11.30.2010
old post 5
Woke up in another hotel room, man the camping thing went out the door quickly. Went down, Continental Breakfast, and up to the room to pack up the bikes. As we start packing, Jason has 2 flat tires, we have 2 tubes and no patch kits. Awesome. Jason fixes the flats and downstairs we go, into the van and back across the ferry to the trail. We have a short day on the bikes, but we have a time frame that we have to meet, the train leaves at 4, and we have to be on it. The trail is the worst we have ridden on. There is new loose gravel that has the consistency of wet cement, and it goes on for miles. I think we were averaging about 8mph right about now. On the other hand, the scenery was amazing. It was going between fog and mist, but the views were the best since we left Pennsylvania. The trail had some cool historical programs going on, but we had a time schedule. We got into DC around noon. The end of the trail isn't well marked, we had no idea where it ended, but we followed a trail to the street. Now we had to find the Mall. A few little detours and we were ripping it pass the Lincoln and Washington Monuments. Union Station was the goal, and when we got there, I skidded right in the door. Navigating Amtrak was a long drawn out process, but 2 hours later, our bikes and gear were packed, our clothes changed and we were eating pizza waiting for the train to leave. The train ride home was fun, we got to see some of the areas we rode on and by, including the train switching yard we slept next to.
11.29.2010
old post 4
Day four
Woke up in the motel, looked out the window, CRAPPY. Weatherman said highs in the 40's, with rain all day. This was going to be the longest day of the trip, ninety some miles, and it was going to be a day of sogginess and cold. Off to the motel's "breakfast", and get on the trail. We planned to get an earlier start than the other group, they were stopping after sixty miles, and we didn't want to ride that much in the dark. I stopped to get some food and batteries at the gas station, and off to the trail we were. We had good spirits, we knew that the day was going to be shitty, but we had to make the best of it. We had dressed kind of lightly under our rain gear, knowing that it would be easy to overheat, and that everything would be damp in a matter of miles. I had on my socks, shoes, booties, knickers, lightweight wool shirt with arm warmers, hat, rain gear, and wool gloves, totally forgot my rain mitts. The trail still was that oatmeal, rough, rutted out stuff from yesterday, but the early start got us 30 or so miles in to take a little bit of a rest to eat and stretch. Damn it got cold fast, we stopped under a bridge and ate. Here comes something different, a re-route of the trail. The trail had been washed out, so they have you ride your bike on the road for a little bit, with hills. Man this trip makes you loose your fitness really quick. Back on the C&O, we decided to eat lunch in Harpers Ferry. We rolled under the bridge into town at 1:00 pm, sixty miles under our tires. Getting the fully loaded bikes and trailer up a wet steel spiral staircase is not much fun, but riding next to the train tracks and looking down onto the river was pretty cool. We ate at the first place we got to, a small little diner with a leaking ceiling. After ordering our food, we tried to warm up and eat. I was shivering so much that couldn't get my hot chocolate in my mouth. The lunch was good, Jason changed into dry clothes, and I went outside to reserve a hotel room. After getting back across the bridge, and down the staircase it was a little after 2:30, and we had thirty more miles to go. The miles went fine, as long as we were moving we were warm, stop, and you get really cold. Dark started to settle in at around 6:00pm when we got to Whites Ferry, a place that has car ferry across the Potomac River into Fredricksburg. It was cool to be on these bikes with a bunch of people in cars. On the Virginian side, the hotel's van came and picked us up, got us to the hotel. Up to our room, showers, warm clothes, mexican food and beer, then off to bed. 92 miles, no problems, and only 35 more to go.
