My Bike Trip - Connellsville to Confluence

Today was cool in the morning and hot and humid midday, as usual. Some thunder later in the afternoon, but only a brief period of rain.

I got another treat at the Cobblestone hotel this morning. While having my breakfast on the rear patio, watching the river and listening to the birds, an Amtrak train went by! Certifiably heavenly.  Also, while on the bike trip, I think I've seen a couple of Cardinals and an Indigo Bunting.

I left Connellsville this morning at about 7:30 AM and got to Confluence PA at about 12:30. On the way, I stopped for a while in Ohiopyle, to see some falls and get an ice cream.

Here is the Hanna House. They have a friendly kitty here named Schookins...

And the second biggest bathtub I’ve ever seen!

I crossed some nice railroad bridges, and there is rafting on the river...

You also see a lot falling water along the the trail...

My Bike Trip - Smithton to Connellsville PA

Today I left Adele's at about 9 AM and got to Connellsville about noon. It was a short leg. The Cobblestone is quite nice, but it’s a more modern hotel, like a Marriot Courtyard. Quaint it ain’t. But the back porch has a wonderful sitting area next to the river, and is very very pleasant. I walked around the town a little bit, visited the local Carnegie library, and got something to eat. But mostly just taking it easy in the hotel’s rear patio, reading and watching the river go by.

Here is a swell old Pittsburgh & Lake Erie RR station in town...

Here is the hotel, and the view from the rear...

And here is another view from the back patio, with a train going by on the opposite shore! So far this evening, I’ve watched three go by. Conclusive evidence I’ve died and somehow made it to heaven...

My Bike Trip - Pittsburgh to Smithton PA

This is the first day of the actual bike trip! I took a bus part way, and then walked, to the bike rental location, The bus was free (for senior citizens!)  I got set up and headed out about 8:55 am.

It was cool-ish, and rained a bit, but then got sunny and humid. I was happy to get to Adele’s B&B in Smithton and take a shower!  

 The ride took longer than I expected, but I stopped a lot to take pictures along the way and to kibitz with locals and other trail riders. One couple I met is on a bike trip from Wash DC to Eugene Oregon!    His blog is at Trans Am Western Express.

The trail crosses a couple nifty RR bridges on this leg. Below is the “Hot Metal Bridge”. The lady in the picture said it was ok for me to take the photo with her in it, but I would have to include that she uses this part of the path to get to work

Here is the last view of Pittsburgh, from the Hot Metal Bridge.

Here is a typical beautiful scene along the path. The greens are the greenest green on the GAP!

Another bridge on the path, near Duquense...

My Bike Trip - Touring Pittsburgh

My read for the bike trip is called “As I Saw It” by Laura Schriner. She is someone I used to work with. It's about growing up with her blind parents, and it's a pretty amazing book.

It's about 9 PM as I write this, warm and balmy and the sun is just setting.

Today I took a tour of the city in a double-decker bus, with knowledgeable and entertaining tour guides, similar to the “trolley tours” we have in San Diego.  Very interesting, with history of the city and information about the historical buildings. I learned that senior citizens can use buses and the light rail system for free.

I also learned that the hill above where I am staying has lots of stairs that go up to the houses is at the top. After the tour I found one that had been tiled with a picture, and I climbed it to the top. A lot of college students live up there because the rents are a little less expensive.

Here are photos of the stairs with the tiled picture, and also photos from halfway up and from the top.

My Bike Trip - Biking Around Pittsburgh

Here is a picture if the Morning Glory Inn...

Today I did some sightseeing around Pittsburgh.  I rented a bike for the day from Golden Triangle, and they took care of some things in preparation for the trip.

There are a lot of trails around Pittsburgh. I rode one around Pt. State Park where the three rivers here come together; down the North Shore to Sharpsburg; and back and down the South Shore along the start of the GAP trail for a while. Along the way I saw the Pirates and the Steeler stadiums.

I also saw a family of geese going along the trail, and lots of other birds.

There were a lot of trains going along the rivers and across bridges.  It really is great here in Pittsburgh - Roads and train tracks stacked on top of each other up the steep hills, with neat old homes and other structures going up and down the hillsides, and bridges and old industrial brick buildings everywhere.

Here is a view of downtown Pittsburgh from the Fort Pitt bridge...

Hrre is the big clock I see from the window in my room, during the day, and lit up at night...

My Bike Trip - Arrival in Pittsburgh

Arrived in Pittsburgh. The Southwest flights were very nice.  My read for the airplane flights is All Things Bright and Beautiful by James Herriot. His books are really wonderful.

From the airport, I took a bus downtown and walked to the Morning Glory Inn, which took about 45 minutes. 

The Inn is very cutesy, just like I expected and was hoping for. I’ll be staying at a bunch of cutesy places during this trip. Below are a couple of photos, one of Pittsburgh from the bridge I walked across, and some of the Inn.

My Bike Trip - Itinerary

Here is the itinerary for the bike trip...

Monday, May 20:  Fly to Pittsburgh PA.  Lodge at the Morning Glory Inn.

Tuesday, May 21:  Visit Pittsburgh.  Check out the bike shop.

Wednesday, May 22:  Visit Pittsburgh.

Thursday, May 23:  Day 1 of bike ride, Pittsburgh to Smithton PA (42 mi).
Lodge at Adele's B&B.

Friday, May 24:  Day 2, Smithton to Connellsville, PA (19 mi).
Lodge at the Cobblestone Hotel.

Saturday, May 25:  Day 3, Connellsville to Confluence, PA (30 mi).
Lodge at the Hanna House.

Sunday, May 26:  Day 4, Confluence to Meyersdale, PA (28 mi).
Lodge at the Morguen Tool company.

Monday, May 27:  Day 5, Meyersdale to Cumberland, MD (33 mi).
The trail summit is on this leg!  Lodge at the Inn on Decatur.

Tuesday, May 28:  Day 6, Cumberland to Little Orleans, MD (44 mi).
Lodge at Town Hill B&B.

Wednesday, May 29:  Day 7, Little Orleans to Williamsport, MD (44 mi).
Lodge at Bay Farms B&B.

Thursday, May 30:  Day 8, Williamsport to Harper's Ferry, MD (40 mi).
Lodge at Stonehouse.

Friday, May 31:  Day 9, Harpers Ferry to Leesburg, VA (28 mi).
Lodge at the Leesburg Colonial Inn.

Saturday, June 1:  Day 10, Leesburg to L'Enfant Plaza in Wash DC (40 mi).
Drop off the bike, and stay with Mark and Karen.

Sunday, June 2:  Perhaps visit the B&O Museum.

Monday, June 3:  Fly home.