Steubenville, OH to Kimbolton, OH
I spent last night at the bar next to the motel watching some NBA playoff basketball. I think I was the only person there not watching the Penguins game. I also noticed very quickly that people’s accents have changed far quicker than the scenery. Since leaving State College most of the scenery has looked pretty similar, but all of a sudden I had walked into a bar where everyone had a certain twang to their speech.
McMurray, PA to Steubenville, OH
I woke up this morning feeling well rested and ready to hit the road. Today was going to be a short and easy day which is just what I needed after the 75 miles yesterday. My friend Danny had already left for work by the time I woke up, but Danny’s wife Megan was there to make sure I had everything I needed while she also expertly looked after 3 kids.
Blairsville, PA to McMurray, PA
Apologies to the avid readers who were concerned when there was no update last night. Yesterday was a long day and I just didn’t have the energy to do an update. Next time that happens I’ll put up a short note and fill in the rest when I have time. Today you get a double dose of me!
Altoona, PA to Blairsville, PA
I woke up this morning to a light rain and temperatures in the low 40s. Not the most inviting weather for a bike ride, but I had a big climb to start the day and wanted to get it done before lunch. I got out the door pretty quickly, wearing long tights, a rain jacket and gloves once again. It was about a mile on a major road to get out of Altoona, and then I’d be climbing for the next couple of hours.
State College, PA to Altoona, PA
Today I started out feeling really energized. A day off and a good night of sleep had me up early and ready to go just after 9:00 AM. Today’s ride was 48 miles, with the first 24 trending downhill and the second 24 uphill.
The forecast for today was rain all day and temperature in the low 50s. Having dealt with similar weather twice already, I decided to sit this one out. I extended my stay in State College by one night and will pick this trip back up tomorrow. Today was used to plan some changes to my route which should make the rest of my time in Pennsylvania a bit easier. I also enjoyed resting my legs, finishing a book and watching some Netflix.
Lewisburg, PA to State College, PA
Today I woke up from what was the worst night of sleep I’ve had on this trip so far. I guess that’s what I get for sleeping in a frat house.
Hazleton, PA to Lewisburg, PA
I woke up this morning hoping today would be better than the last few days. Pennsylvania has been a real struggle and I’m not even half way through it. The hills have been tough and the temperature has made things hard as well. My destination today was Lewisburg and based on the local news it was 37 degrees there when I left the hotel.
East Stroudsburg, PA to Hazleton, PA
Today started off much like the previous days. I quickly packed up my things, headed to the motel lobby for some breakfast and got out on my bike as quickly as possible. I knew the day was going to start and end with some climbing, so I wanted to make sure I gave myself enough time to complete the 60 miles I had planned today.
Newton, NJ to East Stroudsburg, PA
I woke up this morning feeling more rested than the day before, but my legs felt the miles from yesterday’s ride. There is going to be an adjustment period before I’m really in shape to do some long mileage days. It would have been nice to start off in a flatter area, but here I am riding through the Appalachians. I can only hope the long days of climbing through New Jersey and Pennsylvania make the flatter states feel easy.
Hoboken, NJ to Newton, NJ
Today started off behind schedule from the moment I woke up. Perhaps hosting a party the night before I left was not the best idea. I had a great time seeing everyone one least time before I headed out, but I didn’t get to sleep until 3:30am. That left me with less than 5 hours of sleep for the day ahead. Before I could hit the road I still had 1 more load of things to move into storage. After taking care of that and eating some food it was noon before I knew it.
Day 2 was a planned rest day. I took the opportunity to see friends one last time before I left. There were also severe storms that rolled through the area, which would have caused me to skip any riding anyway. Day 3 is the real start of the trip.
Coney Island, NY to Hoboken, NJ
Today I woke up ready to get on my bike. While Saturday is my last day in Hoboken, I planned to start this trip in Coney Island, where I could officially dip my rear tire in the Atlantic ocean. Something about dipping my tire in the Hudson River from the shore of Hoboken just didn’t feel right. This is going to be a coast to coast trip and I wanted to have the satisfaction of getting to the Pacific Ocean knowing I’d started at the Atlantic.
Ramblin' Dan: Bike Touring Adventures 