnaces to the steel mills on the other side of the Monongahela River.
We passed through Homestead site of the 1892 Homestead Lockout and Strike, among the first deadly management- labor disputes in American history.
Until we left McKeesport, known as “Tube City” for it’s production of iron pipes at the National Tube Works, we were on an asphalt trail in a mostly urban setting. It was a relief to get on the very tightly packed gravel which is in excellent shape. Getting into the more rural areas made for some much appreciated SHADE!
We met these wonderful ladies at the Traveler’s Rest last night. They call themselves the Tu Tu, Tu Tu girls.
The Tu Tu, Tu Tu girls are also headed for Cumberland, MD. One of the girls has ridden the GAP 9 times. They had some good advice and were very entertaining.
Our first stop on the trail.Our home for the night, Bright Morning B&B.This is a sculpture made of railroad spikes welded together.
We are at mile marker 114 on the trail. Cumberland is 115 miles down the trail. Tomorrow we head for Ohiopyle which will be a 42 mile pedal. It should be a bit cooler with a 50% chance of showers. That’s a 50% chance of NO showers 🙂
The planning is complete and we will be leaving soon for our Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) adventure.
We have spent many hours the past few months training for this ride. Most of our 1100 training miles have been on the Western Reserve Greenway.
Following are some images of our many days on the trail.
View from Rock Creek Trestle Heading south to WarrenOld tractor hidden in woodsMany trees across trail after a storm.Lots of wonderful shadeMany beautiful farms Maple Highlands Trail – Middlefield, OHMiddlefield, Ohio
Our GAP journey begins in Pittsburgh and ends in Cumberland, MD. We will spend four days riding the 150 mile trail, staying at B&B’s along the way.
I plan on updating our blog daily if wifi is available.
We began our Alaska 100 while in Seward and completed our rides while in Fairbanks.
Ready to start our Alaska miles. Riding our 49th state in the 49th state.
Our first ride in Fairbanks was on Fort Wainwright. We made an ice cream run and a tour of the post with Erik, Paul and Martha.
Ice Cream Ride
Paul, Diana, Martha and Lenny on an ice cream ride.Ahhh… the ice cream store.
Birch Hill Ski Area
Our next ride began at the Birch Hill Ski Area. This was a fun ride with beautiful views from Birch Hill all while still on post.
Got bikes?The whole gang is ready to ride. Paul, Helena, Erik, Inga and Diana. Note the kids are in shorts and T’s while I probably added a down vest. Long down hill and long up hill – on post near ski area.Near Birch Hill Ski AreaPaul, Helena and Inga patiently waiting for us to catch up.Lenny and Erik near Birch Hill.
Chena Lakes State Recreation Area
What an awesome ride for Paul and Martha. We rode 18.5 miles, which was the longest distance they had ever ridden. We are so blessed to be able to share this Alaska 100 with them.
Start of our ride at Chena Lakes State Recreation Area. Moose Creek Dam behind us.Erik and Martha riding on Moose Creek Dam.
Moose Creek Dam is part of the Chena River Lakes Flood Control Project which was built following the August 1967 Fairbanks Flood.
Coming down from dam into flood plane. Took gravel roads thru woods past lakes and ended at Chena River.Paul hiking his bike up onto dam. We found an easier way down.Lupine along trailI really like Alaska’s reminder for keeping kids safe around water. KIDS DON’T FLOAT!!Martha half through our 18.5 mile ride.Lenny, Paul, Erik and Martha near Chena River
Badger Road Bike Trail
Six of us riding on a cloudy day hoping to avoid the rain. Erik and the kids are determined to see we reach our 100 mile mark.
Banking those miles.Helena and IngaPaul kept things interesting taking the dirt path/ditch alongside the asphalt path.
Chena Lakes State Recreation Area
We returned to Chena Lakes to complete our 100 Alaska miles. There were many new areas for us to explore.
Big pile of bikes – ready for our final ride to reach 100 miles in Alaska.Inga and I putting in miles on our final day of riding.Inga, Helena, Erik, Paul and Lenny – Chena Lakes State Recreation AreaInga loves riding hands free.Life is good!! Only 1.5 miles to reach out Alaska 100.Thanks to Erik and our wonderful grandchildren we completed our Alaska 100. Martha was missing from the above picture. She road many of the 100miles with us.
Friday August 6th, Heather, Inga, Helena, Martha and I boarded the Alaska Railroad Coastal Classic for a 4 hour trip to Anchorage.
We traveled thru the Kenai Mountains viewing glaciers, beautiful forests and remote lakes. This was an unforgettable experience. We were able to just sit and enjoy this spectacular wilderness from our large picture windows.
Trail GlacierMore Trail GlacierGoing around curves we could see the engine.Majestic views around every bend
The conductor would slow down when there was something of interest to view. A narrator alerted passengers of moose, eagles, osprey and Dall sheep sightings
Spencer Glacier
Heading into Anchorage we had the Chugach Mountains on one side and the Kenai Mountains on the other.
Coastal Classic travels from Seward to Anchorage. The Denali Star travels from Anchorage to Fairbanks.
We arrived in Anchorage shortly after 10 PM. Our hotel, Anchorage Grand Hotel, was only a short walk from the train station. After a good nights sleep we were at the train depot at 7:15 AM to take the Denali Star to Fairbanks.
Erik, Lenny and Paul left Seward at 6 AM for the drive to Fairbanks. They would be taking the Seward Hwy to Anchorage and then the Glenn Hwy to Fairbanks. Our routes would intersect at several points.
