M. Coriale

Fall 2023 Bike Tour: GAP/C&O Day 7 – Brunswick, MD to Washington, DC

September 14, 2023September 14, 2023 M. Coriale2 Comments

This posting is a day delayed: I authored the post on our train ride home, but the Jetpack app hung and I lost my work.

Knowing we had a longer day and a train to catch, we got moving at first light and began our journey by headlight at around 6:30. We decided that we wanted to arrive at the National Mall as early as possible for two reasons: first, I’d we had any mechanical issues we would have some buffer time, and second because we wanted to do a little touring of the monuments before leaving.

The weather was nearly epic. We started out in the mid 60s and had no rain. Blue skies kept us company all the way to the end. The only tiny subtraction of epic points was that the sun did get rather hot by the end of the day.

I have biked the C&O three times before this trip. On my previous rides, the surface has been quite bumpy and muddy. The towpath was mostly just two tracks of dirt with a strip of grass between, and puddles… lots of puddles. I was happy to see that large portions of the path are now a groomed surface similar to the GAP. We had a few more miles of the improved surface as we left Brunswick today.

During our previous days, JB would stop and read nearly every historical sign. Knowing we wanted to arrive in DC quickly, we only took 2 longer breaks and skipped most of the signs.

Our first break came at just about 1/3 of our total distance of 20 miles. We stopped at White’s Ferry for a snack break and a short rest. There is a small deli at the ferry dock, but it wasn’t open yet. I’m always taken by the flood markings on this building.

The ferry is supposed to carry cars (and bikes) across to Leesburg, Virginia as it has done for many years. Due to some dispute between the owner of the ferry and the Virginia side, the ferry has no longer been operating. This cuts off one of the only ways to get back and forth across the Potomac for many miles. It effectively eliminates the possibility of a cyclist being able to overnight in Leesburg as I did on a previous trip.

Continuing eastward, we made quick time as the miles counted down. There are mileposts on the C&O that count down to zero when you reach DC. We started making note of them to pace off our remaining distance.

Our second long stop of the day was at the Great Falls overlook, conveniently located about 2/3 of our distance. The Potomac changes from a calm looking river to a massive set of falls in this area. We parked our bikes and walked out the boardwalk to take a look. I haven’t walked all the way to the main falls before and, wow, just wow! It is not only powerful, but very beautiful.

Great Falls

The end was now only about 20 miles away, a relatively short ride. We didn’t stop too many more times along the way, passing more locks and lock houses, birds and bird watchers, deer, and turtles.

I took us onto the Capital Crescent path for the last 3-4 miles. It parallels the C&O but does not end in Georgetown. Instead, we went to the mile 0 marker by meandering along the Potomac and going through the Thompson Boat Center parking lot. (Hint: If you want to find mile 0, you have to go to the boat center and go around the east side of the building!)

After a few snapshots at mile 0, we made our way to the National Mall on the Rock Creek trail, passing the Watergate Hotel, the Kennedy Center, and then arriving at the Lincoln Memorial. We arrive with plenty of time to spare, so after a brief stop we went in search of food. Some local food trucks were up by the Washington Monument, so we stopped there.

After lunch, we made a big loop. First was the Vietnam War memorial, then the Korean War memorial, the World War II memorial, and finishing off with a lap around the Washington Monument. We cruised up the south side of the mall and past Capitol Hill before making our way to Union Station. Stopping at these memorials was more emotional than I expected. I especially recalled my uncle Bill who served in Korea and my Grandpap who served in WW II. Neither died in service, but I felt especially close to both of them as I went to these memorials.

We took turns going into the men’s room to change into our travel clothes before boarding our train. The last time I traveled this route by train, the baggage car for bikes was “walk on” level. This time, we had to hand our bikes up to a luggage carrier who put the bikes into the car for us. Not quite as easy, but not a big deal.

The ride back to Pittsburgh was largely easy and uneventful. Before the sun went down, we were able to see many of the same miles we had just rode on our bikes, often overlooking the trail just a few feet away. It served as a nice recap of the trip.

As I boarded the train, the young man sitting next to me was a refugee from the Middle East. He was on his way to Texas to live with a friend until he could find work. I can’t imagine the stress of moving to a new country, with minimal understanding of the language, and starting anew. He asked me many questions, just trying to understand this new country he’d moved to.

Upon arrival in Pittsburgh, we collected our things and bikes, and rode back to the parking lot to retrieve the car. We stayed at a hotel about 30 minutes south of the city to get a more affordable choice.

I arrived home today in the afternoon and was happy to be greeted by my daughter. I’ve already unpacked, washed my clothes, washed my bike, and put away all of my touring gear. The tour is over and it is time to get back to work!

Day 7 Stats: 62 miles, 0 flats, 0 mechanical issues, and a beautiful day!

Overall Stats: 373.2 miles, 4 tubes, 1 tire, 1 shoe cleat

I hope all of you have enjoyed the virtual travel-along with us. Thanks for tracking along.

Peace,
— Dcn. Matt

Fall 2023 Bike Tour: GAP/C&O Day 6 – Shepherdstown, WV to Antietam, Harpers Ferry, and Brunswick, MD

September 12, 2023September 12, 2023 M. Coriale1 Comment

We intentionally made this a shorter day so that we would have time to tour Antietam battlefield and Harpers Ferry. Antietam is only about 6 miles from Shepherdstown, so we arrived mid morning after a lazy start.

We started at the visitors center to get an overview of the battlefield and events of that dreadful day when over 100,000 troops clashed and nearly 23,000 men were counted as casualties. Think of that: 23,000 men died or seriously injured as a result of a single day’s battle. It is a very somber place to be. It seems so serene and peaceful today. The visitors center has a very good movie and then the park ranger gave an excellent orientation – each about 30 minutes. I found myself really thinking about how so many human lives were lost. How do we measure the cost of those lost to slavery and its many injustices? How do we measure the cost of those lost to the war? I’m sure it made our Lord very sad to see how we treated our sisters and brothers, and still do in many ways.

