GAP / C&O Ride II, 9/7/15, Ohiopyle

Today was all about the climb out of Cumberland.  I'd been anticipating it since I decided to make the ride again. And I'd certainly been concerned about it since the ride began. 

Knowing that I had the 21-mile climb from Cumberland to Mt. Savage / Eastern Continental Divide, I opened the hotel breakfast at 6:30.  It was probably the best breakfast ever to be included with the price of a room (maybe excluding Embassy Suites).   The Cumberland Ramada was a bit outdated but everyone was very accommodating to cyclists. 

I hit the trail and left Cumberland at 7:00 at mile marker 0. 

Since it wasn't a race, no one was with me, no one was watching and frankly no one else cared, why should I rush up the mountain?

Passing bones is one of the early reference points on the ways up. 

I broke up the 21 miles. Pedal 7.5 miles per hour for five miles then stop, get off the bike, drink, stretch and enjoy the view. 

 Repeat at 10 miles. 

Do the same at 15 miles which is a good stopping point at Frostburg.

Now with only six miles remaining it was doable.  The neat thing is that the top is so pretty.  There are wonderful views, the Mason Dixon line, windmills and the Big Savage tunnel followed by the Eastern Continental Divide.  

Mason /Dixon line

Windmills

Views from 2300 feet 

As I got back on my bike to continue to the Big Savage Tunnel and downhill to Pittsburgh a father and young son rode up from the opposite direction. It was around 10:00 am and the kid turned to his dad upon looking around and said, "You did not oversell it."

The Big Savage Tunnel is cool inside even on a 90 degree day. 

Upon exiting it's a short ride to the Eastern Continental Divide and a photo opp. 

The best thing about coming over the mountain is fantastic downhill riding right into Meyersdale and lunch at Sheetz. 

Passing through Rockwood, PA

The Pinkerton Tunnel is still being renovated and requires a two mile detour. 

Gorgeous riding along the Casselman River. 

On to Confluence (the intersection of the Casselman and Youghiogheny Rivers). 

Staying on track for the Great Allegheny Passage. 

10 miles to the day's stopping point. 

Ohiopyle was very busy on Labor Day. 

This might have been the least of the hotels. It was an old style motel. 

The section of the GAP from Meyersdale to Ohiopyle is just beautiful.  It was a fantastic day. (Although there wasn't any wifi at the 1970s era motel thus this posting is a bit delayed.)

GAP / C&O Ride II, 9/6/15, Cumberland

Staying at a B&B can be fun or annoying. There's a certain expectation that you're going to converse with others at breakfast.   The B&B, Riverrun, was just a few feet from the trail and developed specifically for use as a B&B for cyclists using the Towpath.   Thus, the arrangements work out well for all as the owners, Susan and Sinclair, prefer a B&B where the guests are not staying up talking all night and the cyclists are usually tired and need to get to bed in order to start out in the morning. 

My breakfast companions were a couple from DC who had driven up to and parked in Cumberland and were then riding to DC over three days.   Another DC couple, Dave and Allison, had driven to Hancock and were spending some time just riding the Towpath.  Breakfast was extremely pleasant since we all had bike stories to share.  And to top it off, Susan served veggie sausage. 

The paved Western Maryland Rail Trail runs parallel to the Towpath for 20 miles and I gladly rode it as far west as I could in order to reduce the time on the dirt. 

But the WMRT does end and so it was back on the Towpath on the way to the terminus in Cumberland. 

There were many locals enjoying the Potomac on Labor Day weekend near the Little Orleans mile marker. 

I attempted to take many photos of turtles. They love to sun on rocks and branches above the water. However, they are very skittish and always jump in when I stop to snap a photo.  This turtle was definitely the largest one I'd seen on the trip and was big enough to not care about me. 

On my last trip I went through the Paw Paw tunnel with no one else around. On the holiday weekend, however, there were many local families taking their kids through.   It was weirdly busy. 

The approach to the Paw Paw Tunnel...

And the exit...

And the history...

It was now lunch time and a few locals told me to stop at the town of Paw Paw in just a few miles. Well somehow I missed it and ended up with a late lunch at Oldtown near lock number 70 (the breadth of the endeavor of the canal is still amazing to me). 

As I left the Towpath and headed towards the town I checked my phone and had five bars. I pulled up Yelp to decide on a location, the first spot was .2 miles and the next was 11.  That was easy.  Lunch was at a converted school cafeteria. 

The last high school graduating class in 2000 had 20 students.  

With vegetarian choices sorely lacking, my sandwich and fries could have been a school lunch. 

I don't know what type of bird this was but it stayed absolutely still while hunting lunch. 

Since lunch was later than planned I didn't have a long afternoon of riding before I reached Cumberland where I'd stay for the night. 

This is where the canal ends after 185 miles. 

Tonight's stay is a fairly non-descript Ramada that is bike friendly. 

Earlier in the ride today I noticed the telltale bottom bracket creaking on my bike.  I hoped that it would go away but it only got louder as I approached Cumberland.  Tomorrow is a 75 mile ride that begins with a 21 mile climb out of Cumberland from 605 feet above sea level to 2392 feet. (It's long but not steep as trains took the route and can only ascend at a maximum grade.).  I was concerned that I might have trouble with the bottom bracket as I'd be exerting quite a bit of pressure to climb the mountain. After I checked in to the hotel I called the local Cumberland bike shop, Cumberland Trail Connection, that was open on a Sunday at 4:30 and he told me to bring it right in.  The bike mechanic listened to the problem, put the bike on the stand and tightened the bottom bracket. The creak was mostly gone but then he tightened the seat stem and the handlebar stem.  Voila...no more creak.  And for this emergency service, he charged me $12.  I told him how much I appreciated him taking me in so quickly and for alleviating any concerns as I rode tomorrow.  I left the shop thinking that the world is going to be OK. 

I had dinner at Uncle Jack's Pizza.  I made a mistake in getting the 10" NY pizza instead of the 14" as I burn lots of calories on these rides.  The Guinness was good but it took a bit to get past the Bud Light logo.