The day started off great and ended great! Up early, but again, no rush. I enjoyed the hotel's free breakfast, my second since arriving. When they checked me in, they checked me into an unmade room. I just expected to be moved, but they threw two breakfast vouchers at me, so why not? Plus, it was an excellent breakfast for a buffet-style, all-you-can-eat serving. Coffee, juice, very good eggs, good bacon, good sausage, and a nice selection of breads. That, and a great environment for my two days in Pittsburgh. Oh, I was staying at the Distrikt Hotel Curio by Hilton, a "hip" hotel where I saw no hipsters or millennials. The rooms are large, and the hotel seems well-located. So go for it if you are ever in Pittsburgh.
I was out the door by tenish (10:12 if you ask RWGPS). It was an easy ride down to Point State Park. The hard part was finding the ramp up to the bridge over the Monongahela River. Signage was completely lacking, but I found it by reverse following the inbound cyclists, of whom there were a few. There are several festivals downtown this weekend, and I'm sure that was the draw.
The ramp up to the Three Rivers Heritage Trail over the Monongahela River.
View looking downstream of the three rivers: the Monongahela River below me, the Allegheny River to my right, and their confluence becomes the Ohio River.
Once over, the view looking back on Pittsburgh is quite spectacular. The view ahead, not so much. But that's true of many cities, I guess. But what I really meant by that was the quality of the course. While I'm aware there is a dedicated bike trail on the far side of the river, you still need to cross eventually, and it took a bit of contortionist maneuvering to align yourself with the crossing, McKees Rocks Bridge. At least on this side, my chosen side, there was a dedicated sidewalk, and I found myself easily maintaining 12 mph on it. However, it did require a crossing to the far side of the road at a signal. But I quickly got a "Walk," so there was no delay to speak of.
I could have ridden in the travel lane but decided to ride on the sidewalk.
The crosswalk at about the halfway point along this tight section. What you see on the far side of the road is not a ghost bike, which I thought initially, but one decorated for Christmas.
At that point, I was about four miles out, and the road settled down a bit where I felt comfortable riding on it as I passed through the small townships that make up Pennsylvania. The other plus was it was a Saturday, so I was not dealing with rush-hour traffic either.
But shortly after I thought I was on easy street, a bridge closure came out of the blue that prevented me from cycling down an island in the middle of the Ohio River. That would have taken me through the Neville Township, but the Neville Bridge was getting a new paint job. The detour did not look pleasant, but I tackled it, hills and all.
Never a "good" sign, especially when it's your bridge.
Fortunately, the detour did not take me far from the river, and after five miles, I recovered my course just as it entered Coraopolis, which I found out is also headquarters for American Bridge.
The main drag in Coraopolis where I rejoined my course.
After exiting the far side of Coraopolis, I stumbled onto this sign, the only one I've seen yet, but certainly good news. People have asked me if I was taking the Ohio River Trail, and I always replied, "No, it doesn't exist yet." I guess it exists in bits and pieces that will eventually be joined and designated as such. It can't come too soon . . . but these things take time.
But the right-of-way is very crowded, and as usual, the railroads have gotten there first, followed by the highways, and, if the Ohio River Trail is successful, a multi-use path. In some places, I'm not sure where it will fit in.
And then my shoulder disappeared for a little over four miles. Mind you, this is a designated bike route, BicyclePA Route A, and it is signed as such. I pressed onward (and I knew this condition existed when I routed my course).
PA-51, also known as BicyclePA Route A. Seriously. Look it up.
That crossing took me into Rochester, Pennsylvania, and from there, into Beaver, Pennsylvania. Both towns were similar to ones I had already biked through, maybe a notch higher. Although when I got deeper into Beaver, it turned out to be quite upscale.
But first I passed through Phillipsburg, which is typical of the towns along this corridor.
And also typical of these small towns is the presence of the "Family Dollar" and similar types of stores. Allegedly, these types of stores do more damage to the local economy than Walmart.
Beaver is a cute little town. Once you get past downtown, you pass into an upscale residential neighborhood. Apparently, at one time, they had passenger rail service, and the rail depot has been preserved and is used for special events.
After Midland, Pennsylvania, I suddenly found myself in Ohio! I guess I should pre-check my route more carefully so I know where I'm going (or where, at least, I'll be!). It was unexpected because there was no sign . . . but I did notice different license plates on the cars. Welcome to East End! That also was a bit of a giveaway.
The residential neighborhood in East End, Ohio. Note the red brick pavers used in the street. It reminded me of riding through some towns in Europe. It reminded my butt more, though.
I love seeing these older buildings, which indicate that the town had some level of prosperity at one time. It looks to have been adapted to a subsequent use, but there was no sign indicating what.
I had routed myself along the river on a local road to keep myself off the busy main highway. That afforded me my first close-up ride along the Ohio River.
From East End, Ohio, it was into East Liverpool, Ohio (I have to put Ohio in, or else you might think I was somewhere in England). That was a fine-looking but awfully quiet town . . . except for the toll bridge.
After East End, I entered East Liverpool, both in Ohio. This is East Liverpool's main downtown strip, which I thought was quite handsome if not a little deserted.
I knew I would be crossing the Ohio River again into West Virginia, and I was pleasantly surprised to find it to be a very old suspension toll bridge. And cheap, bikes go for free!
And then I was in West Virginia getting a proper "Welcome" from the governor. Besides the border monument designating the Mason and Dixon Line, my state crossings to date have been anonymous!
Entering West Virginia at a T-intersection with WV-2.
The tallest building in Newell, WV, and probably the oldest. I was told it was going to be torn down at a cost of $50,000. Seems like a high price to me.