The battlefield is not very large when you consider 100,000 troops were in the battle. I imagine it was quite full of people. There is an 8 mile loop that you can drive around the perimeter and down a couple of roads within the battlefield. Along the way there are stops to read various details about the battle. It is the blue route in the map below. We rode our bikes around the loop and stopped a few times to see the details. There are many monuments along the route built to the various battalions that were involved.

It was getting warm and we were ready for lunch, so after completing the loop, we stopped for lunch before heading back to the C&O Canal path and resuming our journey. We arrived at the bridge to Harpers Ferry by late afternoon. We locked up the bikes and walked across into town. We wandered a little while and found a little ice cream shop to get out of the sun. We also found a really neat little shop that has lots of things to support the hikers that are coming through on the Appalachian Trail. We popped in and bought a few Clif bars for our breakfast tomorrow.

After returning to our bikes, we made the last few miles to arrive in Brunswick MD for the night. After getting cleaned up, we all ordered the same thing for dinner: spaghetti and meatballs. It was filling and yummy.

I had my second run-in with the cleat of my right shoe today when riding at Antietam. It was a very good thing I bought spares in Hancock. My right cleat lost a screw and it would have been very difficult to finish the tour without that cleat working. In less than 5 minutes, I had the new cleat mounted and resumed the trip. So, in case you’re wondering, yes, I will always pack a spare cleat or two in my repair kit!

Tomorrow we have a tight schedule. We need to arrive for a 4PM Amtrak back to Pittsburgh. We have 60 miles to go and are conservatively estimating 6 hours at 10 MPH. We talked it over and we’d like to get to the Washington mall as early as possible and then have the time to look around a little. That way, if we have any issues along the way, we have buffer time.

Time to head to bed. It’s going to be an early morning!

Stats for today: 35 miles, +1 cleat replacement, no other issues.

May the Lord shine His face upon you and give you peace.
— Dcn. Matt

Fall 2023 Bike Tour: GAP/C&O Day 5 – Hancock, MD to Shepherdstown, WV

September 11, 2023 M. Coriale2 Comments

Our accommodations in Hancock were definitely sub-par, but we did have a safe roof over our heads. We walked around town last night and noticed how few businesses are left. Hancock’s heyday has long past and I wonder how much longer it might be able to hang on.

We left Hancock to beautiful weather this morning. We finished out the Western Maryland rail trail and jumped back on the C&O Canal a few miles west of Fort Frederick. We went into the fort park for a little visit and wandered around.

Nothing was open, but there was one park employee who answered a few questions as we wandered about.

There’s a common occurrence on these bike trips: we run into the same people over the days. There are 4-5 different groups of people we’ve bumped into more than once. Perhaps the most fun is the “Tiara and Tutus” group of friends. We met them a few days ago and keep crossing paths. This group of friends has been doing the GAP + C&O every year for the last 9 years. They wear tutus and have outfitted their helmets with pipe cleaners and decorations to be “tiaras”. They are a hoot! Every time we’ve seen them, they are laughing and having a great time. I have truly enjoyed crossing their paths because their joy is contagious.

Half way in our ride today was Williamsport. We went into town in search of lunch. After cruising up the street, we decided on “Still Smokin’ BBQ”. It was very good. Fueled up, we set our sites on Shepherdstown.

This next section of the trail is really pretty and the trail surface is uncharacteristically smooth and awesome! I had been told that the Parks service has been resurfacing the trail. We found one of the new sections. This section was so smooth, JB thought it might have been paved. He even stopped to look at it more closely.

There are many really nice views from riding right along the Potomac river. One section of the trail is right on the river itself with a man-made concrete path hugging the wall for a couple of miles.

We arrived at Shepherdstown in the late afternoon. The town is on the south side of the river. To get there, you take a set of switchbacks up to the bridge level, then take the bridge across the river and into town. I’ve been in Shepherdstown before but I didn’t have time to wander around. Our AirBNB is on the east side of town, so we took a slow roll through the college campus and enjoyed it. This is a really nice town with a very funky vibe. A mix of historical buildings with a hip college town.

After getting scrubbed down, we decided on a local taqueria. I got a fantastic burrito and it really hit the spot. After dinner, we took a big walk around town to stretch our legs.

Laundry done, belly full, blog done, and bed made for tonight. It’s time to turn in! Tomorrow we have a shorter day. We’ll spend time touring Antietam, Harpers Ferry, and wherever we wander along the way. We should be about 35-40 miles, leaving enough time to see things and let our legs regroup a little before our last day of 60+ miles in to Washington DC.

I also want to give a shout-out to some friends from Indiana who are on a quest to finish out their 50-state map of places they’ve cycled. They’re currently in New Mexico having a great time on two wheels. You may want to check them out at: keepcalmandpedalonblog.com!

Stats for Today:
Miles: 56
Mechanical issues: 0
Flats: 0

One last thought: two of my friends have lost parents in the last week. Hug your kids and let your parents know you love them. Mom & Dad – I can’t thank you enough for all you’ve done for me over the years. I love you both very much.

Peace!
— Dcn. Matt

Fall 2023 Bike Tour: GAP/C&O Day 4 – Cumberland, MD to Hancock, MD

September 10, 2023 M. CorialeLeave a comment

Yesterday we finished the GAP part of our trip and today we began the C&O Canal towpath. It rained a lot last night and I was anticipating the C&O path to be very muddy with lots of puddles. It certainly was muddy, but not as bad as previous times I’ve been on the canal.

The C&O is much more rustic than the GAP. I’ve heard that they’ve done some significant work on the path down towards D.C. but for the most part, the towpath is packed mud with some patches of light gravel. My recollection was that this first 60 miles heading east were the worst. It honestly wasn’t too bad. I was covered in light mud by the end of the day, but it was not nearly as bad as some previous rides.

