It's all downhill from here - and that's a good thing! - Living out of a Trailer

May 19, 2015

It's all downhill from here - and that's a good thing!

Hey ma - I'm flying downhill!

7:00am, and the light from the outside is starting into pre-dawn. I make my way into the "continental" breakfast room, and there are some breakfast bars and oatmeal packets laid out. But again, I haven't seen or heard anyone in the building, so could this be a ghost? Not really sure. I grab a breakfast bar and drink several cartons of orange juice, and figure I'll stop a little further down the trail for a heartier breakfast.

Yesterday, the downhill from the trail into Meyersdale was a welcome end to the day. Today, it's a steep climb to the trail from the inn. Thankfully, my internal hub can now hit 1st gear so I make the climb but it is a grind at 7:25 in the morning dragon a trailer behind me. When I reach the trail, there's a family walking around touring the old train station which is rather odd. Primarily because it's not open as well as not much else around - no eateries, motels, etc.

Nothing open at this time, and yet it looks like a family is waiting for a (never arriving) train

I know I only have about 10 miles to the high point of the trail, so I make the turn southbound onto the trail and start pedaling. Within a 1/2-mile I pass over the Bollman bridge. The bridge was designed by self-taught civil engineer Wendel Bollman, who was "famous" for designing a unique structure to support a bridge. This one was a hybrid design but still historic. Of COURSE I stop at the interpretive sign to read all about this.

The trail leading away from Meyersdale on the way to the Eastern Continental Divide is extremely quiet early this morning. It rolls over several valleys as it makes its way towards the Eastern Continental Divide. On the tops of the ridges, you get a view of the windmills generating energy and as you pass under them you can hear their operation - it sounds sort of like a jet engine at idle.

Just another day on the GAP crossing over a former railroad bridge

It's a little after 8:30 in the morning when I run into the high point of the ride, the Eastern Continental divide. This is the highest point of the tour, and from here it's about 28 miles downhill into Frostburg. The height I have been climbing for 80 miles over the past few days will fall in about 28 miles from the divide to Cumberland MD.

The highest point I'll reach during this week-long tour

I roll away (literally - the trail goes downhill so I don't have to pedal) from the divide and onto the direction of Frostburg (and breakfast since I haven't eaten anything substantial). Within 1.2 miles I'm rolling at speed through the Big Savage Tunnel. The path is hard-packed clay and lit inside, so I pass through the 3300' length quickly and I'm out on the other side with a fantastic view of the valley. It's not that long before I'm crossing over the border into Maryland over the Mason Dixon line (and I stop and take a ridiculous picture of my levitating in the air). Really, today has been the most scenic with the windmills, tunnels, and sights along the trail.

Thankfully, the interior of the tunnel was lit so I could continue through the Big Savage tunnel at speed. Passing through the enclosed space with the lights was reminiscent of the Battlestar Galactica launch sequence

Thanks to the magic of a fast shutter speed, I am able to levitate over two states at the same time

The Descent continues until I reach Frostburg. This is a town I wanted to visit as it looked one of the most quaint on the trip. And, it had an active locomotive engine turntable. Sadly, the trains weren't working that day. I ascended the switchbacks to the town's train station, and then climbed the stairs to the street level (the GAP passes below the town). I grabbed some breakfast at the convenience store before continuing on. I vow to spend a longer time in the town on the next trip.

The turntable at Frostburg. This is still in use today. There's a train running on weekends traveling up the hill from Cumberland, and then turns around at Frostburg, returning to its origin. It could make a fun day trip, traveling on the train with your bike, and then returning on the trail.

Brush tunnel - signs advise you not to enter the tunnel when a train is passing through - not that the train will hit you but the heat and smoke will knock you out

I'm rolling at speed downhill and pass a cyclist with panniers, and he yells, "niphbikphfridaeee" and it takes me a second to process and then I realize he said, "Nice Bike Friday" and hit the binders and turn around to see he's also riding the same make. Of course, with the time to translate, hit the binders, and slow down, we're still about 50 feet apart. A brief conversation about our touring rigs and we're both continuing our tours.

Then, just like that, I roll into Cumberland around 11:45, and search out a place to eat. I find a nice little pedestrian mall area downtown with some eateries but I don't feel like sitting down for an hour or so to eat. I'm naturally a rammy person and want to explore literally EVERYTHING! So it's time to find a quick bite and explore other aspects of the town. I find a Coney Island hot dog place and get a dog with everything, and then order an iced tea. He says, "It has a kiss of lemon" I say, "Then kiss me ...with the lemon." He looks at me and I follow-up with, "Yeah, the lemon will be great" He understood the joke, it's just noone had ever come back with my response before. We chat about the bike tour.

Cumberland pedestrian mall. I planned to shop for some souvenirs for my wife and girls but I didn't find any trinket shops

A quick look back to Cumberland. It's been fun but I'm eager to get started on the C&O Canal

About a mile or two out of Cumberland, I come across a family of Canada Geese with little goslings. Now I know they hiss and all, but i met the most aggressive goose I have ever encountered. I slowed down as the parents hissed and bobbed their necks as they shuffled their children off to the side of the path. I gave them a wide berth, and that's when one of the parents flapped its wings, lifted off, and did a low fly-by, landing right in front of me. So he traps me between him and his family. I give him another wide berth going around him, and he takes off, circles around me, and slams against my trailer in anger, then again lands in front of me. So now I'm 40' or so away from his family, and he lands in front of me again, about 5' away, hissing and bobbing his head. I slam on the brakes, and pick up a stick at my feet, about 2" in diameter. He start approaching me and I'm waving the stick and asking him if he really wants to do this. He comes within about 3' of me as I walk the bike past him and wave the stick about. Never seen a goose that aggressive.

Then, the trail turns into more of a wooded area, paralleled by a depression (which used to be a canal but now dry) or filled with water. Mileposts line the towpath every mile. I decide to skip my first campsite and ride five miles further to the Town Creek hiker/biker site. The campsites are all free along the canal and are about 5 miles apart. I roll down into the camping area around 4:00 and decide to call it a day. I set up camp right next to the Potomac river (what's that, now, the SIXTH river?), make dinner, and then crawl into my tent around 6:30, not seeing another soul. I sleep soundly all night, with trains passing by every hour.

Lock keeper's house. There are 5-6 of these along the canal available for rent. Mostly as you get closer to DC

What a great campsite find! Trains passed by on the other side of the river, and each time one passed, it pushed wind downriver or upriver, depending on the direction of the train travel. Loved that campsite!

Today's ride: 58 miles (93 km)
Total: 210 miles (338 km)

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