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 The Eastern Continental Divide Waking up to a hard drizzle or maybe rain, I went to eat breakfast at the Sweetie Bakery next to the pizza place I got dinner with the night before. Buying some donuts and a bagel with cream cheese I checked my email and hoped the rain would stop. The rain eased up and was only something between a mist and a drizzle when I headed back out.
Before Meyersdale, was one of the big things on the trail today: the 1908 foot long Salisbury Viaduct. So not to lose elevation, the railroad made a big bridge to cross over a valley. The bridge is narrow — one track wide — which makes it seem even higher than it is. It looks too be about 100 feet off the ground (but probably only 60 or so) and only about 10 feet wide. Continue reading Day 78: Confluence, PA to Cumberland, MD (November 15)
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 Campground near West Newton, PA on the GAP Trail There was a light drizzle leaving in the morning. Not cold but a little chill to start.
The surface of the trail is compacted chip stone. Due to the rain last night it seems a couple miles an hour slower than yesterday when dry. Still able to go about 10 mph. There are also a lot of wet leaves on the trail but they seem pretty stable and I haven’t felt any slipping.
There are little towns every five to ten miles along the route. Most have a look they were started 100 years or so ago when this corridor was heavily used judging by the style of houses. Continue reading Day 77: West Newton to Confluence, PA (November 14)
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 Bridge over the Youghiogheny River in West Newton, PA I picked up a trail (Three Rivers Heritage Trail) downtown behind the PNC bank building. Being a Sunday there were a bunch of other cyclists on the trail — most on nice road bikes.
The downtown and riverside seems to be having a bit of a renaissance. The Carnegie Mellon center for studying media technology is there. Seeing the building reminded me of Randy Pausch who taught there, and his lecture on fulfilling your childhood dreams. I guess riding cross country was not one of my childhood dreams, but has been something I have wanted to do for a number of years. In a few days I will have fulfilled that dream. So what is next? Not sure, but I will think of something. Continue reading Day 76: Pittsburgh to West Newton, PA (November 13)
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 My bicycle waiting to be transferred to a new bus to Pittsburgh Waking up, I had a fear, “What if I can’t get on Greyhound?” I’d bought the fully refundable fare so I could travel anytime plus could get a refund.
So I started trying to think of what to do if Greyhound didn’t work. As so often is the case in the USA, Amtrak was not an option. A one-way rental car is now only possible airport to airport so I’d have to get to Lexington, KY which is about 50 miles from Berea. A day’s work. Plus the rental companies now charge about $200 as a fee for one way rentals. So I was going to have to spend $350 to rent a car from Lexington to Pittsburgh. Then I realized there is still a company that gives a one way rental: UHaul. I could rent a ten foot box truck from Berea to Pittsburgh for $350 and unlike the car rental I could take up to three days to get there. Expensive option but an option. Continue reading Day 75: Berea, KY to Pittsburgh, PA by Greyhound Bus (November 12)
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