There are not many towns between Cumberland and Hancock, so if you travel this way, make sure to bring plenty of water and food to get you past those 60 miles.

About mid way is a town called Paw Paw, WV. I had arranged to meet a fellow rider from Paw Paw along the way. He is a volunteer for the National Parks and lives in Paw Paw. When we found him, he introduced himself and shared some local Paw Paw fruits with us, teaching us how to open and eat them. I enjoyed the fruit. It tasted like a mix between a cantaloupe and mango. I tried find a few more ripe ones, unsuccessfully.

Before reaching Paw Paw, we had to navigate over three downed trees. We helped lift each others’ bikes over the large trees and resumed our travel.

The Paw Paw tunnel is located on the north edge of the town. It was built to take the canal through a mountain instead of going around. The project was much bigger than anticipated and it took nearly 14 years to complete. Over the last few years, the National Parks engineering team was doing a scaling project just outside the south entrance to the tunnel and had the towpath blocked off. I have not done the detour, but I’ve heard that it can be challenging. Fortunately, they just finished and reopened the towpath a few weeks ago! So we were able to go through the tunnel without the bypass!

Dan bid us a farewell as we pointed towards Hancock. The next stop along the way is the tiny town of Little Orleans. I sort of remember looking it up a few years back and seeing that the population was less than 40 people. We stopped at “Bill’s” place – a little biker and bicycler place that serves food, drinks, and some basic groceries. I picked up some sweet teas and a bag of chips to tide me over. There’s a tradition of putting a dollar bill on the ceiling at Bill’s place. Someplace on the ceiling, I have two bills. I couldn’t find either of them today – perhaps I’ll have another trip here and more time to look.

My bike had been collecting a lot of mud under the fenders so I was happy to clear some of the mud and then we joined up with the Western Maryland rail trail. This paved path parallels the C&O from a few miles east of Little Orleans all the way to Fort Fredrick. JB felt like it was cheating to jump off the C&O, but I welcomed the non-muddy surface for the 14 miles into Hancock. Flat digital Billy made a few appearances as well, including tumbling down a fallen rock zone. Poor Billy…

I also saw this super cool little guy along the trail. He seemed completely nonplussed about us. He didn’t move an inch while we took pictures.

I had my first mechanical failure of the ride today right after getting on the WM trail: the cleat on my right shoe was twisting. One of the two screws had backed out of my shoe. It made it rather hard to get it out of my pedal! Once we freed it up, I was able to screw it back in and resume. I also decided to buy a spare set of cleats to put in my spare parts kit – it hasn’t been on my packing list prior, but I realized today that if I had lost a screw, it would be very difficult to pedal. So when we got to Hancock, I purchased a spare set just to be safe.

We arrived in Hancock in the early afternoon. A beautiful day of riding in the books. We hosed our bikes down at the local bike shop. Wow, so much mud. We arrived at our AirBNB and settled in. I’ve stayed at my fair share of AirBNBs – this one was the only place I could find with availability. Uh, let’s just say it was cheap and leave it at that…

Dinner at a local place was good and now we’re ready for bed. Tomorrow’s destination: Shepherdstown WV.

Today’s Stats: 61 miles. No rain. One loose cleat. No tubes or tires used.

May the Lord grant us, and you, a restful night and a peaceful death. Amen.
— Dcn. Matt

Fall 2023 Bike Tour: GAP/C&O Day 3 – Rockwood, PA to Cumberland, MD

September 9, 2023September 9, 2023 M. CorialeLeave a comment

Today started with a wet beginning. For our first 10 miles or so, we were rained on. However, after the rain ended, the rest of the weather today was beautiful with temps in the 70s-80s and mostly blue skies.

This section, between Rockwood and Cumberland, is perhaps my favorite part of the Great Allegheny Passage. There are wonderful areas of trees, fantastic views, tunnels, bridges, and the accomplishment of reaching the Continental Divide.

The longest bridge on the GAP is the Salisbury Viaduct. In my opinion, there aren’t any cycling path bridges better that I’ve crossed. I’ve been here several times, but it never gets old. Spanning the Casselman River, CSX rails, and the road below. The views are fantastic.

Just east of the viaduct is the town of Meyersdale, PA. This neat little town is also the home of two really good restaurants. We went to Donge’s drive in to get a delicious breakfast. We sat right behind the cook at the grill and struck up a nice conversation while she made our breakfast. I had eggs, dry toast, and deeeelishous home fries.

When we started in Pittsburgh, we had been trying to get a picture of our friend Billy printed to take along with us since he couldn’t make it in person. We have been affectionately calling the idea “Flat Billy”. Today we decided just to take his digital picture with us and send him texts with them. You see him with us at breakfast below. We miss you, Billy!

Meyersdale is down below the trail, so we climbed back up to the trailhead, spent some time in the visitor center museum, and then pressed on towards the Continental Divide.

Just a few more miles took us to the top of the ride. We stopped and took a few pictures at the divide before heading down towards Cumberland.

The ride down from the divide to Cumberland is about 20+ miles of gentle downhill grade. These last miles were relatively easy.

The longest tunnel on the GAP is the Big Savage Tunnel. Long and dark, it takes a few minutes to ride through it and you need a headlight to see well. It is also nice and cool inside.

Emerging from the tunnel’s southeast exit, you are treated to wonderful views of the valley below. The skies were clear today and you could see quite a distance and the layers of mountains in the distance.

A few miles later we came to the Mason-Dixon Line, the dividing line between the North and the South, between Pennsylvania and Maryland.

After a few pictures, we pressed on to Frostburg, MD. There’s a set of switchbacks you can ride up to get to the train station at the top. There is a tourist train that runs from Frostburg down to Cumberland. The train was waiting at the top when we arrived.

