September 7, 2023 – Deacon Matt's Blog

We started our trek eastward today with a standard issue hotel breakfast. Nothing great, nothing bad. Calories.

Leaving the Hampton Inn, we made our way easily down to the point, which is the park where the confluence of the Monongahela, Allegheny, form into the Ohio river. The weather felt cool and comfortable. At the point, we met up with a group of 7 friends who are journeying to DC as well. Great people and we’ve crossed their paths a few more times.

We stopped by PPG Place on our way out of town. It’s a neat set of buildings covered in glass. There are fountains and some sculptures. The other reason we stopped there is that the Mon Wharf part of the GAP was closed for construction, so we took surface streets to get a couple off miles away from the point.

Only a few miles in, we had our first mechanical failure. Just before reaching the Hot Metal bridge, JB’s bike had a flat tire. We also had our first injury – I pinched my finger helping him and got an instantaneous blood blister on my finger. JB’s problem was that the rim tape on his nearly 30 year old bike was, well, 30 years old. There was an REI store nearby so we went by and did some bike wandering of the Southside until the store opened at 10A. $6 later, new rim tape for his bike. Tube count +1.

When we went into REI, I looked up and said to myself “those clouds up there look kinda dark”. When I came out of REI a few minutes later, it was raining very hard. Donning my rain coat, we got back on the trail and continued eastbound.

One of the nice things about the GAP is that you leave a very urban setting and gradually end up in some very pretty and remote areas. Once we arrived in McKeesport, we mostly left behind the bustle and noise of the city. For the rest of the GAP portion of the trip, we will be on a very quiet bike path that passes through small towns.

The rain kept with us for quite a while until we made it to West Newton. In West Newton, there is a neat place where a bike shop is in the basement and a restaurant is above: The Trailside. We went in for lunch and had a very good meal. Our new friends were just finishing lunch there too. By the time lunch was over, the rain had passed and we were able to proceed without our rain coats.

Pressing eastbound was somewhat uneventful… for a while. Then we noticed that Zubby had a flat tire. Looking at his tire up close, there was no tread left. Zero. He had squeezed every last mile out of the rear tire, and a few more than he should have. Some sort of tiny pebble had punctured the tire and tube. Tube count +1 = 2.

A few miles later, another flat. Tube count +2 = 3 total. We did a closer inspection and decided to put a “tire boot” on the inside of his tire. It is an emergency Mylar glue patch that is meant to strengthen a tire. We also put a dollar bill over it for good measure. Dollar bills make a great emergency patch because the fabric of the bill is very strong. We had hoped to replace the tire when we arrived in Connellsville, but the bike shop here is closed for the week. We have decided to try to nurse him along until we get to Ohiopyle tomorrow and visit the bike shop there.

After arriving at the Comfort Inn in Connellsville, we scrubbed down and walked to a local restaurant for dinner. Our new friends from Pittsburgh were at the restaurant too. Veggie pasta and a couple of local hard ciders hit the spot. Mmm mmm.