Woke up in the motel, looked out the window, CRAPPY. Weatherman said highs in the 40's, with rain all day. This was going to be the longest day of the trip, ninety some miles, and it was going to be a day of sogginess and cold. Off to the motel's "breakfast", and get on the trail. We planned to get an earlier start than the other group, they were stopping after sixty miles, and we didn't want to ride that much in the dark. I stopped to get some food and batteries at the gas station, and off to the trail we were. We had good spirits, we knew that the day was going to be shitty, but we had to make the best of it. We had dressed kind of lightly under our rain gear, knowing that it would be easy to overheat, and that everything would be damp in a matter of miles. I had on my socks, shoes, booties, knickers, lightweight wool shirt with arm warmers, hat, rain gear, and wool gloves, totally forgot my rain mitts. The trail still was that oatmeal, rough, rutted out stuff from yesterday, but the early start got us 30 or so miles in to take a little bit of a rest to eat and stretch. Damn it got cold fast, we stopped under a bridge and ate. Here comes something different, a re-route of the trail. The trail had been washed out, so they have you ride your bike on the road for a little bit, with hills. Man this trip makes you loose your fitness really quick. Back on the C&O, we decided to eat lunch in Harpers Ferry. We rolled under the bridge into town at 1:00 pm, sixty miles under our tires. Getting the fully loaded bikes and trailer up a wet steel spiral staircase is not much fun, but riding next to the train tracks and looking down onto the river was pretty cool. We ate at the first place we got to, a small little diner with a leaking ceiling. After ordering our food, we tried to warm up and eat. I was shivering so much that couldn't get my hot chocolate in my mouth. The lunch was good, Jason changed into dry clothes, and I went outside to reserve a hotel room. After getting back across the bridge, and down the staircase it was a little after 2:30, and we had thirty more miles to go. The miles went fine, as long as we were moving we were warm, stop, and you get really cold. Dark started to settle in at around 6:00pm when we got to Whites Ferry, a place that has car ferry across the Potomac River into Fredricksburg. It was cool to be on these bikes with a bunch of people in cars. On the Virginian side, the hotel's van came and picked us up, got us to the hotel. Up to our room, showers, warm clothes, mexican food and beer, then off to bed. 92 miles, no problems, and only 35 more to go.
11.28.2010
old posts 3
Day three
Third day out, Wednesday. After very little sleep, we had what was planned to be the shortest day for the hotel campers, an average day for us, 60 miles. Jason and I were up early, talking to the Milk Crate Guys, two brothers doing the trail on less expensive bikes, milk crates to haul there stuff, and a bunch of ill advised clothes. They had rolled in around midnight and set up their tarp. From them we learned of bike hostel, in the town that the other crew was sleeping in. That crew, was running late, and found us around 9:00 in the morn. They learned really quickly that this section of the trail wasn't going to be as easy as they thought. After PA, the C&O trail is much rougher, rockier and rootier. Mud was also on the agenda. Not much, but a little. The morning went pretty quickly, the terrain had changed, and the trail felt much lonelier. We noticed the sky getting darker. Lunch was in some little pizza place, next to a salvage yard/farmer's market, across the street from a gas station that also processed the deer for the county. After lunch, it was back on the trail, and we got to go through the longest tunnel of the trip, almost a mile long. Jason thought that he could ride through without lights, 50 feet in and he waited for us with our lights. The other side was awesome. As we waited for the last two guys, it started to sprinkle. The tunnel was going to be the last time we were dry while riding our bikes. Out came the rain gear, and for the next 30 miles, we thought that riding in the rain was fun. While on the trail, Jason and I had to come with a descison about that night. We had originally planned on doing 60 miles each of the next two days. But we saw with the change in the weather, the crappiness of the trail, that it would be hard to make it to DC by 1:00pm on Friday at the pace we were doing. We had already made the desicion to leave earlier than the rest of the guys, they were done at the end of Thursday, and we were spending another day on the trail to finish it. So, we either had to stay at the bike hostel, ride another eight miles and camp, or get a hotel room. Mileage wise, we decided to ride 92 miles on Thursday, which left us with 35 miles on Friday, easy to do. The hostel was an roof with open sides, not a good idea when the night was supposed to get down to 30 degrees, we wanted to spend the night camping, but maybe not a good idea with almost a century to do the next day, and I hadn't much sleep on this trip yet. Hotel it was. Dinner at Pizza Hut, no beers, warm ass shower, dry the clothes out as much as possible, and early to bed.
Third day out, Wednesday. After very little sleep, we had what was planned to be the shortest day for the hotel campers, an average day for us, 60 miles. Jason and I were up early, talking to the Milk Crate Guys, two brothers doing the trail on less expensive bikes, milk crates to haul there stuff, and a bunch of ill advised clothes. They had rolled in around midnight and set up their tarp. From them we learned of bike hostel, in the town that the other crew was sleeping in. That crew, was running late, and found us around 9:00 in the morn. They learned really quickly that this section of the trail wasn't going to be as easy as they thought. After PA, the C&O trail is much rougher, rockier and rootier. Mud was also on the agenda. Not much, but a little. The morning went pretty quickly, the terrain had changed, and the trail felt much lonelier. We noticed the sky getting darker. Lunch was in some little pizza place, next to a salvage yard/farmer's market, across the street from a gas station that also processed the deer for the county. After lunch, it was back on the trail, and we got to go through the longest tunnel of the trip, almost a mile long. Jason thought that he could ride through without lights, 50 feet in and he waited for us with our lights. The other side was awesome. As we waited for the last two guys, it started to sprinkle. The tunnel was going to be the last time we were dry while riding our bikes. Out came the rain gear, and for the next 30 miles, we thought that riding in the rain was fun. While on the trail, Jason and I had to come with a descison about that night. We had originally planned on doing 60 miles each of the next two days. But we saw with the change in the weather, the crappiness of the trail, that it would be hard to make it to DC by 1:00pm on Friday at the pace we were doing. We had already made the desicion to leave earlier than the rest of the guys, they were done at the end of Thursday, and we were spending another day on the trail to finish it. So, we either had to stay at the bike hostel, ride another eight miles and camp, or get a hotel room. Mileage wise, we decided to ride 92 miles on Thursday, which left us with 35 miles on Friday, easy to do. The hostel was an roof with open sides, not a good idea when the night was supposed to get down to 30 degrees, we wanted to spend the night camping, but maybe not a good idea with almost a century to do the next day, and I hadn't much sleep on this trip yet. Hotel it was. Dinner at Pizza Hut, no beers, warm ass shower, dry the clothes out as much as possible, and early to bed.