We also noticed a new thing: some four wheeled pedal carts that you can pay to ride down the rails to various destinations, including as far as Cumberland. We all decided that it looked like a LOT of fun. We don’t have time to do it, but we think it might be something to do in the future.

We arrived in Cumberland and the end of the Great Allegheny Passage! Tomorrow we continue with the C&O Canal path on towards Washington DC.

I checked and got quickly washed up, then walked about 1 mile, nearly all uphill (!) to get to mass. After mass, I walked back and met Zubby and JB at the Crabby Pig for dinner. Ribs hit the spot.

Looking outside, it is raining “cats and dogs” tonight. I’m assuming that tomorrow’s ride on the C&O will start out with lots of mud. We have a long ride to get to Hancock MD tomorrow. Time for a good night’s sleep.

Today’s stats: 47 miles, zero tubes, zero tires, zero broken spokes, and zero bandaids. It was a wonderful and uneventful day on the GAP!

May the Lord bless you and keep you.

Peace,
— Dcn. Matt

Fall 2023 Bike Tour: GAP/C&O Day 2 – Connellsville PA to Rockwood PA

September 8, 2023 M. Coriale1 Comment

Our day started uneventfully as we left the hotel and got rolling. The weather today was perfect: no rain, at least while we were cycling, and the temperatures were nice and cool.

The GAP is a very pretty trail. Many nice views and the tree canopy makes for a nice ride.

When we went to bed last night, we decided we needed to get Zubby a new tire when we reached Ohio Pyle. The tire patch with the Mylar boot and dollar bill worked well and we arrived in Ohio Pyle without any more flats. It took quite a while to get the tire mounted on his bike with a few adjustments to brakes, fenders, and such. But when all was done, Zubby was rolling again on fresh rubber.

How many engineers does it take to change a tire?

We didn’t do much riding around Ohio Pyle this time. We got a few drinks and snacks to tide us over. We decided we would get some lunch in Confluence later in the day.

We ate a quick lunch at an ice cream / snack shop near Confluence and then wandered around the town for a few minutes. We stopped in at the local bike shop and visited with the owners for a few minutes. Very nice people.

Along our way to Rockwood, JB flatted again. We pulled over and he replaced the rim tape with the new stuff he bought yesterday. Let’s hope that’s the last flat for the day. Tubes +1.

Arriving at our B&B in Rockwood, we all showered and got our laundry in for a good scrubbing. After, we walked across the street for a light dinner. The conversation over dinner was very muted. I think we are all three very tired and needing some sleep. I think it will be an early night.

Tomorrow we will complete the GAP as we ride up to the continental divide and then down in to Cumberland.

Today’s stats: 49 miles, JB +1 tube, Zubby +1 tire.

Peace!
— Dcn. Matt

Fall 2023 Bike Tour: GAP/C&O Day 1 – “Of Tubes and Men”

September 7, 2023September 7, 2023 M. Coriale1 Comment

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.

Settling in for the evening and looking forward to a nice day tomorrow. Next stop, Rockwood! Hoping that our tire boot gets Zubby safely to Ohiopyle!

Today’s stats: 64 miles, 5:48 riding time, 3 tubes used for flat repair, 1 new set of rim tape, and one bandaid for my finger.

Until tomorrow, may the Lord keep you, and us, safe.

Peace!
— Dcn. Matt

Fall 2023 Bike Tour: GAP/C&O Day 0

September 6, 2023September 6, 2023 M. CorialeLeave a comment

We arrived today in Pittsburgh for a 7 day ride along very familiar territory: The Great Allegheny Passage and the C&O Canal. We’ll begin tomorrow morning in downtown Pittsburgh and arrive next Wednesday in Washington, DC. I have done this route a few times, but my two riding buddies have not.

There were supposed to be four of us, but late last night, we received some sad news that one of our friends would not be able to join us due to a death in the family.

Tomorrow we head east. We will spend three days on the GAP, followed by four days on the C&O with some sightseeing along the way.

Heading to bed. More tomorrow.

Peace!

Cycling to Work: Wrap-Up

June 30, 2023June 30, 2023 M. Coriale4 Comments

I usually end each trip with a short entry to wrap up the experience. Here are a few parting thoughts.

First, about the route. The route through Kentucky was very enjoyable. The biggest challenge was to try to stay on more rural roads, away from car traffic. I plotted the Kentucky leg of the route back in 2019 when I rode from Lexington, KY to Cleveland, OH. We used nearly the same route, only modifying the few miles out of Falmouth to make for a bit easier climbing. Overall, I think the route is good, with a few caveats. First, be prepared for dogs. Second, it is inevitable that you can’t always be on the most quiet roads. We had a few miles that were on busier roads because there just wasn’t any alternative. Third, the more rural the route, the fewer the opportunities are for food and water. Just pack prepared.

Ohio has a great set of trail networks. People are surprised to learn that you can ride from Cincinnati to Cleveland on paved bike trails for most of the journey. See the Ohio To Erie trail web site for more information. On this trip, aside from a little bit of on-road bike lanes in Cincinnati, one detour (see below), and maybe 5-6 miles total of connector roads in the little farm towns, I was on paved bike trails from the time we crossed into Ohio until I reached the main road to the Josephinum north of Columbus.

Here’s the actual route I took, constructed from the GPX logs:

There was one significant detour from the regular route north of Loveland, OH. The Little Miami Trail has a huge construction project next to the Peterson Cartridge Factory (See the “Cartridge Brewing” marker in the map below). There is an official detour that you can find online, but I didn’t use it. The posted detour takes you up on busy roads for a good distance. Instead, I found a way that takes you through a residential neighborhood and back down to the trail with only 0.5 miles on a wide shoulder of Route 48, then back to the trail at the South Lebanon trailhead. My detour has a punchy climb at the start, but then is mostly easy riding.

