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Ohio Transcontinental Bike Trip

Seeing the Halls

Ken and Clare Hall, my brother-in-law and his wife, have been an integral part of my life for a long time. And not only are they family, they’re close friends as well. One of those nice twists of fate that has you actually liking the people you are related to.

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Ohio Transcontinental Bike Trip

Changing Plans

Ever since we left New York, crossing the Appalachian Mountains had been a big milestone. We knew the range had nothing like the height or reputation of its western siblings, but this gnarly, weatherbeaten series of ridges was intimidating. And while we only nudged 3000 feet a couple of times, that intimidation was richly deserved. Finally, when we crossed the Ohio River this morning at Wheeling, WV, and entered Ohio, that milestone had been accomplished.

But the very day that the one objective had been accomplished, another was proving impossible. It had finally sunk in, that while we made it from New York to Ohio in 16 days, we just weren’t going to make it to California in the four weeks we had left. The solution seemed obvious.

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Pennslyvania Transcontinental Bike Trip

The 500th-Mile Day

The lightening flashed and the thunder boomed. There was still some space between the two, and it wasn’t raining yet, so we kept on moving. Then the wind started blowing. In the lee of the houses there was a false sense of security, but when we came to the cross-streets, the gusts carried dust, sand and leaves sideways. Its strength made handling our overloaded bikes challenging. We finally stopped when trash can lids and other debris were blowing across the street in front of us, and there was less than 5 seconds between lightening and thunder. Then the rain came.

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Pennslyvania Transcontinental Bike Trip

Down Day in Bedford

Bedford, Pennsylvania rings a bell with me, but I can’t figure out why. Maybe it’s the hometown of some sports figure or movie star or just possibly something famous happened here. So far I haven’t had the energy to Google it.
– We’re spending a quiet Sunday here because I have some, ahem, groin distress. I believe the term is chaffing. All told I’ve been in the saddle 12 days without a break, and as a result, my “tropical” area is beginning to feel the “heat.”

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Pennslyvania Transcontinental Bike Trip

Shanksville, PA

Shanksville wasn’t our destination, nor were we even planning to go by it, but on a beautiful September afternoon there it was. The sign on PA State Highway 31 said the town and the United Airlines Flight 93 memorial was four miles to our right.

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Maryland Transcontinental Bike Trip

Well It Seemed Like a Good Idea

Yesterday’s rain was over, our clothes were dry and the bikes oiled. We were all set for our first real mountain day of the trip.

We left tiny Hancock, MD and its intermittant internet for what we had been told was the metropolis of Cumberland and its relative urbane charm, a mere 40 miles down the road.

We gained a lot of elevation during the first five miles only to lose much or all of it moments later. Five hundred feet up, four ninety five down. In the hiking world such maneuvers are called PUDS or “pointless ups and downs.” After numerous repetitions we were already sick of it.

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Maryland Pennslyvania Transcontinental Bike Trip

Today’s Problem

It would seem, given our recent experiences, that biking flat-free from Gettysburg, PA to Hagerstown, MD on the most flawless day of our trip would be sheer bliss. Right? Wrong.

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Pennslyvania Transcontinental Bike Trip

Tubes, Gum and Gettysburg

York, PA had been a nice place. Friendly natives, a clean motel, plus a convenient bike shop only three miles from our abode. And we had needed it. Poor Mike was on his third flat in as many days, and he badly needed two new tires.

“You guys really biking to California?” the bike owner asked after seeing our ID as he rung up the tires.

“Not necessarily, just as far as we can get in six weeks,” Mike responded.

“Well you won’t be having any more tire trouble.”

“That’s the way we’d like it.”

Less than a day later, halfway to Gettysburg, my phone rang.

“I just had another $#@%& flat,” Mike angrily yelled in the phone.

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Pennslyvania Transcontinental Bike Trip

Rain, the Amish and Lancaster County

On Sunday we thought we we’d take it easy. We’d meander 25 miles through Lancaster County, PA, ground zero of Amish Country, along a route from Morgantown over to the city of Lancaster. Then we ran into the rain.

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Pennslyvania Transcontinental Bike Trip

Lube Job at Valley Forge

Before we left California, the REI guy that alerted us to the special bike shipping deal, also whispered to us, “don’t leave home without ‘Chamois Glide.'” This product which comes in a deodorant bar-sized container, advertises itself as a: ‘no mess, invisible, saddle-sore-stopper.’ Both Mike and I bought bars, shipped them off to New York with the bikes and thought no more about it. Turns out our friend’s advice was sound.