Our 12 hour journey to Fairbanks took us through the Chugach Mountains near Anchorage, the Talkeetna Mountains and finally the Alaska Range in the Denali National Forest.We stopped in Talkeetna to unload passengers. It is the point from which most Denali climbing and flightseeing expeditions depart.
Erik, Lenny and Paul were in Talkeetna when we arrived. Guess where they were?
A bike shop, of course.North Shore Cyclery – we saw the guys waving at the train from here.Nenana River gorge near DenaliNenana RiverOur train car had a dome and the views were awesome.View from dome looking towards back of train. The low clouds made viewing Denali impossible.Bridge over Nenana River gorge. Our train passed below the bridge. The guys crossed the gorge on this bridge.
Once again the narrators were great at informing passengers when there was something of note to observe. There were sightings of moose, eagles, osprey and trumpeter swans.
Our arrival in Fairbanks. What an incredible journey. Alaska is, big and beautiful and we were blessed to see it’s magnificent beauty. God’s handiwork!!
We arrived in Anchorage on Monday August 2nd about 4:30pm. The views from the plane were beautiful.
View heading into Anchorage.
Erik, Inga and Paul met us at the airport to take us to Seward. Getting hugs from all of them was the best Alaska welcome! Seward is located at the northern end of Resurrection Bay a fjord in the Gulf of Alaska.
We stopped to look for Beluga whales along the Seward Highway en route to Seward.
Heather, Helena and Martha were waiting for us in Seward at the Mt. Marathon View rentals. We had another wonderful welcome to Alaska.
We stayed just a short walk from the small boat harbor and the mouth of the river where Erik and Paul went fishing.
Small boat harbor in Seward.
We spent 4 wonderful days in beautiful Seward. Every day was filled with new adventures – fishing, beachcombing, boat tour of Resurrection Bay, watching the fishing boats return to port in the evening, biking and more.
Erik with his King Salmon.Paul and Martha fishing.Erik cleaning his King Salmon with an audience.Paul helping to clean a silver salmon.
We took an exciting and informative Kenai Fjords Wildlife tour with a stop on Fox Island for lunch.
Beach on Fox Island – lots of heart shaped rocks for skipping. Erik, Heather, Inga, Helena and Paul and Martha.Our tour boat docked at Fox Island pier.Helena, Inga and Martha on wildlife tour.We saw puffins, eagles, mountain goats, a humpback whale, sea otters and sea lions as seen in picture.Martha became a Kenai National Park Jr Ranger.
The fishing boats would begin to come into the docks about 4:30 pm. We would would walk along the docks to see the huge number of halibut and salmon that had been caught.
Salmon on top and halibut on bottomHugh halibut weighed in at 85 pounds.
We rented bikes at Seward Bike Shop which is housed in an old train car. Lenny and I had fun riding the bike path along Resurrection Bay out to Lowell Point.
Ready to start our Alaska miles. Riding our 49th state in the 49th state.View of Resurrection Bay from bike bath. Pilings are what remain of docks after 1964 Good Friday tsunami. Dog sled at 0 mile marker of Historic Iditarod Trail. Long before the Iditarod was an international dog sled race it was a 2300 mile trail that began in Seward.
We went to Lowell Point at low tide beachcombing. Heather found a starfish, Paul searched for crabs. There was some beach glass to be found also.
Low tide at Lowell point – at high tide only the top of this rock is visible.Paul loved finding crabs under rocks at low tide on the beach at Lowell Point.Heather and girls at Lowell Point.Heather found this starfish on the beach. After a little”show and tell” she returned it to the water.Forest near Lowell Point
Olympic swimmer Lydia Jacoby, a Seward resident, won a gold and silver medal in Tokyo. She is the first Alaskan to win a gold medal in swimming. The town oganized a parade to celebrate her return from Tokyo.
Parade for olympic swimmer Lydia Jacoby Erik, Heather and family – flag flying in celebration of olympic swimmer Lydia Jacoby.
We spent a few hours one afternoon visiting the Alaska Sealife Center. We all enjoyed seeing the puffins fly under the water. There was a tide pool with every color and size of starfish imaginable.
Juvenile Puffin at Alaska Sealife Center, his name was Hans and he was very curious and loved being near people.Alaska Sealife Center – tide poolMoon starfish – while on Fox Island we saw a “smack”, which is a large group of thousands of starfish.There was even a skateboard park. Martha and Paul show off their skills.Fire weed gets it’s name because it is the first plant to grow after a fire. Erik and Inga climbed Mt. Marathon.
We loved Seward. The best part was having Erik, Heather and the kids sharing “their Alaska” with us.
We left Seward by train on Friday August 6th. More adventures to follow.
We didn’t suffer enough yesterday so we got back on the Down East Sunshine Trail again today. However the trail in the area near Cherryville was a bit friendlier to us. Our Salsa gravel bikes didn’t seem to notice the difference they just kept grinding.
Cherryville is the self proclaimed “Wild Blueberry Capitol of the World”. They say the fog and sandy soil is perfect for growing blueberries.
The trail wasn’t as scenic as yesterday but was pleasant riding through pine forests.
We crossed the Narragusgus River not too far out of Cherryville. It was the color of rusted iron.Narragusgus RiverWetland area – still many wild flowers in bloom.Wetlands
We are both worn out so decided to take a couple days to rest before we finish our Maine miles. We are spending a couple nights at Sunset Point Campground in Harrington, ME. It is a gorgeous place right on the water.
View from our campsite at Sunset Point.Beautiful sunset from campground