Next, my equipment. I’ve already mentioned my equipment in the past, but a quick overview for those who are new or curious about bike touring. I’m using a bicycle that is designed for a bit heavier use than a typical road bike. It has thick wider tires, a steel frame, and eyelets to allow you to bolt on racks and bottle holders. The best way I can describe it is by comparing to cars: my touring bike is like an SUV, my road bike is like a sports car. Next is the luggage. I use panniers (pronounced “Pan-Ears”) that lock into the back rack of my bike. They’re waterproof and rugged. They allow me to carry clothes, food, electronics, and repair gear for the trip. I didn’t weigh them, but I estimate that I’m carrying about 20-25 pounds of luggage. I also have a little bag that velcros to my top tube. I put my wallet, pepper spray (which I’ve never used), and some energy food in this little bag so that I can easily access while riding. I also carry a tire pump in the event of a flat.

My blue Ortlieb panniers. Expensive but good!

I’ve been bike touring since 2010. Over time, I have developed a packing list that I review before each trip. It includes clothes, rain-gear, a first aid kit (which I’ve needed for me and others in the past), bike specific tools, important spare parts, spare tubes, tire patches, food, and electronics. Some of it may seem like overkill, but if you’re self-supported, you need to be able to get yourself to civilization no matter what happens.

We were fortunate that we didn’t encounter any difficult weather. Rain, wind, heat, or cold, you need to be prepared. I often get asked “What would you do if it rains?” The answer is simple: put on a rain coat and ride. Unless, of course, it is dangerous, then I seek shelter. I have a cycling raincoat with a longer back area and a cover that goes over the helmet. These keep most of the water off of me. Sometimes, the rain actually feels pretty good, such as a very hot day.

Unlike when I’m road bike training, when I’m bike touring, I try not to pay much attention to my speed. My only concern for speed is to see if I’m slowing down, indicating fatigue. Otherwise, part of bike touring is just enjoying the ride, not worrying about metrics.

Lastly, people frequently ask “why would you travel by bike?” I think the assumption is that riding this much can’t possibly be enjoyable. I guess it is like any other hobby or activity – if you’ve never tried it, you might be missing out on something really neat. I thoroughly enjoy bike touring. I especially like seeing the little towns and meeting great people along the way. If you’ve ever considered trying a long bike ride, I suggest doing an overnight somewhere and back. You might enjoy the accomplishment.

For me, I often try to bring in sabbath time when I’m out on the touring bike – time to not only rest, but also to reflect on my relationship with the Lord. What’s the difference between vacation and sabbath? They’re both valuable, but sabbath recognizes the Lord and what He has done, is doing, and will do in our life. Sabbath recalls the relationship we have with the Lord. Sabbath is more than just resting from work. Sabbath includes prayer and worship of God. Vacation time (and money) is often earned at work, but sabbath is a freely given gift of God that we need to accept and open. Much like spouses who need to spend intimate time with each other to keep their relationship strong, we need to spend intimate time with the Lord. So as I turn the cranks, when I take a rest at the end of a long day, and in the people I meet, I try to remember that the Lord is there at all times.

Wrapping up, Here’s a link to each part of this trip to make it easier to find:
Day 0 – Prologue
Day 1 – Lexington, KY to Paris, KY
Day 2 – Paris, KY to Falmouth, KY
Day 3 – Falmouth, KY to Milford, OH
Day 4 – Milford, OH to Cedarville, OH
Day 5 – Cedarville, OH to Columbus, OH (Worthington) and The PCJ

This was a short tour, but I had a great trip and really enjoyed it. I’m already looking forward to a longer tour this fall with some friends. Plans are TBD but taking shape.

Peace,
Dcn. Matt (and Joe)

Cycling to Work: Day 5 – Cedarville to Columbus, OH. Arrived!

June 27, 2023June 27, 2023 M. Coriale5 Comments

I slept very well last night but woke up a bit earlier than planned. After the regular morning routine of self-care, the Liturgy of the Hours, chamois cream, and sunblock, I ate a quick breakfast and rolled out of the hotel just a few minutes after 7AM. As I posted yesterday, the Hearthstone Inn is a gem for anyone cycling through Cedarville and needing a place to stop.

The weather today was just about as ideal as I could have asked for. It was cool enough that I needed my arm warmers all day, it was overcast so the sun didn’t bake me, I had a little tailwind most of the day, and no rain to speak of. My sunscreen was probably a waste today, but you can’t be too careful when it comes to sun protection.

The route for today was very easy: Head out the hotel door. Turn right. Follow the dedicated bike paths nearly the entire way here, with the exception of a few connector miles going through South Charleston, OH and London, OH. I clocked in just over 63 miles, and I didn’t really take any wandering side trips today. I wanted to arrive around lunch time to be prepared for a 1PM Zoom call.

First Stop: South Charleston, then London

The first destination was South Charleston. To get there, I took the Prairie Grass Trail from the hotel right into the town of South Charleston. Like the most of the rest of the trails in the Ohio part of this trip, the PGT is an old rail line that has been converted for hikers, walkers, joggers, and cyclists. Unlike the Little Miami Trail, however, it does not have much shade. The PGT makes a nearly straight line between Xenia and London, passing through farm land. The farms were very pretty today with a little bit of fog as I made my way out.

I paused for just a few minutes in South Charleston to get a couple of pictures and eat some quick carbs to keep me going. As I sat at the Veteran’s Memorial, I watched the farmers driving into and out of town.

South Charleston, OH and heading to London

Next stop: London. London is a larger town, not huge, but enough to support several restaurants, stores, and so on. I stopped at the trailhead, ate a few snacks, and topped off my water. I chose to bypass the downtown area to avoid traffic and be a bit quicker getting through. If you’re camping, the London trailhead is one of the best camping spots on the entire Ohio To Erie trail. There are raised campsites and a large covered picnic area that you could easily set up a tent under in the event of heavy rain.