11.27.2010
old posts 2
Day two
Second day of the trip, woke up tired, and took down camp. Everything went smooth, day started off chilly. Met up with the rest of the guys at a little greasy spoon for breakfast. While drinking coffee and waiting for the bacon and p-cakes, took a little bath in the sink of the bathroom. Then it was back on the trail. Today, all we had to do was climb for like 40 some miles, and bomb the downhill back into town. Piece of cake, nice smooth trail and such. And it was, the day was gorgeous, and it turned out to be the warmest day of the trip. Lunch was OK, had to get off the trail and we found out that there were hills out there. On this last day in Pennsylvania, we had the best views, and I really enjoyed being out there. The highest point of the trail is under a road crossing, there is a little sign on both sides of the underpass, with a mural on the history of that side of the Eastern Continental Divide, pretty cool. Now was the fun part, all down hill. One could actually feel the downward pull of the ocean. We ended up in Cumberland, Maryland. The guys got their hotel room, and we found an awesome seafood and BBQ place. After many calories and beers, Jason and I had to find our campsite. From the way the map looked, it was an easy couple of miles. It was pitch black, we had small headlamps, and we couldn't find the campground. It was about 5 miles out, and we set up camp, made a small campfire and went to bed. Little did we know, we were about a thousand feet from a railway switching yard. Another night of no sleep.
Second day of the trip, woke up tired, and took down camp. Everything went smooth, day started off chilly. Met up with the rest of the guys at a little greasy spoon for breakfast. While drinking coffee and waiting for the bacon and p-cakes, took a little bath in the sink of the bathroom. Then it was back on the trail. Today, all we had to do was climb for like 40 some miles, and bomb the downhill back into town. Piece of cake, nice smooth trail and such. And it was, the day was gorgeous, and it turned out to be the warmest day of the trip. Lunch was OK, had to get off the trail and we found out that there were hills out there. On this last day in Pennsylvania, we had the best views, and I really enjoyed being out there. The highest point of the trail is under a road crossing, there is a little sign on both sides of the underpass, with a mural on the history of that side of the Eastern Continental Divide, pretty cool. Now was the fun part, all down hill. One could actually feel the downward pull of the ocean. We ended up in Cumberland, Maryland. The guys got their hotel room, and we found an awesome seafood and BBQ place. After many calories and beers, Jason and I had to find our campsite. From the way the map looked, it was an easy couple of miles. It was pitch black, we had small headlamps, and we couldn't find the campground. It was about 5 miles out, and we set up camp, made a small campfire and went to bed. Little did we know, we were about a thousand feet from a railway switching yard. Another night of no sleep.
11.26.2010
old post 1
Day 1
Monday. The day started off cool in temperature, and bright, but not sunny. The trail surface was smooth and well maintained. You could probably haul ass on it if you weren't bogged down with gear. Everybody started off in a good mood, spirits were high with a good night sleep and food in the belly. The Yough Valley Inn was a hoot, Lyn was great, although kind of kooky. The miles kept drifting away, the trail went in and out of small towns, so it didn't have the feel of a true wilderness trip, but it did make for some interesting scenery. The groups who put this thing together spent a good deal of money and time on the trail as well as the signage. The converted railway stations to visitor stations were amazing. Good use to what would be eyesores on the trail. The miles just went by, legs fresh, having fun doing the miles. Bathroom and picture breaks slowing us down, but welcome for time off the seat. Lunch was at Valley Dairy, big ass cheeseburger and ice cream sundae for energy. After lunch started getting a little more in the "country", not as many towns, little more views and woods. The bridges started coming into play. Big expanses, beautiful scenery. Ohiopyle is next, rode around town, saw the falls, relaxed. For some it was beer o'clock, I actually oted for coffee instead. Had 15 or so miles to go, and me and lots of beer and riding don't mix that well. Rolled into our campsite in Confluence after 72 miles, average speed 11.2 mph. With all the stopping and starting, it seemed slow, but while riding, we were keeping pace at 13 mph or so. Slept in a goverment campground, not many other people there, had the biker site to ourselves. Met u with the hotelling group at the Lazy Dog Cafe. Awesome burritos and beer. Slept tlike total crap that night. Maybe 3 or so hours.
