Filling in the gaps of the GAP (day 1)

I'm trying to tackle the GAP in small bites before taking on a multi-night adventure. Before this weekend's adventure, Here's what I'd managed to complete.

The yellow parts have been ridden, the remainders await.

Bereavement and ruminations

Having lost someone suddenly and without warning, their death was weighing on me. My stress rash returned after having been in remission for several years, this was taking a mental and physical toll on me. I needed a diversion... this was my respite, from everything. I needed to be alone, mourn and get used to their absence.

More firsts

This was my first overnighter. I'd found a place in Meyersdale that had a room on short notice and I jumped on it. I packed the panniers, basket bag and dry bag. I was worried I wouldn't have enough room for all my stuff, but I had plenty of extra space. This bodes well for upcoming trips that might involve more than one night. I was very pleased with my restraint when deciding how much stuff to bring. I went bare-bones.

THIS IS SPARTAN!!

Of course, this is all relative. I'm sure the next cyclist might look at all of my baggage and think: "All that for *ONE* NIGHT?"


I drove to Meyersdale and set out Southward early in the hopes of getting to the Savage Tunnel (between Frostburg and Cumberland) and on to Cumberland if I had the energy. If I didn't have it in me, Frostburg would suffice. Then I would turn back around and head back to Meyersdale and stay in a B&B. This was also my first time in a B&B, so I was unfamiliar with how things worked.

Wow: over state lines? On my bike? Staying in a bed and breakfast? So many firsts on this trip.


I arrived in Meyersdale early-ish. I was rerouted through the City and Wilkinsburg because all my routes to the Parkway West were blocked due to some damned event. The Great Race, maybe? 20 minutes blown trying to find my way to the Turnpike. Why didn't I take 43 to 70?

That was mistake #1. Mistake #2 was packing my clothes for the next day on the bike instead of leaving them in the car. Wow, that was dumb. Oh well, it was a lesson in packing and load distribution, which was also wonky. I had to get used to the heavy stern and starboard side, it nearly pulled me over the first time I mounted it with everything loaded. I think I need a front rack.


It was a chilly morning and I started out using my wool leggings and arm warmers. I wasn't able to remove them until noon when it finally warmed up.

I noticed many Amish folks (or Mennonites?) along the trail: perhaps going to Sunday services? I wished them a Guten Morgen and a Guten Tag later in the day...which surprised and delighted them, I think.





I hit the Mason Dixon line, Continental Divide, Big Savage and Borden Tunnels (hooboy, that one's DARK!) I'm very glad I brought my headlamps.

So many fellow cyclists love to help take your picture!

Oh, hai

Gianormous black snake!

Frostburg made!

I wasn't enamored of the creepy head sculptures at Frostburg.

When I arrived back in Meyersdale, my legs were giving me the "We're about to have some wicked spasms" warning. I needed more water and salt. I checked into my room at the Morguen Toole and got the tour from Brooke. She told me some of the history of the building which was once a Morgue and hardware store, the floor where I was staying was the mortuary, where the bodies were prepared.
Very cool. The building inside is a restorationist's dream. Old tin ceilings, brick walls, old fixtures, artifacts from the morgue. Wow, I loved this place.

The bikes stay in the garage. Fizz was that night's only occupant.

I showered and napped, but the muscle cramps that threatened were making a visit and interrupting my nap in my cozy, quiet room. They hit my feet... my FEET! My big toe was nearly vertical. Torture! I'd wanted to bring pickle juice with me, but I'd forgotten it.
I headed down to the restaurant for something salty. Brooke was also my waitress as well as hotel concierge and hostess. She brought me a burger with extra pickles and mustard on the side.

After dinner, I wanted to walk around Meyersdale and check things out. It took 10 minutes. Meyersdale isn't that big. It IS interesting though.

I went back to my room and enjoyed the quiet: no dogs, no TV, no spouse to entertain... just complete silence pierced only occasionally by a train's horn. The mustard and pickles as well as the walk helped my legs. I slept like a log.

I took many, many pictures. The leaves were just starting to turn on this part of the GAP. 

You can see the rest of them here: Trip photos

32 miles on a gorgeous autumn day.

Leap-frogging through Pedal Pittsburgh and Serenity 2.0

Today was Pedal Pittsburgh, a large, supported event bike tour of Pittsburgh.

This would be my first Pedal Pittsburgh and my first experience as a cyclist in a large scale ride. For the past 12 years, I've been on the Staff side. It would be strange to be She Who Must be Served.

There are 4 choices of routes.  I had trouble deciding which route to take, I would definitely have trouble with the 62 mile route, both in stamina and the hour at which one had to start. There was a 25 mile route with a 45 mile option. I'd have to tack on the 13 miles to get to and from the start line, so I would wind up doing 60+ miles anyway! There was also the 25 mile route, but that didn't include much territory that I hadn't already seen. I wanted to hit new places, like... Highland Park, Riverview Park, Frick Park. These were all places I'd not yet been, so I gritted my teeth and chose the 45 mile route.
It was hilly; really damned hilly.