A few miles further is the Battelle Darby Metro Park. It is a pretty park and the trail winds through the forested part of the park. Some time between 2019 and now they paved a nice section of the trail within the park so that cyclists don’t have to compete with cars on the parking lot access road. It is a mild climb, but nothing difficult.

Once you leave the park, the first signs of getting closer to Columbus start to emerge: denser housing and more roads cross the path. I was now riding on the Camp Chase Trail. Large parts of the Camp Chase Trail parallel a set of railroad tracks. They don’t look very active though. I also noticed several homeless encampments in the woods near the trail as I got closer to the city.

On the west side of Columbus is a place called Amy’s Donuts. It is right along the bike route … and very tempting. I’ve stopped there every time I’ve passed before. But today I broke the tradition. I was feeling pretty good and didn’t want to take the time to stop. Next time. (I really shouldn’t eat donuts anyway since most of the doughs have a small amount of milk in them. However I will, on a rare occasion, make an exception for a good donut!)

Next time I’ll go in and grab a cruller!

The rest of the trip into Columbus was uneventful. I picked up the Hilltop Connector, then the Scioto trail, and finally the Olentangy River trail. The Olentangy trail runs very close to the Josephinum. I frequently ride the full length of the Olentangy, so I knew I was in the home stretch!

The Olentangy Trail has a major detour for some sort of construction. You have to go up onto the campus of The Ohio State University, go around the stadium, and then join back up with the trail near the river. I have a friend who tells a great story about finding one of the gates of the stadium unlocked and open, so she went out onto the field to take a selfie. I think of her every time I ride past the stadium and chuckle a little bit. I didn’t see any open gates today, sorry Kim.

Sights along the Olentangy River, including THE Ohio State University stadium

Once I reached the Olentangy Park on the north side of Columbus, it was time to say goodbye to the trails and head up to the Josephinum. A gentle climb of about a mile took me up to North High Street. You’d have to have a death wish to cycle on North High Street – although I do see cyclists out there occasionally. I strategically used the sidewalks to finish the rest of the route over to the Josephinum entrance. Campus is one of my favorite places in the world, but it was especially welcoming as I completed my 250+ mile journey.

Welcome to the Pontifical College Josephinum!

I arrived with about 25 minutes to spare before my meeting. Not enough time to eat or shower. I took a chocolate Clif Bar, broke it into pieces, and ate it with spoonfuls of peanut butter. It was actually pretty good and filling! It tided me over until after my Zoom call and a much needed shower.

The Pontifical College Josephinum is a Catholic Seminary. I run the permanent deacon formation program. I work most of my time from home in Lexington, but I try to be on campus as much as possible. I really enjoy the campus and being around the seminarians. There are some remarkable young men in formation here and it gives me great hope for the future of the Church.

There are four chapels on campus. Here are the two that I most frequently spend time in. The first is St. Turibius Chapel. It is the largest chapel on campus and has a phenomenal pipe organ. This is where we celebrate the Liturgy of the Hours in community, have adoration, and mass when the seminarians are here during the Fall and Spring semesters. The other chapel is much smaller. It is named for St. Rose of Lima. I like to go into this chapel when I need some quiet prayer time or if I’m saying the Liturgy of the Hours by myself.

So, I guess it is time to wrap up this adventure. My laundry is finally done, I’m thoroughly scrubbed, and it’s about time to look for a very much needed dinner.

Final Stats:
Miles: 250.88
Time: 20 Hours, 40 Minutes in the saddle
Flat Tires: 0
Broken Spokes: 0 (Yay for new wheels!)
Beers Consumed: 1 large, 1 extra large
Clif Bars: 8
Clif Gel Shots: 9
Dog Chases: Lots, but only a couple of scary ones

I really enjoyed this bike trek. It was fun to travel with Joe again, the weather was great, and the route is very enjoyable. I may have to do this trip again.

May the Lord bless you and keep you, may He shine His face upon you, and grant you peace.

— Dcn. Matt

Cycling to Work: Day 4 – Milford to Cedarville, OH

June 26, 2023June 26, 2023 M. Coriale1 Comment

Last night was the best night of sleep both Joe and I had this week. We got up early and hit the trail. Weather throughout the day was another fantastic day, with just a few drops of rain. The end of the day was a bit windy, but a good day nonetheless.

I purchased a couple of vegan double-chocolate cake donuts at the market below the B&B last night. We had those for breakfast to get us started. We decided we’d get more to eat a few miles later at a Dunkin’ Donuts in Loveland.

Our first destination today was Xenia Station, about 50 miles up the trail. We both had a wonderful and uneventful ride up to Xenia on the Little Miami Trail. I’ve ridden this trail numerous times over the years and I still enjoy it. It is not challenging – it’s an old railroad grade. The trail is mostly canopied by trees and passes through many small towns along the way. This made for an easy and relaxing day.

When we reached Xenia we grabbed a quick second lunch at Wendy’s before going our own ways. Joe and I haven’t done much riding together in a while and I really enjoyed touring with him for the last few days.

Xenia Station is the intersection of several great bike trails. We left the Little Miami Trail behind. Joe went west on the Creekside Trail and I cycled northeast on the Praire Grass Trail. He’s off to Dayton to meet his family for a college visit to UD. I’m continuing along my way to the Josephinum in Columbus.

I only had about 8 more miles to my destination for tonight: the Hearthstone Inn in Cedarville. The last few miles were fairly easy with a bit of a tailwind. I had to stop to climb over a downed tree on the trail. Otherwise, it was an easy trip.

The Hearthstone Inn is a great family run hotel right on the trail. I checked in and triple-scrubbed myself down to get off the bugs, dirt, and sunscreen before I joined a quick Zoom meeting for work.

