I am also trying to get out on bike rides as much as possible, although this has been very difficult due to the weather in west-central PA as well as my commitments. It's almost impossible for me to get out riding during the week, but there is a slight chance for a short ride on Wednesday evenings. I do live very close to the Ghost Town Trail rail-trail which is very convenient. I started riding from Nanty Glo to Ebensburg (eastern end of the trail) which is 15.4 miles round trip. That's a nice ride because it's upslope to begin, and downslope coming back. (We're only talking like 1 to 1 1/2% slope, but that's enough slope that my average speed going out is only 11mph, whereas my average speed coming back is about 18mph. You can really feel the difference.) Here's a photo of The Ghost Town Trail between Nanty Glo & Ebensburg:
Two Sundays ago I decided to ride westward instead to Dilltown. It was 19.8 miles round trip, and felt like a good balance of upslope and downslope each way (except for the stretch coming east from Vintondale to Nanty Glo - it looks flat, but feels like you're climbing Mt. Everest!). That day was really dreary and overcast and I took a chance that the rain would hold out. I did get sprinkled on a few times and then near the tail end of my trip it started drizzling steady (oh well, it was good training for the real ride, right?). I got a good test of the bike's fenders which did keep me dry. On my way back from Dilltown I saw 3 doe jump off the trail and just stand in the woods to the side of the trail (in plain view). It was as if they were posing for my camera. Here's a photo of them:
I know it's tough to see them in the photo. The one to the left is looking straight into the camera. Here's another photo showing a small stream flowing toward the trail (located between Twin Rocks & Vintondale):
There are a lot of small streams like the one shown above along the trail, especially in the area between Twin Rocks & Vintondale. One last photo. It seems that I can never escape surveying! I was riding the trail approaching Dilltown and noticed stakes and capped rebars along the side of the trail. Being a surveyor you know I had to stop and check them out. They were set to mark some sort of right-of-way. One thing I just can't understand is why in the world someone would leave those capped rebars sticking up so high in a field or lawn like this! You know they are going to end up getting hit!
Wednesday last week I managed to get out for a short ride, so I decided to ride from my house uphill on Ford's Corner Road to the top of the ridge (one hell of a workout) and back downhill to the house. Well I had good intentions! Turns out after 6 tenths of a mile I had to pull off the side of the road and rest. Most of the climb had been 6% slope with the last stretch being 10.5% (I checked the slopes next day at the office.)! It took me 15 minutes to climb that 6 tenths of a mile and then I rested for about 20 minutes. I was completely exhausted and even started getting dizzy. I felt awful! I never did make it to the top of the ridge; I just returned home. I had climbed about 280 feet in elevation from the house and that was enough for one day! On the way home I had no trouble coasting at over 25mph. Riding that fast on PA roads is also a horrible experience because you feel like you could easily lose control on loose gravel or cracks in the road! (My speed record by the way is 46mph on Flag Marsh Road between my hometown of Woodbine, MD and Mt. Airy, MD set when I was probably about 16. I don't remember feeling scared at that speed back then.)
Well there you have it folks. The end of another blog entry. I think the next entry I'll title "Preparing My Phone" (yes, you read that correctly - stay tuned if you're confused . . . well even if you're not).
-Garry
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