Today's efforts earned me my first 30K steps badge at Fitbit! W00t!











Would you believe I wore wool? It's August and I'm wearing wool. I'd understood that wool is awesome to cycle in even in the summer, so I took the advice of seasoned cyclists and invested in some wool. They have nice summer sale on right now, so I got some winter base layers and some summer shortlseeves, a dress and a skirt. They're no warmer or cooler than the synthetics, but they cause you to slide around on the seat much less. They dry quickly too. Love the wool skirt. I'm somewhat anxious to wear the longsleeve wool dress and baselayers, but I don't want to rush the seasons.

At the start, I crossed paths with VB and Mrs Q. I got hung up at waiting for a train to pass through the South Side before we could continue, so I thought I'd never catch up and we wouldn't cross paths for the rest of the day, but I kept running into them in an accidental game of leap frog. I'd catch up with them, they'd ride ahead, I'd catch up and get ahead of them and they'd come up from behind and leave me in their dust again. I think it happened at least 4 times, funny. Naturally, I ran into Yale because: he's everywhere. I also played leap frog with Dan Y, he was at EVERY rest stop I stopped at except the first one in Riverview Park. Goes to show you how hard event staff work. Met Ms Garrison of BlackGirlsDoBike who was volunteering at a water stop and said hello to Mr Woods of Major Taylor again while he was running SAGs. He looked at Fizz and said "I see you've upgraded!". Waved at Mikhail while he barked from his marshalling station. Marko kindly drug Fizz out of the poor position I'd dropped her at the finish line where he was volunteering... she was just too heavy at the end of a long day to try and prop up. Volunteers are awesome.

Along the way, I got some nice shots of the new bike against some interesting scenery.

Flocker Street!

Needed to get the Trucker in front of the Serenity sign.

Another day in paradise

I'm hoping the top tube pad will be covered in patches one day.

I'm finding that the Trucker is prone to depositing grease on my right inside calf. I'd show you a picture, but I'd already scrubbed off the grease.

Imagine it looks something like this:

...But on a bruised, chubby, oddly-shaped Popeye calf sporting lots of red and blue spider veins.

I'm having a hell of a time scrubbing it off too. I spent quite some time scrubbing away and some marks just weren't coming off no matter how hard I rubbed. Then it dawned on me: that's not grease, those are bruises and spider veins. Soap ain't fixing those!


The ride was rough, but fun. Everyone was friendly... like this couple:

The day's mileage was 60.29. I hit 60 at the casino on my return to base. I wanted to get a shot of the 60.00 on the computer, but I overshot it. A record!

I noticed today that I have FI'Zi:k bar tape on FIZZ. Huh.

PittsburghLand and Serenity on a Bike

I set out early and was on my way for a day without any agenda. I was just riding aimlessly.

A domestic goose has taken up with the Canada geese.

Bathrooms still closed at the Millvale trailhead. Booo.

Stopped for air at BikePGH!

In Lawrenceville, I stopped at LaGourmandine. I love that place. I got a raspberry tart and an apricot croissant to snack on throughout the day.

Rode up through Allegheny Cemetery and admired the shark headstone again.

 I thought it would be a good idea to find out where the WheelMill is because I want to take the Fundamentals of City Cycling class with Karen Brooks sometime soon.

Dodged potholes and other interesting things in the road.

I stumbled on the Cheryls at Friendship and Negley!

I found Serenity on my bike.

In addition to Serenity, I also eventually found The WheelMill after getting lost in East Liberty a few times. Not really a big deal, this is how I learn routes, getting slightly off track and re-orienting myself.

Am I going the right way?

Had lunch at Amazing Cafe: miso soup and a clean-green juice

I headed out to the Waterfront, used the facilities and got some cold Mitchell's water. On the way back, I ran into Marko who was meeting Yale to ride around aimlessly too! Wow, 3 people aimlessly wandering meet up and wander aimlessly together!

Marko clued me into a Tag-O-Rama tag and we all claimed a group tag!

Yale threw out some ideas of places to ride to and when he mentioned RandyLand, I got excited, I'd heard about it, but hadn't yet trekked over there. Yale took us on a tour of the North Side Millionaire's Row and the place of the Immaculate Reception.

Then, we hit RandyLand. Wow.

I need to return and deposit one of my negative thoughts

He also took us by a new Little Free Library and the owner just happened to pull up as we were admiring it. Excellent guy.

I was promised to Hubby for dinner and they were kind enough to keep me company on my way there, I offered to treat them both to dinner, Marko had to depart (but not before trying to entice my spouse into a life of cycling), but Yale took me up on the offer and the three of us had an Indian buffet dinner in Oakland. Yale noted how many bikes were locked up outside the restaurant.  We had no room to lock up and were forced to hitch our steeds across the street. It's a cyclist hotspot.
Hubby departed in the car and then the skies opened up on the way back to base, which Yale escorted me back to. I had to don the raincape.

A great day, 55.3 miles.