Sitting in the hotel room by myself feels a bit weird after spending the last four evenings together. Joe texted me a little after I arrived to let me know that he’d arrived at his hotel. I’m glad to know we both made it safely. It’s a buddy-thing.

I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s ride. The weather looks cool and comfortable again. I’d like to arrive at the Josephinum around lunch time, if possible – we’ll have to see how things go.

May the Lord bless you and provide you rest.

Dcn. Matt

Cycling to Work: Day 3 – Falmouth, KY to Milford, OH

June 25, 2023June 25, 2023 M. Coriale1 Comment

Our accommodations in Falmouth were fun and comfortable. The Airbnb is located above an old bank in downtown. I woke up around 5:30, a bit ahead of my alarm. I did my morning prayer, packed up my stuff, ate some breakfast, and slathered on a generous layer of sunblock to start the day.

The overall plan for the day was to get from the Licking Valley up and over to the Ohio Valley, then follow the Ohio River up to Newport, Kentucky. Once in Newport, we would cross into Cincinnati, and follow a series of bike lanes and bike paths to arrive at the Little Miami Trail, taking the LMT to Milford – our destination for today. Simple enough. One challenge is that there isn’t really much of anything between Falmouth and Newport. We had to carry enough water and food for this part of the trip.

Our first stop was to get to Our Lady’s Farm, about 7 miles north of Falmouth. Nearly all of our climbing today was done in these first 7 miles. The route had 2 moderate climbs with steep and/or long sections and one easy climb to start the route. Overall, not bad. I liked this route a little better than my last time through and would do it again. We were treated to some beautiful views and farmland along the way.

Our Lady’s Farm is at the top of the ridge between the the Licking Valley and the Ohio Valley. The farm is the sight of a Marian apparition. It is a beautiful place. We spent a few minutes there before resuming our journey.

A few more miles along the top of the ridge before descending all the way back down to the Ohio River. We picked up the Mary Ingalls highway for about 27 miles. We saw very few cars for the first 20 miles – I think I counted fewer than 10 cars. However, when we reached the town of Silver Grove, there was a lot of traffic. Too many cars to count. The speeds were slow, but no shoulder made it a little less pleasant than the previous part of our journey.

Several miles of the Mary Ingalls Highway are closed to traffic. The road is impassible for cars: the pavement has heaved beyond repair in many places. We only had one place where we had to walk our bikes over a barrier, but otherwise, it was kind of like having a private road all to ourselves.

Thou Shalt Not Pass! (Meh, it wasn’t too bad)

Along the way, we did take a nice break. Yesterday, knowing we would need some decent portable food, Joe purchased a 4-pack of Uncrustable PB&Js (grape jelly, of course). We each scarfed down two of them to fuel us along and tide us over for the last few miles in Kentucky. When we reached Newport, we grabbed second lunch, took a break, and prepared for the rest of today’s journey on the Ohio side of the river.

Crossing into Ohio is easy, taking the “Purple People Bridge”, then joining up with some bike paths and bike lanes.

Reaching Lunken Field, we then joined up with the Ohio River Trail, taking us to the Little Miami Trail. This is very familiar territory – I ride the LMT frequently with friends. One nice milestone – nearly the rest of my entire journey to the Josephinum will be on bike paths, with just a couple miles of roads in small towns linking various bike trails together. I’m (mostly) done sharing the road with cars.

We arrived in Milford and worked our way up to the Airbnb on Main Street. It is located above the Harvest Market. This is a very nice little apartment and super comfortable. The hosts are wonderful and I highly recommend this place!

Dinner at a local Italian place filled me up and now we’re having a quiet evening and hopefully a restful night. Joe’s legs were pretty tired today, so hoping that a good night’s rest will prep him for tomorrow. We have a long day ahead of us.

Until tomorrow, may the Lord provide you the grace to face all of your challenges with hope and joy.

Peace,
Dcn. Matt

Cycling to Work: Day 2 – Paris to Falmouth, KY

June 24, 2023June 24, 2023 M. Coriale1 Comment

We took a lazy start to the day, finally getting rolling about 8:30 or so. A little breakfast before we hit the road and then a quick stop to get a picture of the bikes with the miniature Eiffel Tower on the way out of town.

The route today took us from Paris to Cynthiana and then to Falmouth. Most of the route was on back country roads, with a few miles of state route roads to connect to the towns. Riding out from Paris to Cynthiana is very pretty. Nearly all on quiet roads and no problems – if you don’t count the chasing dogs as a hazard.

Cynthiana is a farming community. We arrived mid-morning and stopped at the park to stretch out and refill on water. The farmers’ market was up and going. There was a very cute puppy that I was introduced to. His name is Clyde and his sister’s name is Bonnie. Clyde is 12 weeks old and probably about 25-30 pounds. He’s going to be a big boy. He was very well behaved and cute.

Leaving Cynthiana, we had about 5-6 miles of well behaved traffic before we turned onto another quiet country road. The next 15-20 miles were a series of rolling climbs and descents with only a couple of longer climbs over 4%. The views from the tops of these hills were very pretty. Last time I rode through here, there was a Chihuahua “farm” along the way. I think they’re out of business, but the same place had a whole bunch of random dogs – a couple of which felt the need to come warn us away.

The last 3 miles into Falmouth took us along State Route 27. A bit more traffic today, but nothing too scary. About mid way along Rt27, we visited Punkyville. The creator, who has now passed, had amassed a large collection of road signs and antiques that he wanted to display. So he built a little town, named it after his own nickname, and declared himself to be the mayor. Rest in peace, Punky.

When we arrived in Falmouth, we pulled up to the old bank building that hosts our Airbnb. There were a few of the locals sitting on benches outside chatting. They greeted us warmly. I looked at the one guy and said “You look familiar. We’re you here about 4 years ago when I rode through?” Sure enough, I looked up pictures on my phone quickly and this is the same guy I sat next to at lunch in 2019. His name is Larry. Super nice people.