Monday. The day started off cool in temperature, and bright, but not sunny. The trail surface was smooth and well maintained. You could probably haul ass on it if you weren't bogged down with gear. Everybody started off in a good mood, spirits were high with a good night sleep and food in the belly. The Yough Valley Inn was a hoot, Lyn was great, although kind of kooky. The miles kept drifting away, the trail went in and out of small towns, so it didn't have the feel of a true wilderness trip, but it did make for some interesting scenery. The groups who put this thing together spent a good deal of money and time on the trail as well as the signage. The converted railway stations to visitor stations were amazing. Good use to what would be eyesores on the trail. The miles just went by, legs fresh, having fun doing the miles. Bathroom and picture breaks slowing us down, but welcome for time off the seat. Lunch was at Valley Dairy, big ass cheeseburger and ice cream sundae for energy. After lunch started getting a little more in the "country", not as many towns, little more views and woods. The bridges started coming into play. Big expanses, beautiful scenery. Ohiopyle is next, rode around town, saw the falls, relaxed. For some it was beer o'clock, I actually oted for coffee instead. Had 15 or so miles to go, and me and lots of beer and riding don't mix that well. Rolled into our campsite in Confluence after 72 miles, average speed 11.2 mph. With all the stopping and starting, it seemed slow, but while riding, we were keeping pace at 13 mph or so. Slept in a goverment campground, not many other people there, had the biker site to ourselves. Met u with the hotelling group at the Lazy Dog Cafe. Awesome burritos and beer. Slept tlike total crap that night. Maybe 3 or so hours.
11.25.2010
happy thanksgiving
Have a safe Thanksgiving. Remember the things you are thankful for and the great people in your life.
11.24.2010
old posts
Used to have a blog, but didn't ever use it. So, here are the posts about my trip on the Allegheny Passage from last year. I'll break it up into a few different posts, so one doesn't have to read it all at one sitting.
The trip was done on my custom Hunter Cycles fixed gear. Awesome bike! Custom steel frame and fork, fixed only, canti mount up front. Phil Wood hubs, DTSwiss hoops, Race Face, Thompson, all the stuff the cool kids ride. The bike is up for sale, so I'm considering these posts the last hurrah for me and this bike.
The trip was during the middle of October, 2009. To learn a little bit about the background and about the trip itself, check archives of: Eddy's Bike Shop Blog.
I'll get some more pictures up of the trip and of some other things soon.
The trip was done on my custom Hunter Cycles fixed gear. Awesome bike! Custom steel frame and fork, fixed only, canti mount up front. Phil Wood hubs, DTSwiss hoops, Race Face, Thompson, all the stuff the cool kids ride. The bike is up for sale, so I'm considering these posts the last hurrah for me and this bike.
The trip was during the middle of October, 2009. To learn a little bit about the background and about the trip itself, check archives of: Eddy's Bike Shop Blog.
I'll get some more pictures up of the trip and of some other things soon.
11.23.2010
errands
Needed to run some errands today, loaded JoJo into the Burly, got on the Xtracycle and off we went. Went to the bank, to Owen's school, then took the Lake to Lake Trail to the grocery store and then home. Nothing hard or fancy, but it is a beautiful day.
11.17.2010
me
A little bit about me.
I like:
fixed gear bikes - not the hipster crap, but all day riding, any weather, any surface bikes with a direct drive.
transportation bikes - commuters, cargo, ultiltarian
mountain bikes - single speed
long day and multi-day bike rides - throw in a few days of camping and I'm in
hiking
backpacking
reading
baking
cooking.
I don't like:
the opposites of the above.
I'm married to a wonderful woman, and we have two awesome kids. Living back in our hometown, but I miss the mountains.
I like:
fixed gear bikes - not the hipster crap, but all day riding, any weather, any surface bikes with a direct drive.
transportation bikes - commuters, cargo, ultiltarian
mountain bikes - single speed
long day and multi-day bike rides - throw in a few days of camping and I'm in
hiking
backpacking
reading
baking
cooking.
I don't like:
the opposites of the above.
I'm married to a wonderful woman, and we have two awesome kids. Living back in our hometown, but I miss the mountains.
11.15.2010
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