One of the things I really enjoy about Bike Touring is meeting people. Nearly everyone we meet along the way, especially in these small towns, is so delightful. Big city folk seem to think they have it all, but I think the people in small-town America genuinely seem happier from what I’ve seen.

We got all checked in, cleaned up, did a quick wash of my bibs, and then had a delicious meal at the Smoking Pig. Food was good! Joe was just about out of gas, so eating was a high priority. No complaints, for sure.

After late lunch (or maybe first dinner?), we went to mass at St. Francis Xavier church. On our way back, stopped at a mini mart to grab some food for breakfast. There isn’t anyplace to grab a bite for about 40 miles tomorrow morning, so we need to carry some food to tide us over until we reach Newport KY.

Reflecting on today’s ride, I have to say it was overall a spectacular day and I feel great. The only negative was the number of dog chases we had today. I don’t think I’ve been chased by this many dogs in the last 5 years combined. Only one or two dogs were aggressive enough to make me nervous, but I could do without the extra adrenaline bursts.

Tomorrow looks like another beautiful day. It’s going to be a bit warmer by mid afternoon, with temps in the upper 80s. Hopefully we’ll arrive in Cincinnati around lunch time.

Until then, may the Lord bless you and grant you peace.
Dcn. Matt

Cycling to Work: Day 1 – Lexington to Paris, KY

June 23, 2023June 23, 2023 M. Coriale2 Comments

Today was a very nice start to our trip and uneventful. After packing up the panniers for my bike and saying goodbye to my family, it was time to get started.

Joe and I left from my place around lunch time and made our way to Paris, KY. Only about 20 miles today. The weather was cool and comfortable and we even had a bit of a tailwind. We took some very familiar roads out to Paris. There’s a road closure along the way, but I’ve been through here several times this year and you can easily walk your bike through.

The rest of the ride to the outskirts of Paris was very uneventful. The skies were a bit dark, but no rain.

When we arrived in Paris, we took a picture at the monument. Somehow both the monument and the Eiffel Tower seem smaller in person than they look on TV.

We arrived at our Airbnb in Paris: “The Parsonage”. This is an old building that was the parsonage for the First Baptist Church many years ago. The current owners have done a nice renovation and made it comfortable. On top of that, she left us some Blue Moon, fruit, and juice in the fridge! That was a fantastic surprise.

After getting cleaned up, we walked to a nearby Mexican restaurant. Not a “Tex-Mex” place. The food was fantastic. My Spanish is embarrassingly non-existent (don’t ask me why I took German in school – Spanish would have been much more useful). The reason I mention this is that some Spanish would have made ordering dinner much easier. The wonderful lady at the restaurant and I pantomimed and pointed at the menu until I ordered two tamales and two tacos. I asked for fish tacos, got delicious steak. I guess my Spanish really needs help. Nonetheless, the food was delicious.

Back at the Airbnb and getting ready for bed. Tomorrow’s ride takes us about 40 miles to Falmouth, KY. Weather and temperatures look good.

May the Lord bless you and shine His face upon you.

Peace,
Dcn. Matt

Cycling to Work: Day 0 – Prologue

June 22, 2023 M. Coriale6 Comments

The 2023 cycling season is shaping up nicely. My personal goal for this year has been to get back into great shape. I had rotator cuff surgery in the fall and set my fitness level back quite a bit since I wasn’t allowed to do much cardio or leg exercise until late February. The older I get, the faster the fitness goes away. The forced time off from my surgery recovery took its toll. I hit the Peloton bike hard in February and March. Once the weather warmed up, I started adding on road miles and endurance length rides. I’m finally in reasonably good shape again and I’ve dropped the weight I’d gained over the winter. Getting (back) in shape sucks – no two ways about it, but it was worth the hard work.

My riding buddy Joe and I haven’t done much touring together the last few years. Family and job responsibilities have made it hard to plan much together. We decided to plot out a short/medium length tour that kicks off tomorrow. I’m going to head to work. The catch is that I work about 220 miles away by car, roughly 250 miles away by bike. It’s going to take about 4.5 days at a touring pace. Joe will join me for the first 4 days, then we’ll split off as we each head to different destinations.

We will be starting from my house in Lexington, KY and I’ll be cycling to my office at the Pontifical College Josephinum north of Columbus, Ohio. Joe will split off from me in Xenia, OH and head west to Dayton. We will be following the same route I used a few years ago when I rode to Cleveland, using country roads through Kentucky to get to the Ohio River valley, then following the Ohio River to Cincinnati. Once we arrive in Cincinnati, we’ll be following the Ohio To Erie (#OH2ERIE) route.

The Pontifical College Josephinum – my second home ❤️

We’re going to take a somewhat relaxed pace for the first couple of days and increase the milage as we go north. This is a shorter tour, but I’m really excited about getting started. The weather looks like good temps and we might get a chance to avoid the rain.

People often ask me why I like to do self-supported bike touring, or specifically why am I cycling to the Josephinum? Seeing the world at the speed of bike travel is much nicer than seeing it at automobile speed. The country roads I take are often very picturesque and not heavily traveled by cars. The people I meet are friendly. The hours on the bike are a great opportunity to take in the views, pray, talk with friends, and slow down the pace of life. Some people like the beach for the views and relaxation. I like the pace of bike travel for many of the same reasons. As for the “Why bike to work?” question: Just because. It’s a nice goal and the route is good.

For those who have been following my cycling adventures, you may recall that I had a few broken spokes on the last two bike tours. I learned from the local bike shop that the wheels the manufacturer used on my bike are prone to that issue. So instead of getting them re-laced with new spokes, I purchased some new DT Swiss wheels. Let’s hope these wheels are more reliable.

Shakedown test ride: Baby has new wheels!

So now that I’ve tested out my blogging setup and my gear is packed, I’m ready to go!

Peace!
— Dcn. Matt